Lake Pahoja (Iowa) May 2011

Yesterday the forecast for today looked good, and the prediction for later in the week called for rain; so, I just left my kayak on the rack and thought I would take advantage of another sunny moderate day ahead.

It has been four years since I last visited Lake Pahoja, just across the border in Iowa. I checked the blog entry for that visit (see Lake Pahoja on the location menu on the right side of the blog) and followed my directions the 20.4 miles. The easiest way there from my eastside Sioux Falls home is to head south on Highway 11, past the Lake Alvin turn-off, to 276th Street. I turned east there and drove on for about three miles, across the Klondike Canoe Access on the Big Sioux River and into Iowa until I saw the sign on the right for the park. Lake Pahoja is a really nice Lyon County park that offers a range of wonderful recreational opportunities, especially for families and particularly for those interested in shoreline fishing.

There is a $5 entry fee for the park, but the office was deserted and there seemed no way to pay this morning. As I arrived, there was a pick-up and boat trailer in the parking lot; otherwise, I was alone.

The lake is oriented generally east and west with deep bays extending south. It is rather long but narrow and surrounded by county-owned land. There are no houses visible, eliminating the feeling that I sometimes have that wealthy people have built their large and ostentatious homes overlooking the lake and making me feel like an intruder.

This carefully developed park clearly caters to families and fishing. There are earthen extensions projecting out into the lake to give fishermen an advantage. No gas motors are allowed on the lake, and that provides an assurance of some tranquility. A rental business at the launching dock offers rowboats, canoes, and paddleboats - both “water bikes” and the more traditional type.

I set out first heading east along the shoreline of this nearly 100 acre lake (flood stage) and then moved south into the wetlands surrounding a couple of inlets at the southeastern end.

There was a great deal of bird life to observe; this time, I saw lots of redwing blackbirds among the variety of perching birds. There were also a number of duck of various kinds.

The wind was light, but I wanted to give my Spirit sail a try and found myself sailing back along the east-west axis to the next south extending bay. I found myself fumbling with the sail; as the wind increased, I tried to take it down or move it to a different setting and felt myself losing control of the sail. I could not seem to get it down, and my balance was slipping. The wind was not enough to make me feel any sense of anxiety, but I wondered what I might do with stronger gusts. I believe that the umbrella may be the best bet for me when sailing the kayak: it is easier to manage and safer.

I did not see any sign of wildlife except for turtles and the birds. This park is a wildlife refuge, so I assume that there are “critters” about, although they are probably wily with the developed state of the site.

As I was finishing my trip around the two-mile perimeter of the lake, a school bus pulled up. The passengers, I found, were high school students from a PE class at West Lyon High School. They were festooned with fishing poles and spread themselves out along the shoreline and on the docks. I had a chat with the driver and found that he was a retired social studies teacher who had become a bus driver for the same school he served as a teacher. As we stood there, he reminisced about how back in the 1960s he had hunted pheasants out in fields that were now at the bottom out in the central portion of the lake. He told me that there was a little creek flowing through, and that some visionaries had decided to try and create a lake and park. That effort certainly was successful, and Lake Pahoja is a magnificent addition to the quality of life in this part of Iowa and South Dakota.

My impression of the lake has changed since my first narrative. Paddling Lake Pahoja is not high adventure, but it can offer an hour and a-half of tranquility without driving too far. The park is only about 25 minutes from my home – just ten minutes further than Lake Alvin. So, for tranquility and a contemplative paddle or as a venue for teaching a novice beginning kayaking skills, this is a good spot and I recommend it.

Lake Pahoja - Iowa

Lake Pahoja, Iowa

While attending a concert in McKennan Park this past weekend, I ran into a fellow kayaker who reminded me of paddling opportunities at Lake Pahoja, a small lake located near Larchwood, Iowa. I had visited this lake many years ago, but I did not retain much memory of it. Today, I decided to take my kayak out and revisit the area.



I knew that Lake Pahoja was four miles south and two miles west of Larchwood. Even without an Iowa map, I figured that I ought to be able to easily locate the lake. Somehow, though, I missed the right roads and found myself driving around on unmarked highways, gradually become disoriented. After stopping a motorist at an unmarked crossroads, I was directed back to Larchwood. A young lady in a convenience store gave me directions: Drive through Larchwood on Highway 9; at the east end of town, turn south on Highway 182 just before 9 turns on toward Inwood. Continue along on 182 for about four miles until you come to the West Lyon School. Just past the school you turn west on A26, and note the sign on the highway for Lake Pahoja. You go two miles past the school on A26 until you come to a sign directing you into the park off the left side of the highway.



Lake Pahoja is located in Lyon County Park, a very nice camping and recreation area with the lake as the centerpiece. The lake is 71 acres in surface area and has just about two miles of shoreline. The lake is oriented east and west, and the launching area is on the north side; it is a long and narrow lake with many inlets or bays coming off the main body. The widest portion of the lake is in front of the launching area, nearly in the middle portion of the east-west axis.



The shoreline surrounding the lake is largely within the boundary of the Lyon County Park. So, the development is mostly park related: swimming beach, camping spots, picnic areas, fishing docks, and hiking trails. There is a $5.00 fee for a daily pass into the park. The launching area contains a ramp and a dock along with a toilet. No gas motors are allowed on the lake. The lake is surrounded by high banks and varied vegetation. There are many little finger bays that radiate off the main body. Both the eastern and the western ends of the lake are the more secluded. I spent just a little over an hour kayaking the circumference of the lake: taking my time, looking over the landform and shoreline, taking photographs, looking around. It was a pleasant day with little wind and temperatures in the high 70s. During this cruise, I noted a good deal of algae growth in shallow areas of the lake, especially in the finger bays and along the lee shoreline.



As I left to return to Sioux Falls, I received better directions for a direct route from the gate-keeper, and here they are in reverse: From Sioux Falls, you go south on Highway 11 past the Lake Alvin exit to 276th Street. There you turn left (east) on 276th, and continue over the Big Sioux River (Klondike) and go on for three more miles. The road becomes A26 in Iowa, but it is still a straight shot east until you see the sign to Lake Pahoja on the right. If you get to the West Lyon School, you have gone two miles too far. From my eastside Sioux Falls home, it is 20.4 miles to the lake.



I did not find Lake Pahoja to be a very interesting paddle. It is okay, but there is little reason to drive past Lake Alvin to locate it. The setting is really fine, and it would be a great place to do some quiet camping in a very well situated and equipped public camping area. There are boat rentals, good areas for bike riding, nice camp sites, and a beautiful environment. For the kayaker, this would be a good place to bring the family along with the kayak. You could spend time with the family and still get in an hour cruise, morning and evening. It would also be a good place to do some fishing. For straight kayaking, however, I would not recommend driving any distance to take advantage of this body of water.