The Kicking Horse River offers some of the BIGGEST and BEST whitewater found in all of the Canadian Rockies. Since 1992, we’ve been your trusted, locally owned, and premier outfitter on the Kicking Horse River. We are incredibly proud of our ranking on TripAdvisor as the #1 Activity in the Canadian Rockies, and intend to keep it that way!
Our trips include all levels of rafting, from ‘mild to wild’, to satisfy every level of excitement. Check out our roster of trips below and let us know how we can help you plan your ultimate whitewater rafting adventure!
Our most popular half-day excursion features the biggest and best whitewater rapids in the Canadian Rockies. An exhilarating adventure awaits with unforgettable whitewater experiences!
Ideal for families and those looking for a milder river journey. This trip offers scenic sections, paired with fun, splashy whitewater, through the beautiful Kicking Horse River Valley.
Experience the ultimate adventure on this trip, combining stunning Kicking Horse River Valley scenery with the thrill of the Rockies’ biggest rapids. A complete package of beauty and excitement!
For big whitewater enthusiasts – a DOUBLE SHOT of THE BEST whitewater in the Canadian Rockies. Experience double the rapids, double the fun, with the second lap in our sporty all-paddle rafts.
Is one adventure activity just not enough? Package our rafting trips with some of the most popular activities in the Canadian Rockies. You won’t regret it!
Whether you’re planning a group rafting trip for your friends, company, family reunion, wedding party, or birthday, we can help! Group rates apply.
The Kicking Horse River is home to so many fun, thrilling rapids, ranging from Class II to Class IV+, and exceptionally scenic sections. We could talk about them forever, but these are some of our favorites.
The first exciting rapid found on the upper section of the Kicking Horse River. Within minutes of pushing off from shore, you’re at the entrance of this Class III rapid. Here, the river steepens and funnels, forming a ramp – essentially, you’re sliding into a wide-open field of bouncy, splashy fun! Coming down this ramp, you’ll pick up plenty of speed to maneuver around and crash through the subsequent holes and wave train. By the end of the rapid, you’ll feel energized and refreshed, ready to take on the rest of the river. After all, it is the river’s natural wakeup call!
Included on: Gentle, Tradition
The Braids are the most scenic section of the Kicking Horse River. Through this mellow section of river, the main channel splits into a series of smaller channels (or, braids) curving down the river. As you wind and cruise through the Braids, the valley opens up and you are treated to 360° of incredible views, from mountain top to valley bottom. You’ll marvel at the Beaverfoot range to your left, and the Van Horne range to your right. Don’t forget to turn around and look upstream too; you’ll be treated to a stunning view of the Ottertail range, home to Chancellor Peak, one of the tallest mountains in the area! Slowly, the braids reconnect into the main channel, and the river begins to flow through the upper canyon of the Kicking Horse River.
Included on: Gentle, Tradition
Get ready to get wet. Rated as a Class III+, it’s one of the most technical rapids found on the river and is short, but oh so sweet. As you approach the rapid, you’ll notice the river becoming steeper, the waves becoming bigger, and you’ll feel the anticipation building. After crashing through the first waves, the river takes a sharp right turn, around an overhanging shale rock wall, where you’ll finish off with a few more waves. At higher water levels, the massive standing waves can reach up to 10ft tall, and we only hit a small piece of the hole. At lower water levels, the hole features the biggest single wave on the river, and we can smash right through the meat of it. No matter the water levels, Hopi’s Hole delivers the goods.
Included on: Whitewater Exciter, Gentle, Tradition, Maximum Horsepower
The ultimate adrenaline rush. 1 km long of technical, fast-paced, action-packed, continuous Class IV+ whitewater, dropping 110ft (about 34m) of elevation overall, that’ll leave you absolutely drenched, with your heart-pounding and smiling from ear to ear. We always start with a quick scout of the rapid, then we get right into it. We’ll enter the rapid on the right, threading the needle through two waves so distinct they have names: Terminator and Rooster’s Tail. You’ll be paddling hard and holding on tight as we make our way left, crashing through an abundance of tall waves and feeling the raft edge from side to side.
From here, we’ll make our way back towards the centre, and pass through a section known as the Ledges. It’s exactly how it sounds; under the water, there are rock ledges that create the sensation of dropping as you pass over top. Then, we reach the biggest drop of the whole rapid – Shotgun. The river takes a sharp right curve and funnels, creating ramp that’s sandwiched between a sharp shale rock wall to the right, and a boulder field to the left. This drop accelerates the raft, so you’ll be carrying a lot of speed and power to conquer the last holes and waves of the rapid, before the river mellows out.
Portage & Shotgun is the highlight of the Kicking Horse River, and THE BEST rapid in the Canadian Rockies—one that’s not to be missed!
Included on: Whitewater Exciter, Tradition, Maximum Horsepower
A guide and guest favourite alike. Perfectly named because that’s exactly what it feels like – a whitewater roller coaster! This 500m long wave train is a Class III+ rapid that features large, towering waves up to 10ft tall, through a tight canyon with steep walls on either side. At lower water levels, there are even some holes that can be surfed, burying the front of the raft in water, if you and your crew are feeling up to the challenge!
