Otter Lake - Explosions of colour as seen from the South beach looking Northwest, in late September, 2007. The Municipal park property is the left shoreline. These lands were initially purchased by the City in the late 60's and early 70's with the intent of turning the entire perimeter of Otter Lake into a municipal park. In recent developments, Deputy Mayor Peter Chirico presented a resolution (which was passed unanimously) on September 10th, 2007, terminating efforts by the City to 'privatize' Otter Lake. Thus the Otter Lake Recreational Lands will remain public lands available for passive recreational activities and the Southern Access Road will remain an 'unimproved' public access road. The Otter Lake Friends join with all citizens and nature enthusiasts in applauding the direction taken by Council.
Otter Lake looking South from McGruther's Road spur. This part of the lake you cannot see from the south beach.
After Lake Nipissing and Trout Lake, Otter Lake is the largest lake in the municipality of North Bay. The Otter Lake area is a pristine, undeveloped, very large natural area with extremely exciting geological and natural history. It is also just 15 minutes from downtown North Bay. This area is possibly the best kept natural secret of the municipality. It is an excellent area in which to go hiking, canoeing, camping, orienteering, snowshoeing . . . to name only a few recreational activities.. No buildings exist on the entire perimeter. There is a lone cottage on the one and only island.
Otter Lake Perch Derby, Sat. Feb. 23rd, 2008
The North Bay Hunters and Anglers, in conjunction with the Widdifield Ratepayers organized this event.
Mother nature provided ideal winter conditions. No slush, temperatures just below freezing, blue skies and
about 45 anglers looking for a good time.
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Though large perch abound in Otter Lake, this day only small perch
were biting. Approximately 45 participants enjoyed free hot chocolate and hot dogs. A truly marvelous day was had by all.
This activity could not have been organized without the cooperation of
our sponsors, to which we remain very grateful.
They were:
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Otter Lake 'Walk Off That Turkey Walk', Friday December 28th, 2007 
Forty or so winter enthusiasts took advantage of pristine winter conditions and snowshoed the 3.2 kilometre primary loop at Otter Lake. Nature arranged a recent snowfall to dress the conifers in their winter white robes. The setting was truly outstanding. Lumbering in an adjacent lot is planned for later this winter. To access the wood lot, the Southern Access Road will be used. A winter road will then be constructed to access the cutting sites. If all goes according to plans, little environmental impact will result. |
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Otter Lake Fall Colours Walk, Sunday September 30th, 2007 The fall colours at Otter Lake this fall were absolutely amazing. Explosions of colour best describe the condition of the mature maple forest. Roy Summers (top left in photo) had posted interpretative information for people to enjoy during the weekend, then personally led a guided tour through the walking trails and forest. Among other things, he pointed out the many uses that first nation people made of white birch (Betula papyrifera). Did you know that chemicals in the bark of this tree have anti-fungal properties? First nation folk used to line their mocassins with the bark in order to cushion their soles and negate the effects of things like 'athletes foot'. Just one of the many tidbits of information provided by Roy during the interprative walk. Enjoy the photograph. Note the bear claw marks on a yellow birch in one of the photos. |
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Otter Lake Guided Walks Sunday August 5th, Monday August 6th, 2007 During the August 2007 Long Weekend over 150 people enjoyed canoeing the Nekik Waterway and / or guided walks through the beautiful roads and trails of the Otter Lake Recreational Lands. Our guides provided visitors with interpretive walks that described the botany, geology and cultural and colonial history of this area. Our smallest visitor was a babe in arms who enjoyed the trails on top of her father's shoulders. The picture is a mosaic portraying the weekend activities. |
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| From the HWY 17/11 and HWY 63 junction drive 14 km up HWY 63 to Widdifield Station Rd (6.2 kilometers past Peninsula Rd). Turn left. 2.2 km further down Widd. Stn Rd you will cross a railroad track. 1.6 km after this crossing you will find the Southern Access Road on your left. (See the first map presented on this web site). You will find an Otter Lake sign screwed to a tree at the entrance to the Southern Access Road. |  |
The trails, in the diagram, are in blue, while the roads in the diagram on the right are in red. The solid blue lines
in the bottom of the diagram depict existing trails. The other blue lines depict streams / rivers.
The South Access Road and the associated forest walking trails are presently the most popular, although McGruther's Road,
to the North is also a beautiful walk. You can actually do a whole lake loop, if lake
ice/snow conditions permit which will take you about half a day. Plan on having lunch at the beach.
Walk down McGruther's Rd to Otter Lake, then across the lake to pick up either the Municipal Park loop,
or walk to the beach from which you can follow the South Access Rd either out to Widdifield Station Rd, or to the
NBHA walking trail if you turn West at the beach. Once on Widdififeld Station Rd, walk North to your car that
you parked near the start of McGruther's Rd.
