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Mitchell Lake

Mitchell Lake
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upstream lock Balsam Lake  DOWN-STREAM Next lock
Headed upstream to Kirkfield you still have red marker on the right.
Mile 164 looking west Worth a look

The Trent Canal man-made cut starts again at mile 163.5 on the west shore of Balsam Lake with Kirkfield Lock about 6 miles upstream. It may take an hour or more from Balsam Lake. Be patient.

This is a speed control zone. You will follow the quiet canal through wooded shores with an occasional cottage and fair width. The shores are rock lined and slope downwards from the bank at over a 45 ° angle allowing you to get quite close if you need to pass another vessel.

Mile 166 looking west

At approximately mile 165.4 the ditch ends with a small creek to the south before you reach a bridge for county road 505.


Looking N.W. from the bridge  Mitchell Lake Worth a look

East of the 505 bridge you enter a wider section or lakelet with several cottages along the shore with small boats tied to floating docks YOUR WAKE WILL DO DAMAGE. This section is well marked with a series of buoys numbering N 75 at the east end to N 84 at the west end.

Mitchell Lake

CAUTION: This is a speed control zone. When in Mitchell Lake you must follow the dredged channel. The lake outside of the channel is full of weeds, stumps and shallow water. The closest service help is 10 miles.

Not all of the lake is quite as bad as this portion which is to the south of a restaurant and small dock located on highway 48 east of the bridge, but it is typical of the water outside of the channel.

Mitchell Lake south side

As you cross Mitchell Lake it is ABSOLUTLEY CRITICAL that you remain in the main channel unless you are extremely familiar with the lake and in a shallow draft boat.

It's really a trip to a parking lot if there is causeway crossing the southern section of the lake where road traffic parallels the channel for several hundred yards, leaving you less than 100 feet from any cars on the road.

Mitchell Lake

About mid-way through the lake area, at mile 166.8 the Highway 48 Bridge crosses the canal having a vertical clearance is 24 feet. Headed west toward Kirkfield you will pass between two small islands marked by N 103 & N 104



fishing on Mitchell Lake Worth a look

Because of its bottom, weeds and other hazards for the cruiser Mitchell Lake is a heaven for fish where you can find several spots near the road to cast a line in and enjoy the afternoon



The main channel bends more northward after passing between the islands and the route to the canal entrance and Kirkfield Lock is well marked. The entrance to the canal is marked with day markers N 111 & N 112

downstream of Kirkfield Lock 36 the canal narrows

This is a very narrow stretch of ditch. We do mean narrow and there is no forgiving shoreline. Just south of mile 168 you have a guard gate and an abandoned railroad Bridge which further constrict the canal. The picture taken at approximately 168.5 where several power lines cross the canal gives you an idea of just how narrow this section is. Once under the power lines it is time to get ready for Kirkfield Lock 36 as the canal makes a turn to the west obscuring your view.




UP-STREAM Next lock Lock #8 Haig's Reach Balsam Lake  DOWN-STREAM Next lock



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