Where to Crossover Kayak in Cochrane

Bow River - This is a classic beginner river trip with tons of eddies and small features to practice and learn on. There are a few small class 2 rapids, both which can mostly be avoided by paddling around them. At the first split in the river, the right channel will take you to the first wave train. Right before the wave train there are some deep lagoons where you can practice rolling and t-rescues. The put-in and take-out require a bit of a walk with a decent climb at the end, so make sure you save time/energy for the long haul out. This trip can easily be done in less than 2 hours but it is also very possible to spend an entire day on this section with doing lots of practicing and drills in the multiple eddies and lagoons. This trip is great from early spring until late fall, with the water level decreasing throughout the summer.

Bow River - This is a great half day trip with a couple fun wave trains. People often use this as an extension of the upper section (Ghost Dam to Wildcat Gas Plant) or will go on this section if the water level is higher. Put-in at the Wildcat Gas Plant and take-out right under the bridge that runs through Cochrane. There are fewer large eddies on this section in comparison to the upper section but this still makes for an awesome beginner run with lots of great practice spots and beautiful scenery. Shortly after the Wildcat Gas Plant is Wildcat Island, which is crown land and makes for an awesome campsite for overnight trips or a nice lunch stop. You can easily link this section with the Ghost Dam to Gas Plant section of river, or, turn it into an overnight with a stay on the Wildcat Island Reserve (just downstream of the Gas Plant)

Bow River - A great float trip connecting Cochrane and Calgary. Ideally you want to do it in a boat that is 10' or longer as the paddle across Bearspaw Reservoir is pretty long in a short boat. Really nice prairies scenery and has a bit of a remote feel to it.

Ghost Reservoir - The Ghost Reservoir is a large (by Alberta standards) man made lake, caused by the Ghost Dam on the Bow River. It is a great lake to paddle on due to it's size, though is prone to sudden weather/wind changes and sees pretty heavy motorized craft use.

Ghost Reservoir - The Ghost Reservoir is a large (by Alberta standards) man made lake, caused by the Ghost Dam on the Bow River. It is a great lake to paddle on due to it's size, though is prone to sudden weather/wind changes and sees pretty heavy motorized craft use.

Sibbald Lake - A small mountain lake in Kananaskis country that can be good for a short paddle. Popular with fisherman and there is a campground nearby for easy access.