Once you have launched your canoe or kayak, you will pass through a lagoon for 1.5 km.   At this point, you will emerge into Murtle Lake.   There are two campsites (Murtle Lagoon) here if paddlers get a late start.  The large east bay makes good paddling if the winds are calm, but if not, you may have to stay inside the lee of the bay, making a longer paddle, but a route closer to shore will be less difficult if there is weather to battle.   On our last trip, we were able to angle straight for the point on a calm, sunny day.  

At the point is a sandy spit and just inside the spit is the next campground.    A sandy beach and a good location makes this campground (Sandy Point) a popular spot.   There are only 3 designated sites here, but we saw about 8 tents pitched.   All campsites have a food cache and pit toilets.

Continuing on, paddlers pass a marshy, forested shoreline.  At the indent of the bay, another larger campground (Auther) sits.    Turning around the point, paddlers will enjoy Fairy slipper Island.   There is no camping here, but it makes a nice spot for a rest or a swim.   The West Arm narrows here between Central Mountain and the south shoreline.   The hills beyond are rounded, leading on to the Murtle Plateau.  

There are 7 campgrounds in the arm.   some may already be full.   We stopped at each one just to see the site.   We talked to some of the campers.   Most were close to full except the ones at the far end, but all seemed very nice.  

Birch Beach Campground (the first one on the north shore) had 3 sites, but we saw 6 tents.   Beyond it, Cottonwood Campground had 2 sites and was full.   We paddled onto Leo Island and found that the campsite up on the hill was vacant.   Everyone who was already camped on the island wanted to be on the beach so we set up our tents and spent 3 nights here as our base camp.  

We paddled down the west arm and checked out the campground at Smoker Island (2 sites).   Campers told us that the fishing was best near the islands or in Diamond Lagoon.   Beyond the islands is a campground at File Creek (4 sites).   There is a 1.5km portage there up File Creek to where boats can be launched upstream.     the route is a little marshy but boardwalks help.  File Creek is fairly narrow and the area can be buggy, but the terrain opens up further upstream under the slopes of It is possible to hike from the top of navigation on File Creek up to McDougall Lake or beyond to Kostal Lake.   This area is very remote and only for the most experienced backcountry explorers.   Another 4km trail goes up to Anderson Lake, which will be on our itinerary for our next trip.   There is also a trail on the North Shore that goes up Central Mountain which will be a separate story to follow.

The Kostal Campground at the end of the arm was empty, but it had a 4 nice sites and a nice beach.   As you approach Diamond Lagoon, you may be alarmed by the current as it sweeps out of Murtle Lake.   It is an easy ride down into the lagoon.    Stay on the south shore and be sure to stop before the lagoon empties into a series of rapids.   A signed landing spot is the start of the 5km McDougall Falls Trail.   The secret to getting back up from the lagoon is to tuck in behind the island then paddle hard  up the narrow section.   Fishing is excellent at this outlet.

The west end of Murtle Lake from high on Central Mountain:

If you paddle the whole west arm and do the hikes, there are a few days of camping here.