This is by no means an exhaustive list and there are many more listed on the Paddling Maps website. In this article we have included paddling locations mainly within a 45 minute drive of Calgary (though some are a little over an hour away).
If you have some gem paddling spots we don't have listed we would love to see you add them on Paddling Maps.
AQ Outdoors Calgary Kayak & SUP Courses
Where to Kayak/SUP/Canoe around Calgary
Where to Paddle in the City of Calgary
Glenmore Reservoir
A medium sized lake just outside the inner city. Popular for recreational paddling and kayak fishing. Please note that stand up paddleboards and Inflatable kayaks are not permitted on the reservoir.
Timeline: A couple of hours
Suggested Kayak: Recreational Kayak or Inflatable Kayak
[Glenmore Reservoir on Paddling Maps]
Harvie Passage
A man-made river course in the centre of Calgary. The Right Channel features a smooth concrete bottom, great eddy lines, small waves and a good runout making it a great spot for beginner and early-level intermediate paddlers.
The Left Channel features class III+IV whitewater features and should only be paddled by advanced paddlers. If you want some exciting kayaking in Calgary, this is the place to be!
Timeline: 1-2 hours
Suggested watercraft: whitewater kayak, surfboard, whitewater canoe, raft, stand up paddleboard
[Harvie Passage Right Channel on Paddling Maps]
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. Rafting is one of the most popular river activities in summer, perfect for a hot summer day. Make sure you bring the appropriate safety gear and don't tie your rafts together -- the ropes can get wrapped around bridge pillars, which is an extremely dangerous situation to be caught in. Float separately!
Timeline: A couple of hours to a full day
Suggested watercraft: Recreational Kayaks, Inflatable Kayak
Bow River - Whitewater Sections
Harvie Passage offers 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. This is the single section of substantial whitewater for the entire Bow River in Calgary.
If you're approaching Harvie Passage from upstream, make sure you get out beside the railway bridge and have a look at the rapids first. The river will naturally push you to the left channel, which is challenging and only suited for advanced paddlers. This is especially the case if you're floating in a raft -- either walk around the entire section, or carry your raft down shore and launch into the right channel.
Timeline: A couple of hours to a full day
Suggested watercraft: Whitewater or Crossover Kayaks
[CLASS II / Right Channel info on Paddling Maps]
[CLASS III/IV Left Channel info on Paddling Maps]
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. The put-in is typically Sandy McNabb beach, and from there you have several take out options as there are several access points. Or just float to the Bow!
Taking out in the popular Mission area offers plenty of patio options. So if you're looking for a nice float with social amenities right when you take out, that's a great option. There's a bridge at 4 St SW that is the best place to hop out within a few minutes walk from some of the best spots in Calgary.
Timeline: 2 - 4 hours
Suggested watercraft: Whitewater, Crossover Kayaks or Canoe
[Calgary Elbow River on Paddling Maps]
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. Or if you want really easy paddling access to these lakes, it might be time to consider a house move!
Where to Paddle East of Calgary
Lake Chestermere
A good sized, multi use lake 30 minutes or so east of the city. The lake north of the bridge has a motorized boat speed limit to 12 km/hr, so it is pretty quiet up there. A nice bonus is that it's warm, at least by Alberta lake standards in the summer months.
Timeline: A few hours
Suggested watercraft: Recreational Kayak, Inflatable Kayak or Inflatable SUP Board
[Lake Chestermere on Paddling Maps]
Where to Paddle East of Calgary
Ghost Reservoir
A large multi-use lake that sees its fair share of wind. However, get it on a calm day and the paddle up the north arm to the mouth of the Ghost River is spectacular and makes for a great trip.
Timeline: Half to a full day
Suggested watercraft: Fishing Kayak, Recreational Kayak or Inflatable SUP Board
[Ghost Reservoir on Paddling Maps]
Bow River - Ghost Dam to Cochrane
A 20km trip with mainly fast moving water and a few small Class II rapids. This is an amazing day trip through a gorgeous prairie river valley. Can be turned into an overnight by camping on Wildcat Island. If you're looking to develop your paddling skills close to home, but want to be outside the city, this is your best bet.
Timeline: A half day to 2 days
Suggested watercraft: Whitewater, Crossover Kayaks or Canoe
[Ghost Dam to Gas Plant on Paddling Maps]
[Gas Plant to Cochrane on Paddling Maps]
Note: 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. In the meantime, check out [Paddling Maps] for paddling information.
Where to Paddle South of Calgary
Forgetmenot Pond
A tiny mountain lake that is super protected and easy paddling for kids, or SUP boards. Water stays pretty cold year round. There are a ton of recreation options around here including world class mountain biking, scenic road biking, various sections of river, hiking, picnics...it goes on and on!
