Camping at Rice Lake with Cousins

Four years ago, I camped at Rice Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area with my cousins and remember finding magic while kayaking among the flooded trees. 

April 23, 2019. Such a beautiful place to kayak. As Eric and I entered the water there were trees all around us coming out of the flood waters. One tree was a combination cottonwood and river birch – the cottonwood grew completely around the trunk of the birch. It really felt like I was in the swamps of S. IL. We stopped and watched carp spawn for a long time. We saw blackbirds chase an owl, lots of ducks and a goose. A carp spooked me at one tree root area. 

Figure 1. Cottonwood tree growing around a River Birch at Rice Lake in 2019.

Figure 2. Video of kayaking under flooded trees at Rice Lake in 2019.

We returned in 2023 to camp again, this time with even more relatives and friends. I found a different magic this time. I felt it while walking with Mark under those same trees - a feeling of calm looking at the lush, bright-green vegetation growing over the sometimes-flooded ground. I felt it while floating in my kayak under the shoreline willow trees and watching the birds around me. I felt it when I sat at the campfire and looked high into the trees above me – their new, fresh, leaves sparkling against a crystal-clear blue sky. I felt it low to the ground, in the middle of the campground, where the creeping jenny and creeping Charlie buzzed with bumblebees and red admiral butterflies. 

Figure 3. Vegetation growing in campground at Rice Lake in 2023. 

Figure 4. Walking in formerly flooded area of trees at Rice Lake in 2023.

This time it occurred to me that camp was a mixture of nature and man. At first glance this did not all appear magical to me at all because I wanted more nature than manmade influences. Yet, upon further reflection, both led to a form of magical enchantment and a lovely experience. 

During this trip, I enjoyed good times with my fellow man (family) at camp. Nature added to that experience with birds flying low through camp or an odd duck call making us wonder, “What was that?”. Military planes caught our attention by flying low overhead one evening at dusk. A loud bang and black smoke caught our attention after a deadly accident on the highway nearby. 

At first, traces of man visibly caught my attention in a negative way. There was quite a bit of trash on the lake and shores, mostly from duck hunters. Too much debris, in my opinion, was left over from the previous winter’s duck blinds. When we walked under the low water trees, there were shot gun shells in the mud. It bothered me that those plastic and metal pieces will likely be there forever. 

Figure 5. Duck Blind at Rice Lake.

In the water, the introduced, invasive Asian carp continues to fill the lakes and rivers throughout this area. Yet, over time I began to realize how good always finds a way to outweigh the bad. Orion Briney and his commercial fishing crew worked long days to remove thousands of pounds of Asian carp, taking them to a processor for better use. Compared to previous years, we caught more, and larger, bullhead in the daily trot line hauls. We had begun to think they were gone and were happy to see them return. There are eagles nesting in several places along the lake. Pelicans and swans stay year-round. I even saw masses of green ash resprouting where their parents had died from the man-introduced Emerald Ash Borer. 

Figure 6. Commercial fishermen bringing in Asian carp harvest.

Figure 7. Eagle Nest at Rice Lake.

Figure 8. Green Ash tree saplings.

Yes, nature does endure at this very pretty lake. Among the many plants I noted, the majority are native. Blooming in camp were common chickweed, dandelion, creeping Charlie, white clover, butterweed, and small-flowered buttercup. Creeping jenny (Lysimachia hummularia) lushly grew in the wetter areas. 

Figure 9. Creeping Charlie (purple flower) and creeping Jennie (smooth round leaves)

Figure 10. Bumblebee working flowers on Creeping Charlie and white clover plants

Walking under the lowland trees, I encountered river birch, elm, cottonwood, boxelder, silver maple, green ash, and a variety of forbs including poison ivy, stinging nettle, wild chervil, and bedstraw. 

Figure 11. Wild chervil (Anthriscus sylvestris) in bloom under trees. 

Figure 12. Bedstraw and stinging nettle.

In the following journal entries, I describe the plants and animals that I experienced from the water while in my kayak or jon boat. 

April 25, 2023. I took the kayak out for a couple hours, paddling up the edge past one eagle next and almost to the other one. Sitting by an old willow tree that’s just starting to sprout spring leaves. All around are buttonbush and mallow, still in winter darkness. The expansive lake is just beyond the shrubbery. Birds are active here. Swallows fly in and around two large dead trees, chirping and singing. A redwing blackbird calls here and there. I scared up several ducks and coots on my paddle here. On the way back to shore I watched a slender white bird dive several times (Could it be a tern?). 

April 28, 2023. It was a nice day yesterday. I sat by the camper and read my book, then Mark and I took a boat ride. We first went to the dam area. As we approached a few pelicans swam out onto big lake from the dam. Later a mute swan swam in that lake. Along the dam levee a small shorebird worked for food among the plants and rocks. A few redwing blackbirds hopped around there too. We could hear many blackbirds in the tree line nearby. So much warmer and smoother on the water then the day before. We moved around the lake a few times though we never got any bites on our lines. Still, it was very nice on the water. 

Figure 13. Captain Mark.

Figure 14. Pelicans at Rice Lake dam.

Figure 15. Sandpiper along dam.

Figure 16. Fishing from Jon boat

In the afternoon I went for a kayak ride the other direction. I paddled next to shore by the old cattail beds. A couple times I floated under willow trees to sit and take it all in. The willow’s vibes mix well with the blackbird calls. Carp and gar work amongst the cattail reeds. I went past the big eagle nest and although I saw an eagle, though it never went to the nest. 

Figure 17. Red headed blackbird.

Figure 18. Kayaking under willow trees.

It’s a simple, slow, enjoyable life at this lake. Some things stay the same when camping with cousins at Rice Lake. They do a lot of cooking and fishing. But mostly we sit around the fire and reminisce. Although I don’t like all the manmade influences at this lake, I do have a different perspective on some of them. Regardless, the slow pace and nature’s beauty all around us made for pleasant days, and I look forward to returning next year. 

Figure 19. Family and friends around the campfire.