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To the South you will find the Otter Lake Southern Access Road, which is a historical logging road that was also used to access the Norhaven Beach, a beach that was used by the Norhaven Nudist Colony from 1948 to about 1960. Along this road you will also find the start of the North Bay Hunter's and Angler's (NBHA) walking trail, in recognition of the group who applied for and obtained the permit to cut the trail. You can access the municipal park section of the Otter Lake Recreational Lands via either the South Road or the NBHA trail. Making a loop out of the NBHA trail and the South Road seems quite popular. It is about an hour walk, with a total distance traveled of just a little more than 3 km. A walking trail / snowshoeing loop has recently been added in the Municipal Park (Pin 12) section of the Otter Lake Recreational Lands. This trail is extremely beautiful and scenic as it follows the mature maple / beech ridgeline overlooking Otter Lake before looping South, back to the South Access Rd. The loop is 2.5 km long. |
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| Here we see a group of Otter Lake Friends cleaning up the Southern Access Road in 2005. As the publicity surrounding the potential loss of access to Otter Lake has increased, the garbage problem has diminished to almost zero, and we thank those who use this area for their conscientious efforts to keep this area clean. | Above: looking down the Southern Access Rd on June 20th, 2007 |
McGruthers Rd to the North starts at Widdifield Station Rd and is a walking trail / ATV trail. It begins on the other side of the ONR railroad tracks. It takes you to the old McBurney Saw Mill site at Otter Lake via the 'spur' that follows the concession line to the lake. This used to be an important colonization road that brought settlers from North Bay to this area in the late 1800's. There is an old cement bridge dating back to the early 1900's on this road spanning the North River. Just past the bridge there is a trail on the left that takes you to the Little North River on a section of the Nekik Waterway.
The photo to the right shows the state of McGruther's road, now a well maintained and groomed ATV track that is maintained by the people to access the North end of Otter Lake.
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| McGruthers Road - the cement bridge crossing the North River | McGruthers Road - summer 2007 |
The central access road remains for the exclusive motor vehicular use of the owner of the island, the City of North Bay,
and any other public agency as may be required from time-to-time. This right is registered on title. However,
there is no problem walking that road if you so desire.
Now that the City has generously agreed to allow citizens to continue to use the Otter Lake Recreational Lands,
it is imperative that we all contribute to keeping this area clean. Garbage attracts garbage.
So if you see any, please consider gathering it and packing it out.
Remember the saying: If you
pack it in, pack it out. Keeping this area clean is easy, but we do have to cooperate collectively, and we thank
you for your help in this regard.
Nekik in Ojibway means Otter. Roy Summers came up with the idea of exploring a direct water access route
via the North and Little North rivers (see poster above for the location of the route).
The Otter Lake Friends decided to name this route the NEKIK WATERWAY, in honour of our Ojibway
friends who first explored and settled this area thousands of years ago. Back then the North River
was a major river draining Lake Algonquin into the St-Lawrence via the Mattawa and Ottawa rivers.
To get to the start of the canoe route along the Nekik Waterway, travel up Widdifield Station Rd
from HWY 63. Just before you cross the railroad tracks for the second time you will come to a straight-away
(first photo on the left). Continuing to the end of the straight-away will give way to the towering
Muloch batholith (volcano that did not quite make it out of the ground - photo on the right). From here you
you will see the Nekik Waterway sign (next photo) just before you cross the
railroad tracks for the second time. This is where you put in. Stay left on the North River in order
to fork onto the Little North River then straight to Otter Lake. The route on the rivers should be
marked with flagging tape, but it really is a no brainer. Travel time is a little shy of half an hour. There
are a few beaver dam liftovers.
The following photos show you views, typical of the Nekik Waterway. We suggest that you bring
sandals or water shoes to help you with the beaver dam liftovers. The final lift into Otter Lake
is boulder-strewn if the water is low, and you will have to walk your canoe a little heading for deeper water.
Just past the boulder field is the remnants of an old water dam built by Booth Lumber Company, back at the turn of the
last century, in order to raise the water levels, to allow running logs from Otter Lake down to Trout Lake. There the
final destination was Trout Mills, where the MNR buildings are today.
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| The start of the Nekik Waterway is on the left, where the road disappears at the bottom of this photo. | The Muloch batholith, a towering volcanic intrusion that did not quite make it to the surface (background), hangs majestically over the Nekik Waterway. |
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| Looking at the Nekik Waterway map prior to putting in. | Putting in at the start of the Nekik Waterway |
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| Typical Nekik waterway scenery. The route is marked with flagging tape. | Guess who got surprised upon reaching Otter Lake via the Nekik? |
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| Roy Summers just coming out of the Nekik waterway in his Sportspal canoe |
Coming out of the Nekik waterway, preparing to make a left turn (South) on Otter Lake |
| Background Information for the Otter Lake Master Plan - 1979 |
| The post-glacial history of Otter Lake |
| Otter Lake Access Roads are public roads - Roy Summers |
| The geology of the area |
| North Bay Hunters' And Anglers' 2551 Sandra Ave North Bay, ON P1B 7W7 |
Trout Lake Conservation Assoc. Box 1462 North Bay, ON P1B 8K6 |
Nipissing Naturalists Conservation Committee 496 Musky Island Road RR#1 Lavigne, ON POH 1RO |
| Widdifield Ratepayers Association dwtc@efni.com |
Roy Summers Phone: 705-474-4795 |
Last updated: March 4th, 2008