Included on: Whitewater Exciter, Tradition, Maximum Horsepower
Standing at a whopping 92m tall and 405m long, the Park Bridge towers over the Kicking Horse River, hosting the traffic of the TransCanada Highway, and signals that we’re almost at the end of our rafting adventure. Fun fact: the amount of elevation dropped over the course of the river is slightly more than the height of the bridge!
As you’re coming up to, and passing under the bridge, you’ll not only notice that it’s an incredibly scenic section of river, with views towards the lower canyon, and pristine turquoise waters feeding into the river from Glenogle Creek, but there’s also a very continuous section of whitewater, featuring rapids like Eye of the Needle, Twin Peaks, Big Fatties and the Last Waltz, so you’ll finish your trip with a bang! Floating towards the take-out after these final rapids, you can relax after all of the excitement, and maybe even enjoy one final dip in the river! It’s a full circle experience—on the way back to our River Base, you’ll drive over the same Park Bridge that you just rafted under!
Included on: Whitewater Exciter, Tradition, Maximum Horsepower
Price
Rapid Classes
Minimum Age/Weight
Departure Times
Food & Drink
Price
Rapid Classes
Minimum Age/Weight
Departure Times
Food & Drink
Price
Rapid Classes
Minimum Age/Weight
Departure Times
Food & Drink
Price
Rapid Classes
Minimum Age/Weight
Departure Times
Food & Drink
All rafting trips depart from our River Base (2750 Beaverfoot Road, Golden BC), conveniently located on the TransCanada Highway #1. The River Base is halfway between the towns of Field and Golden, BC, and an easy 45-minute drive west of Lake Louise. Trips do NOT depart from Lake Louise. While we do have a sales office in Lake Louise, the rafts and crew are at the River Base! For accurate directions on Google Maps, simply enter ‘Wild Water Adventures River Base’.
As with any adventure activity, there are always inherent hazards and risks. However, we do all that we can to mitigate those hazards and risks. More information about our safety policies and protocols can be found here.
For full details about our Terms and Conditions, visit our Booking Policies page.
Cancellation Policy:
Individual Booking (up to 7 participants):
Reservations are fully refundable, or changeable, up to 48 hours prior to trip departure. Once within that final 48-hour window, reservations are non-refundable.
Group Booking (8 or more participants):
Reservations are fully refundable, or changeable up to 7 days prior to trip departure. Once within that final 7-day window, reservations are non-refundable.
WAIVER, EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY & ASSUMPTION OF RISKS: Whitewater rafting involves many risks, dangers and hazards , which are outlined in our release of liability, waiver of claims, assumption of risks and indemnity agreement. Each participant will be required to read and sign the Wild Water Adventures waiver of liability prior to commencing the trip. A sample copy of the waiver can be downloaded here and will be attached to the confirmation email.
Photo/Video Release: I consent to photographs and/or video taken of being used for advertising, promotional or marketing purposes.
Rafting trips depart rain or shine. Guests will get wet from the river anyway, so a little rain won’t make any difference! We provide lots of gear to help keep everyone comfortable and content. If ‘thermally challenged’, ask us for more synthetic polar fleece layers to help you stay comfortable and happy. Remember, mountain water is very refreshing!
Yes. As with all adventure sports, guests are required to read, complete and sign a waiver in order to raft. Waivers must be signed and witnessed only at the River Base. Please do not arrive at the River Base with pre-printed waivers; we will only ask you to complete and sign the form again. Guests under the age of 18 are required to have a parent signature on their behalf.
Our River Base is located on a picturesque 13-acre property, overlooking the Kicking Horse River. It is the ideal place to meet and prepare for your trip. The day lodge boasts heated change rooms, hot and cold running water, proper washroom facilities, and a large, covered deck area to enjoy before and after rafting. Personal items remain dry and secure inside the day lodge while guests have fun on the river.
Our rafting season kicks off mid-May. Reservations typically open at the beginning of November for the following year. As trips do sell out (especially weekends in July and August), it is always best to book sooner rather than later. To make a reservation, simply click the yellow ‘Book Today’ button on any Wild Water Adventures website page or call us directly at 1-888-647-6444.
Full-Length Trip (Tradition): Back at the River Base, after rafting, a delicious gourmet BBQ lunch is served along with hot and cold beverages.
Half-Day Trips (Gentle, Whitewater Exciter, Maximum Horsepower): Back at the River Base, after rafting, a selection of hot and cold beverages are available on the deck. An assortment of snacks are available for purchase at the base.
*** Optional Gourmet BBQ Lunch upgrade is available for guests on the morning (8:45 AM) Gentle and Whitewater Exciter departures.
Because we are the best! Even TripAdvisor ranks us as the #1 Activity in the Canadian Rockies. Since 1992, Wild Water Adventures has offered premium rafting experiences on the Kicking Horse River. After three decades of creating incredible memories for thousands and thousands of rafters, we continually strive to show our guests the best time possible on the river, while focusing closely on risk management. Don’t just take our word for it, check out what guests had to say after spending time on our rafts.
56 Lincoln Park #202
Canmore, AB T1W 3E9, Canada
RIVER BASE ADDRESS
Local: 403-522-2211
Toll-free: 1-888-647-6444
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