Kicking Horse River

Legend has it the Kicking Horse River got its name in the mid 1800s after a surveyor was kicked by his packhorse. Whatever the origin, the river has been kicking paddlers into high gear since the 1970s, when early rafting and kayaking expeditions first explored its powerful whitewater.

Flowing from Wapta Lake in Yoho National Park, the river descends out of the alpine and past several waterfalls, including the spectacular Wapta Falls. Fed by Rocky Mountain icefields, its turquoise water cuts through sienna cliffs and dense forests before charging into steep canyons. The river is typically divided into three paddling sections. The Upper Canyon offers lively Class III to IV rapids. The Middle Canyon steps up to demanding Class IV and V whitewater popular with expert paddlers. The Lower Canyon mellows slightly before the river flows past Golden and eventually joins the Columbia River.