Explore 62 waterways across British Columbia
British Columbia is unique in Canada because paddlers can access mountain lakes, river runs, and saltwater bays all in the same day. Plus, many of them can be paddled year round, making BC the only place in the country where people can comfortably enjoy paddling no matter the season.
Browse Waterways
Cottonwood River
Joining the Fraser River about 20 kilometres north of Quesnel, the Cottonwood provides both scenic…
Arrow Lakes
The Arrow Lakes offer 230 kilometres of paddling opportunity in a beautiful valley that extends…
Beaver River
Located 50 kilometres west of Golden, this river is a tributary of the Columbia and…
Bull River
Located a scenic 1.5-hour drive from Fernie, the Bull River offers some of the best…
Columbia River (Castlegar)
The best part about paddling in Castlegar is you can do it right in the…
Columbia River Wetlands (North)
The Columbia River winds its way between the Purcell and Rocky Mountains and through the…
Columbia River Wetlands (South)
Spend an afternoon paddling one of the largest contiguous systems of wetland habitats in North…
Cottonwood Lake
A small, sheltered lake near Nelson that's perfect for beginners. It offers warm waters in…
Elk River
Fernie offers excellent kayaking, canoeing and rafting adventures. From float trips to exciting whitewater, the…
Kicking Horse River
Named by a surveyor in 1858 who was reportedly booted by his pack horse, this…
Kootenay Lake
Stretching over 100 km between the Selkirk and Purcell Mountains, Kootenay Lake offers paddlers an…
Lower Arrow Lake
This is where the largest Kokanee fish in the world was caught. Need we say…
Peckham’s Lake
The most accessible and popular of the two lakes found in Norbury Lake Provincial Park…
Slocan Lake
The pristine waters of Slocan Lake serve as the gateway to Valhalla Provincial Park—a rugged…
Slocan River
The beautiful Slocan river winds down the Slocan valley before reaching the confluence with the…
Alice Lake
The Alice Lake provincial park is 12 kilometres north of Squamish and includes its namesake…
Cheakamus River
The “Cheak” is one of the most popular whitewater rivers in the province and for…
Chilliwack Lake
Chilliwack Lake is a large body of water at the end of the Chilliwack River…
Desolation Sound
Desolation Sound Marine Provincial Park is a coastal paradise. It is famous for having some…
Francis Lake
Francis Lake offers a tranquil escape into nature's untouched beauty. This jade-green lake is part…
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river in BC, shaping the history and ecology of…
Garibaldi Lake
Garibaldi Lake is one of the most iconic alpine lakes in BC. Accessible via a…
Hannah Lake
Hannah Lake offers a tranquil escape into nature's untouched beauty. This jade-green lake is part…
Harrison Lake
Harrison Lake is the largest lake in the southern Coast Mountains. It is a deep,…
Indian Arm
Indian Arm Inlet, a 14-kilometer fjord near Vancouver, offers seasoned paddlers a scenic and challenging…
Joffre Lakes
The Joffre Lakes are a series of three stunning, glacier-fed lakes near Pemberton. Famous for…
Kawkawa Lake
Nestled amidst the breathtaking landscape of British Columbia's Cascade Mountains, Kawkawa Lake is a former…
Nahatlatch Lake
Nahatlatch Lake offers a tranquil escape into nature's untouched beauty. This jade-green lakes are the…
Nahatlatch River
Journey to the Nahatlatch Valley, a hidden gem of British Columbia that offers breathtaking wilderness,…
Powell Lake
Experience the beauty of the Coast Mountains above cedar, fir, and spruce forests from fjord-like…
Sechelt Inlet
Offering calm waters, stunning coastal scenery, and abundant wildlife. Beginner to advanced paddlers alike will…
Sunshine Coast Waterway
Boasting an average of 2,400 hours of sunlight a year, this appropriately named area is…
Berg Lake (Mt. Robson)
Berg Lake is a spectacular glacial-fed body of water at the base of Mount Robson.…
Douglas Channel
The Douglas Channel is where the mountain meet the ocean! There are a limited number…
Gwaii Haanas
Gwaii Haanas is a world-class wilderness destination at the southern end of Haida Gwaii. It…
Kitimat River
The Kitimat River Meanders down from glaciers high up in the surrounding coastal mountains until…
Minette Bay
On a calm, windless day, Minette Bay is the perfect place to launch your stand…
Skeena River
The Skeena River is one of the longest un-dammed rivers in the world and a…
Adams River
The Adams River is a culturally significant waterway flowing to Shuswap Lake. It is world-famous…
Heffley Lake
Thirty minutes from downtown Kamloops, on the scenic road to Sun Peaks Resort, you’ll find…
Kalamalka Lake
Known as the “lake of a thousand colours," the beautiful Kalamalka Lake ranges from sparkling…
Kamloops Lake
This picturesque lake just west of Kamloops is 29 kilometres and lined with unique hoodoo…
Murtle Lake (Wells Gray)
Murtle Lake is a remote wilderness destination in Wells Gray Provincial Park. It is famous…
Okanagan Lake
Okanagan Lake is the iconic heart of the region, stretching 135 kilometers through a valley…
Thompson River
The Thompson River is a massive and powerful waterway flowing through the spectacular desert canyons.…
Broughton Archipelago
The Broughton Archipelago is a spectacular marine provincial park near Johnstone Strait. It is a…
Clayoquot Sound
Clayoquot Sound, launching from Tofino, offers paddlers a diverse range of experiences—from guided tours for…
Courtenay River Estuary
The Courtenay River Estuary is one of the most ecologically rich and scenic estuaries on…
Cowichan
It’s a wondrous thing to teach your elderly parents something new. Throughout childhood, we’re encouraged,…
Cowichan (Ocean)
Cowichan Bay is a historic coastal community at the mouth of the Cowichan River. The…
Cowichan Lake
Thirty kilometres long and edged with forest and hidden beaches, Cowichan Lake is the freshwater…
Discovery Passage
Discovery Passage is a narrow and powerful channel separating Vancouver Island from the Discovery Islands.…
Goose Spit Park
What makes Goose Spit Park special is the blend of accessibility, natural beauty, and diverse…
Johnstone Strait
A beautiful area with lots of wildlife and fewer people. Great opportunity to see Orcas,…
Otter Bay
Otter Bay, nestled on the northern tip of Pender Island in the Southern Gulf Islands,…
Ucluelet Harbour and Barkely Sound
Ucluelet Harbour and Barkley Sound on Vancouver Island’s west coast offer paddlers calm, wildlife-rich waters…
Experience our lakes.
There are more than 20,000 lakes in British Columbia ranging in size from tiny tarns in the alpine to valley reservoirs that are hundreds of kilometers long. Take your pick and dive in.
Explore our rivers.
From small tributaries that flow past quaint communities to the mighty Columbia, Fraser, and Stikine rivers that have literally shaped the province, BC offers enough flowing water to satisfy every paddler.
Escape to our coast.
Whether you prefer the exciting waters of the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of Vancouver Island or the calmer (but still exhilarating) inland passages such as the Salish Sea, British Columbia has enough saltwater to “wet” your appetite.