Kayak Trip #56, Lake Fort Smith, Arkansas, 10-21-12

This trip wasn't exactly in the Waupaca area... but we were on a family vacation in Arkansas and couldn't pass up the chance to take advantage of the warm weather. We rented kayaks from the marina at Lake Fort Smith State Park and paddled the reservoir. Because of the drought, our preferred destination of the Buffalo National River had to be put on hold because there wasn't enough water. Maybe next trip...

Lake Fort Smith was quite lovely, set in the Ozark Mountains. The day was overcast and hazy, so the autumn colors weren't quite as bright as we had hoped for, but it was still beautiful. Our two daughters were with us, so that made the day even more fun. The drive through the mountains was pretty, too.

Going through a tunnel in the mountains.

Lake Fort Smith

Kayak Trip #45 Round Lake, Waushara County, WI - 7-28-12

After spending time on Big Hills Lake earlier in the afternoon, we took a break and then drove a short distance to Round Lake, also near Wild Rose, WI. This is a smaller lake with less big boat traffic. We had a fun time paddling around, chasing some Canada geese and a duck. There are some really nice, big houses on this lake, and we wondered what it would be like to live in some of them. 

Here's a little video of our adventures:

The boat landing is on the southwest side of the lake. See "Location" at the bottom of this post for a map.

Kayak Trip #44 Big Hills Lake, Waushara County, WI - 7-28-12

Today, we took a picnic lunch and headed for Big Hills Lake county park, near Wild Rose. This is the same area we went to last weekend when we visited Kusel Lake. There are quite a few lakes in this area, so we are continuing our quest to explore them. Big Hills Lake is fairly large with quite a bit of boat traffic. We enjoyed playing in the waves that the speed boats made, and as long as we stayed near the shore, they accommodated us nicely. If you'd rather have a calmer paddle, go before or after skiing hours.

See the link to the map at the bottom of this post to find the lake. The boat landing is on the south side of the lake.

Here's a video of our tour of the lake:

Kayaking on Big Hills Lake.