Taylor Lake
#14 (Lanark Highlands)
How to Get There: From Almonte take County Rd.16 (Wolf Grove Road) 12km to Lanark Conc. 12. Turn north.
The Launch Site: End of road.
The Paddle: Circumnavigate lake. Watch for underwater stumps in bays. Lake was raised considerably two decades ago. Several lunch places.
Watch For: Directly across lake from boat launch a road leaving the shore. Connecting these two points was a famous floating bridge, destroyed by Hurricane Connie in 1964. Many of the logs can be seen under water. Marsh birds along north shore and east end of lake.
Seasonal Information: Good until freeze-up.
Taylor Lake 1
Taylor Lake is a small lake connected to Clayton Lake. To get there, go west from Union Hall (junction of County Roads 9&16) three kms to Lanark Conc. 12. Turn north to the end of this road (about 11/2 km) to the end of the road at the lake. Launch your canoe at the small boat launch and circumnavigate the lake. Watch out for stumps in the bays. This lake was raised considerably two decades ago, with the reconstruction of the dam at Clayton. On the first point to your left as you launch, you can see a path of downed, dead trees, which were felled by a tornado a few years ago. Directly in a line across the lake from the boat launch is a road leaving the shore. Connecting these two points was a famous floating bridge. It was wiped out by hurricane Connie in 1964 and many of the logs can be seen on the bottom on the lake. There are several places to stop to have lunch (with permission of property owners).
Taylor Lake 2
As for Taylor Lake 1 but paddle east towards and into Clayton Lake. Keep to the left shore and follow the bays and islands and you will eventually enter the Indian River. In fall, you will be travelling through wild rice beds. In the middle of the river, within site of the Command Bridge on Galbraith Road, you will find a small island, very ideal for a picnic lunch. Watch out for stumps under the water.