Where to Kayak, Canoe & SUP in Calgary
AQ Staff
Whitewater SUP
| Whitewater Kayaking
| Rafting
| Flatwater Kayaking
| Flatwater SUP
| Canoeing
May 8th, 2019
8 minute read
With over 20 years in the Calgary and area paddling community we figured that it is about time we put together a practical list of where to paddle in and around the Calgary area. So, in conjunction with our community driven paddling location website
Paddlingmaps.com here it is! As you go through this list you can link out to Paddling Maps which has driving directions (from where you are), location information, local information and more.
This is by no means an exhaustive list and there are many more listed within the
PaddlingMaps.com website. For reference we have included paddling locations mainly within a 45 minute drive of Calgary (though some a little over an hour away).
If you have some gem paddling spots we dont have listed we would love to see you add them on
Paddlingmaps.com.
If the list below gets you excited to get out on the water, feel free to follow the links below for more information:
If you want some outdoors ideas for winter, checkout Where to Snowshoe In and Around Calgary.
Where to Kayak/SUP/Canoe around Calgary
WHERE TO PADDLE IN THE CITY OF CALGARY
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- Glenmore Reservoir: A medium sized lake very close to the city. Popular for recreational paddling and kayak fishing. Please note however, SUPs and Inflatable kayaks are not permitted on the reservoir.
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- Bow River - Float Sections: An amazing stretch of water to have within the city limits. Many access and egress points to ensure a trip length that works for you.
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- Bow River - Whitewater Sections: Harvies Passage offers both a fun Class II (right side) and a challenging Class III/IV (left side) sections. The right side is very safe and suitable for most users, the left side is for experienced paddlers only.
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- Elbow River: A very popular summer float in inner tubes and rented rafts. Can be floated in a kayak or canoe at spring and early summer levels.
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| Note: There are many private residential lakes in and around Calgary. These are all private and require you to be a local resident or friend of a resident. Of you want really easy paddling access to these lakes, might be tome to consider a house move! |
WHERE TO PADDLE EAST OF CALGARY
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- Lake Chestermere: A good sized, multi use lake 30 minutes or so east of the city. The lake north of the bridge limits motorized boat traffic to 12 km / h so it is pretty quiet up there. Warm by Alberta lake standards in the summer months
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WHERE TO PADDLE WEST OF CALGARY
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- Ghost Reservoir: A large multi use lake that sees it's fair share of wind. However, get it on a clam day and the paddle up the north arm to the mouth of the Ghost River is spectacular.
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- Bow River - Ghost Dam to Cochrane: A 20 km trip with mainly fast moving water and few small Class II rapids. This is an amazing day trip through a gorgeous prairies river valley. Can be turned into an overnight by camping on Wildcat Island
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| Note: Obviously there is a lot of paddling further west. We will include those locations in our upcoming "Where to paddle in Kananaskis Country" and "Where to kayak in Banff National Park" posts |
WHERE TO PADDLE SOUTH OF CALGARY
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- Forgetmenot Pond: A tiny mountain lake that is super protected and easy paddling for kids, or SUP boards. Water stays pretty cold year round.
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- Elbow River: Upstream of Bragg Creek there are numerous sections of whitewater from Class II to V. Requires some river paddling and safety knowledge. Incredibly beautiful river to paddle with loads of picnic areas and hiking trails nearby.
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- Chain Lakes Reservoir: About 1 to 1.5 hours from Calgary. A long narrow lake with abundant bird and wildlife. Prone to getting windy so choose a calm day unless you are looking for an adventure!
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- Sheep River: One of the most scenic rivers in Alberta. Whitewater from Class I to Class V. Amazing sightseeing, picnic area, hiking and more
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- Twin Valley Reservoir: A 15km long and relatively narrow reservoir in prairie country south of Calgary. one of Alberta's newset reservoirs. Lots of bird, fish and wildlife and some really interesting hoodo'esque' landscapes.
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- Highwood River: Another river that is often referred to as world class in both whitewater and scenery. Amazing foothills views as the river travels towards the Bow and onto the prairies. Many different sections on Paddling Maps if you search. just a couple listed here.
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Well, that is just a small sampling of the amazing paddling opportunities in and around the city of Calgary. For more options and details simply go to PaddlingMaps.com and browse the region. We hope this will provide loads of paddling based inspiration for this season and beyond
If you are looking to get more experience on the water our Calgary location (and Edmonton) offer a full range of kayak and SUP instructional programs. We also offer rental kayaks, SUPs and gear to help get you out on the water in and around Calgary.
Feel free to contact us at either our Calgary or Edmonton locations for more information on product, rentals, courses or paddling information.
If you need some winter activity ideas, check out Where to Snowshoe In and Around Calgary.
Edmonton: (p) 780 463-4892 (e) info@aquabaticsedmonton.com
Calgary: (p) 403 288-9283 (e) info@aqoutdoors.com
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