Where to Canoe in Yellowknife

Great Slave Lake - Paddle the North shore of the North Arm of Great Slave Lake, by canoe or sea kayak. The numerous channels and bays of the North Arm are important habitat for breeding birds, and each year attract more than 100,000 northbound migrating waterbirds. You’ll find a stunning variety of birds, such as bald eagles, gulls, terns, ducks, swans and geese. It’s also home to moose, black bears, bison, wolves, and tons of world-class trophy pike. From a paddler’s perspective, the North Arm is a paradise of unexplored islands of glacier carved, Precambrian rock. It’s a wilderness odyssey of narrow channels you’ll navigate. This is one great trip! Guided trips and boat rentals avaliable at: https://jackpinepaddle.com/tour/north-arm-expedition-great-slave-lake-nwt/

Cameron River - A scenic and generally very relaxed flatwater paddle, with multiple put-in and take-out options. There are a few very short but runnable pool and drop rapids for those who want to run them, or they can be portaged. The upper section can also be a nice lazy float in tubes, etc. There are two waterfalls and a 2m ledge that must be portaged. Below the bridge is a 50m stretch of easy class I with two good eddies that can be useful for teaching beginner skills.

Yellowknife River - The longest stretch of continuous whitewater in the Yellowknife area. It's only about 150 m long, but there are enough features to practice most whitewater maneuvers. There's also a 100m portage trail so you can run laps or skip the rapids altogether if you'd prefer a flatwater paddle. There's a 2.5 km paddle across Prosperous Lake to get to the rapids. Afterward, you can return to the put-in or continue about 10 km down the river for a longer flatwater trip.