Paddleboarding in Golden Lake
This blog post was created with support from Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Organization and the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries as part of a series which highlights the Ottawa Valley as a standup paddleboarding destination in Ontario. Check out the other articles in the series; the Ultimate Guide to Standup Paddleboarding in the Ottawa Valley, Paddleboarding Day Trip from Ottawa - Burnstown and Calabogie, and Paddleboarding the Ottawa River in Petawawa.
As visitors we respect the land and waterways along the watersheds of the Ottawa River (Kitchisippi) as the Traditional Territory of the Algonquin and Anishinaabeg people. We acknowledge our duty as stewards and caretakers to the natural world and offer gratitude that we may receive an abundance of beauty through our paddling experiences.
Located along Highway 60 between Algonquin Provincial Park and Ottawa, Golden Lake is a beautiful are to paddle, hike, enjoy delicious eats, and take in a beautiful sunset. There are many surrounding communities to explore including Eganville and Barry’s Bay and nearby waterways such as Lake Dore, Round Lake, Lake Clear, the Bonnechere River, and the Madawaska River.
WHERE TO PADDLEBOARD
Bonnechere River at the Deacon Boat Launch - join a Sunset SUP Experience for a guided tour of the Bonnechere River including SUP equipment. The boat launch is a great starting point to paddle up the Bonnechere River or into the mouth of Golden Lake. Be mindful of boat movement. This is a busy spot during fishing tournaments.
Boat Launch on Island View Drive, Golden Lake - a nice access on the North East side of the lake with a shallow sandy beach bottom. Paddle to the beach on Big Island with a picnic and enjoy a swim.
McMillans Cabins on Golden Lake - Join the Ottawa Valley SUP Adventure Retreat on July 9 to 16 to enjoy SUP yoga, SUP skills, sunset paddles, an island exploration, sunrise coffee in your cabin on the water’s edge, and time on a beautiful golden beach.
Bonnechere River at the Bonnechere Caves - The Bonnechere Caves are a wonderful paddle friendly business. Bring a donation for parking (or buy a cave tour!) and begin your up and back paddle by heading upstream - note the rocks are slippery at the launch point and be cautious with moving water above the falls. This is a really lovely paddle for spotting river wildlife. Be sure to enjoy an ice cream by the water, and say hello to Caveman Chris :)
Bonnechere Provincial Park - Stay at a campsite and launch your paddleboard into the beautifully scenic winding Bonnechere River right from the park. Downriver takes you to explore the shorelines of Round Lake.
Melissa Bishop Park, Lake Dore - A kid friendly beach with shallow water access off of Highway 41. For gentle exploration paddle up Shaw Creek into Shaws Pond.
PADDLEBOARD RENTALS
Check out the Ultimate Guide to Standup paddleboarding in the Ottawa Valley for paddleboard rental locations.
EVENTS
July 9-16, 2022 - Ottawa Valley SUP Retreat. Join this week long paddleboarding experience at McMillan’s Cabins with skill development and local adventures.
Sunday August 14, 2022 - Doggy Paddle sponsored by End of the Leash. This event is part of the Water and Dirt Festival and takes place at Melissa Bishop Park on Lake Dore. Paddle with your furry friend and raise funds for the Ontario SPCA Renfrew County Animal Centre. See the full details here. Paddleboard rentals are available.
HIKE
Shaw Woods Outdoor Education Centre - A favourite of locals, Shaw Woods has a 14 km network of trails including old growth forest, wetlands, mixed forest, and a beautiful lookout over Shaws Pond.
Foy Provincial Park, Round Lake - Foy’s Beach is a great clear water swimming location and just a short hike off of Red Rock Road (park on the shoulder of the road) at this non-operating park. A lovely place to watch the sunset.
Pakkatina Trail- Roughly a 4 km loop to a lookout over Golden Lake. This is a nice little adventure that will get your heart rate up and reward you with a view . Great to time your hike with sunrise at the top of the lookout. The bugs can be bad in the early summer.
FOOD + DRINK
The Axe & Paddle - Offering take-out dining in Eganville. Delicious eats range from flatbreads, Thai peanut chicken bites, maple butter pork chops, potato gnocchi poutine to daily lunch, dinner, and dessert features.
The Cottage Cup - Located at the intersection of Hwy 60 and Kokomis/Lake Dore Road in Golden Lake at the Boathouse you’ll find epic butter tarts, waffle fries, ice cream, fish n chips, black bean burgers, and more.
Fifth Chute - Head to Fifth Chute on the bridge in Eganville for tasty sweets, homemade bread, hot coffee, matcha lattes, and local goodies. Their salted chocolate chip cookies are so dang tasty that we serve them on the river for our Sunset SUP experiences.
Kokomish Cafe - Kokomish Cafe in Golden Lake is a great choice for classic breakfasts, pizza, burgers, club sandwiches, and chicken fingers. They always have delicious pies and desserts that go down nicely after a day on the water.
Sands on Golden Lake - The Sands is a great option for a dine in experience as their dining room has big windows overlooking Golden Lake. Their menu includes salted caramel apple French toast, veggie wraps, pulled pork sandwiches, spinach artichoke dip, and shrimp linguini. Don’t forget a dip in the lake from their large sandy beach.