On a nice summer day, this pond is also a great option to cool down if you've been out and about in the area enjoying the outdoors.
Timeline: An hour or two
Suggested watercraft: Kids Kayak, Recreational Kayak or Inflatable Kayak
[Forgetmenot Pond on Paddling Maps]
Elbow River
Upstream of Bragg Creek there are numerous sections of whitewater from Class II to V. These runs require some river paddling and safety knowledge. This section of the Elbow is an incredibly beautiful river to paddle with loads of picnic areas and hiking trails nearby.
The Class IV section requires advanced skills. The technical sections include a small waterfall (Elbow Falls), a technical bedrock channel with an undercut at low flows (The Notch) and a 2-stage extended slide over exposed bedrock (The Slide). All these drops can be walked/sealed launched around, with cruisy Class III boogie water in between.
Timeline: A few hours to a full Day
Suggested watercraft: Whitewater Kayaks, Crossover Kayaks or River Canoes
[Elbow River Class II Information on Paddling Maps]
[Elbow River Class III - IV Information on Paddling Maps]
Chain Lakes Reservoir
This trip is about 1-1.5hrs from Calgary. Chain Lakes Reservoir is a long narrow lake with abundant bird and wildlife. This area is prone to getting windy, so choose a calm day unless you're looking for an adventure!
Timeline: A half day
Suggested watercraft: Recreational Kayak, Inflatable Kayak, Inflatable SUP Board, Fishing Kayak or Canoe
[Chain Lakes Reservoir on Paddling Maps]
Sheep River
The Sheep is one of the most scenic rivers in Alberta carving through the front country of the Rocky Mountains. You can find whitewater from Class I to Class V with no shortage of wildlife, especially in the canyon sections. This secluded area is not too far from Calgary and also features amazing sightseeing, picnic spots, hiking, and more.
The Class IV section has some of the best whitewater around, and the best variety. There are several unique, challenging IV-V+ drops that can all be walked around. One of the most popular is Sheep Falls, a tourist hot spot and a straight forward 10ft waterfall.
This is the first waterfall for many Calgary area kayakers. The approach is straight forward, there are several lines with relatively little consequence (as far as waterfalls go), a big pool to land in, and quick access to take out then walk back up and do it again! This is an easy waterfall to session and a great place to dial in your boof timing.
The Class II section is a straight forward paddle through a scenic canyon.
Timeline: A few hours to a full day
Suggested watercraft: Whitewater Kayaks, Crossover Kayaks or River Canoes
[Sheep River Class II Information on Paddling Maps]
[Sheep River Class III - IV Information on Paddling Maps]
Twin Valley Reservoir
This is a 15km long and relatively narrow reservoir in prairie country south of Calgary. It is one of Alberta's newest reservoirs. You can find lots of birds, fish, and other wildlife set against some really interesting hoodo 'esque' landscapes.
Timeline: A half to full day
Suggested watercraft: Recreational Kayak, Inflatable Kayak, Inflatable SUP Board, Fishing Kayak or Canoe
[Twin Valley Reservoir on Paddling Maps]
Highwood River
Another river that is often referred to as world class in both whitewater and scenery featuring amazing foothills views as the river travels towards the Bow and onto the prairies. There are many different sections on Paddling Maps. A couple of the more popular sections are listed here.
The Class III/IV section features several big water 'esque' features that are technical at low water and big, bouncy fun at high water. If you want to practice dynamic river moves, technical ferrying, and scouting bigger rapids on more difficult water to break through progression plateaus, this is the section to do it on.
Further downstream, the Highwood offers several Class II sections that are good for working on basic skills. The fishing's great too!
Timeline: A few hours to a full day
Suggested watercraft: Whitewater Kayaks, Crossover Kayaks or River Canoes
[Highwood River Class II Information on Paddling Maps]
[Highwood River Class III - IV Information on Paddling Maps]
Transport Canada Boating Guidelines
No matter which of these paddling spots you choose (or any other ones in Canada) you'll nee to meet Transport Canada's boating guidelines (50 ft. of floating rope, bailing device, signaling device). If you want to meet these safety requirements with a compact all-in-one solution, be sure to check out the North Water 4 Bailer. It's a throwbag, rope, whistle, and bailer!
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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 [Paddling Maps] 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.
And check out Paddling Maps to find your next adventure!
Edmonton: (p) 780 463-4892 (e) info@aquabaticsedmonton.com
Calgary: (p) 403 288-9283 (e) info@aqoutdoors.com
