One of the treasures of paddling a remote
wilderness lake is to witness the sun sinking in
the late afternoon and to watch the reflective
images at sunrise on the water surface. Paddling
on Juniper Lake, which gives views of the area
that can only be seen on the water. Motorboats
and fishing are not permitted at Juniper Lake,
which reduces most of the park visitors to
hikers, paddlers and campers.
Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy a wonderful
variety of recreational activities at
Juniper Lake. You can hand launch from the
shoreline for launching kayaks,
paddleboards, or canoes. Whether you’re a
novice or an experienced paddler, there’s
something here for every age and skill-level
to enjoy. Biking, hiking, and horseback
riding are also popular here.
A variety of hiking and biking trails are in
the surrounding area.
A few campsites are situated on the grassy
banks overlooking the lake, which provide
scenic panoramic views and easy hand launch
access. You will have to hand carry your
boat a short distance from some of the
campsites to reach the lake. I recommend
paddling and camping here with a companion
due to its remote nature. Camping is on a
first-come, first-served basis and is
limited to tent camping only.
Early
in the season (early to mid-July) the road
down to the lakefront sites may be gated if
the rangers feel it is
too wet and muddy.
The sites are still available, but you must
carry everything down almost half of a mile.
Unfortunately, the area surrounding the lake
was badly burned in the summer of 2021.