Paddling Around Round Lake

I wanted to paddle a new lake, so I took a look at the map and was reminded of Round Lake.  There is a park on the west side of the lake that has parking and a low shore.  That is where I hit the lake from.  There was a pretty decent portage across the park from the lot to the lake.  Power boats are allowed on Round Lake, so be aware.

From the park, I headed north and caught a little channel on the north shore. The channel forked and neither channel went very far, but it took your mind far away from the lake.  They were tight and overgrown.  It was a very different feel than the lake.

Back out on the lake, I kept towards the shore.  Even 100 feet or so off the shore, the water ranged from 6ft to 2 ft deep.  Most of it was hard sand too. The water was clear and you can watch the fish swimming around under you.  It was very peaceful.  Staying this close to shore kept me from the few powerboats that were out that day.  For power boats, it is a counter clockwise lake, but for paddlers, it is a free for all.

The mix of homes on Round Lake was pretty interesting.  One section of the lake had a very tall shore with tall pines and homes poking over the ridge.  Long stair cases came down through the trees.  Then you come up to houses right on the shore with nice lawns and a stretch of beach.  Then there would be a run down home that looked like it had seen so many stories over the years.  It was pretty interesting to see such a mix of homes on one shoreline.

My favorite part of this lake was the channel at the southwest corner of the lake.  This was a very natural area and the trees were covered in vines.  The channel became very tight and shallow in one section, with the trees hanging over the water.  It felt like I had taken a wrong turn and should be watching for crocodiles in the murky water.  The thrashing carp sure didn't help that feeling of something lurking nearby. 

This lake is definitely one to return to.  It was way cooler than I was expecting.  From what I could tell, there was no user fee or sticker required.  There was also no rules for parking posted.