Elk River

Elk River

The spectacular Elk river canyon is an excellent run for those looking for a playful, big water run.

– The Lower Elk begins a few minutes outside Elko and finishes by flowing into lake Koocanusa. Both the Canyon Rafting Company and Mountain High Adventures commercially raft this section of river. This scenic section of river features fantastic canyon views, hoodoos, great wildlife watching opportunities, and excellent white water features. In high water the river runs like a ‘big water’ classic while in lower levels can expose more boulder gardens and stretches of calm water. The river features and difficulty changes drastically with river levels; therefore, first time boaters are recommended to check in with local paddlers for river beta.

See Paddling ABC for more river beta as well as information on the put in and take out: http://www.paddlingabc.com/riverwiki/rivers/elk_river_bc_-_lower

– The middle Elk Canyon draws white water enthusiasts from across Canada and the U.S. This technical, more creaky section of river can prove challenging for even the most skilled boater. This section of river extends from Leap of Faith, an excellent 36ft waterfall located in Elko, to the entrance of the lower canyon. Running the waterfall is not required to run this section, see the link below for alternative put in options. This sectionis typically run in early Spring and Fall; in high water this section is considered impassable.

See Paddling ABC for more river beta as well as information on the put in and take out: http://www.paddlingabc.com/riverwiki/rivers/elk_-_canyon_aka_upper_lower

– This highly technical section of river extends from below the Elko dam to the Leap of Faith waterfall. The Upper Elk features a 50m long slide, a 15 ft drop with adjacent cave feature, a continuous multi-drop rapid, and a mandatory portage. Considered an experts only river!

See Paddling ABC for more river beta as well as information on the put in and take out.