Foster Lake

My first kayaking adventure in 2024 didn’t occur until Jan. 23rd. Yikes! We had been plagued with rain, sleet, ice, and snow up to this point. I woke up that morning and saw nothing but sunshine. And so, I made an impromptu decision to go hit the water and off to Foster I went. Officially, it is a reservoir, but is more commonly known as Foster Lake.

First and foremost, it was a PERFECT kayaking day! The clouds parted and the sun shined brightly. I was so happy to be out on the water again.

I launched at the Sunnyside Campground Boat Ramp. I decided to go left from the ramp and travel up towards Green Peter Reservoir as far as I could go.

Despite the fact that it is winter time, the colors were majestic. The colorful Fir trees displayed beautiful greenery. And the reflections upon the water were even prettier. There were so many streams of water/waterfalls entering the lake. I stopped at every one of them to capture videos. I think the sound of the water falling is so mesmerizing. It’s truly relaxing!

This wonderful sound is a bonus because as the water level returns to it’s higher level and the drier months return, this will no longer be witnessed.

I was able to kayak as far as the yellow warning sign seen on the left side of the waterway regarding rising water levels. At this point, the water was too shallow and therefore was smashing across rocks and such in the water. But, I made it further than I thought I might. At this point, I turned around and headed back. As I got closer to the boat ramp, the clouds were beginning to return and the weather got colder.

One rather startling photo from my trip.

These are the boat docks used for campers and visitors to Sunnyside Park. They are a long ways from being in the water. It was startling to see. However, this is a normal occurrence every winter. Due to the increase in rain and the presence of snow, both Foster Lake and Green Peter Reservoir are kept at lower levels during the winter month to accommodate for all of the precipitation we receive. They will be afloat again in the spring.

Helpful Hints

• When entering Sunnyside Campground, you must stop at the booth to pay for parking. There is an electronic kiosk that only accepts debit or credit cards (does not accept cash). It is on the left, just after the entrance booth. You do NOT have to wait in line behind others waiting to get help from the park host. The cost is $7.00.
• If you don’t want to pay for parking, you can drive to the boat ramp, unload and then drive back near the entrance and park in the dog exercise area. There is no charge to park in that area.
• The boat ramp is at the end of the park entrance. When the water is at normal level, boats load and unload on the left side near the dock. Stay to the far right and you will be fine!
• During the off-season, the bathrooms located near the boat ramp are closed. You must go back near the entrance and enter Campground Loop A to use that restroom.
• From the boat ramp area, if you go right that will take you out into the lake. Turning left at the boat ramp takes you up the water flow that comes down from Green Peter Reservoir. When the water level returns to its normal summer level, the paddle up towards Green Peter Reservoir is very easy, accommodating all kayaks and paddle boards.
• The speed limit for all watercraft is 5mph from the bridge (entrance area to the main lake) all the way east towards Green Peter.
• While exploring the main lake area, stay closer to shore and stay alert of all motor boats. I can guarantee you, they’re not watching out for you.

2024 – Kayak Trip #1