Paddling — Flatwater.
Central Frontenac is small-lake paddling country across the southern Canadian Shield. Sharbot Lake itself is two-basin — East Basin and West Basin — split by the village, with public access from Sharbot Lake Provincial Park along Highway 7; Eagle, Crow, Big Clear, Kennebec, and the larger Bobs Lake all carry granite-shoreline canoe and kayak day-paddling on quiet water.
The brief.
This is small-lake paddling, not backcountry-park paddling — none of the lakes in-township require multi-day route planning. Sharbot Lake Provincial Park provides the cleanest public launch on Sharbot Lake itself; cottage-road launches and small public landings access Eagle Lake, Crow Lake, Big Clear Lake (north of Arden), and Kennebec Lake.
Bobs Lake — one of the largest lakes in Frontenac County, partly in Central Frontenac and partly in South Frontenac — feeds the Tay River into the Rideau system and supports longer multi-bay paddles. Best season is late May through September; mid-summer winds on the larger lakes (Sharbot, Bobs) can build by afternoon, so morning paddles are easiest.
Watershed split: northern lakes drain to the Mississippi River and Ottawa River; southern lakes drain through the Tay/Rideau system.
6. places.
- 01
Sharbot Lake
Two-basin lake (East Basin and West Basin) split by the village; public access via Sharbot Lake Provincial Park.
- 02
Eagle Lake
West of Sharbot Lake; undeveloped granite shoreline.
- 03
Crow Lake
West of Sharbot Lake; small-lake paddling.
- 04
Big Clear Lake
North of Arden; cottage-country paddling.
- 05
Kennebec Lake
Arden ward; small-lake paddling on quiet water.
- 06
Bobs Lake
Shared with South Frontenac; one of the largest lakes in Frontenac County; feeds the Tay River into the Rideau system.
Today's read.
Temperature (5.5°C) below the typical range.