Getting ready to paddle at Shore Lane Park.
With the bits of sunshine we’ve been having lately, thoughts of canoeing have been dancing in my head. It’ll be a couple months until we haul our canoe out again, but that doesn’t matter, there’s a great canoe spot up at Fern Ridge Reservoir I haven’t told you about yet.
Shore Lane Park, off of Clear Lake Road, is usually a pretty quiet place and the easy slope into the waters of Fern Ridge Reservoir make it an ideal place to put in a canoe.
What I like about launching from Shore Lane Park are all the reeds along the edge of Fern Ridge. If you head off to the left (that’s south east) you’ll experience a maze of reeds and “rooms” to explore. If you head right (north west) you’ll end up at Orchard Point, which isn’t a bad trip but I don’t find it as fun.
Exploring Fern Ridge Reservoir
How to get there: head north on Highway 99 past the Beltline. Turn left on Clear Lake Road (like you’re going to the airport). In about 4 1/2 miles, Clear Lake Road will make a sharp curve to the right, you’ll want to turn left onto Barker Road. When it ends (less than half a mile) turn left onto Shore Lane Road which ends in the park.
My South Lane 
Well, yes – though it will be more than a “couple of months” till we get out on the water up here….
D.
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And Fern Ridge needs to fill with water again!
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Until I read your post, I had no idea that this park existed. My wife and I drove to it this morning to discover exactly where it was. The gate was closed and I jogged down the road in the heavy rain to see what was there. We’ll be back when the weather is nicer to have a picnic and take some pictures. 🙂
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It is a pretty tiny park. We heard about it by word-of-mouth. When I wrote this post, I wondered how high the water was, as the last time we were at Fern Ridge we walked out onto paths off of W. 11th that I am sure are underwater during the summer.
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It will be very busy at this park the week before Memorial Day – http://www.coots.org/mb/FernRidge/.
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