Kicking Horse - Yoho Park Boundary to Palliser

Contributed by Michael Reeder
What It's Like
Scenic river running with significant wood hazard
Class
II+
Scouting / Portaging
Everything is scoutable and portageable. Stopping could be difficult for inexperienced kayakers, especially at high water
Time
1 hour
When to Go
Spring to Fall
Gauge
KICKING HORSE RIVER AT GOLDEN
Paddling from the Yoho Park boundary to the Beaverfoot bridge (alternate takeout for a shorter run and easier shuttle) or Palliser is a scenic run that is mostly fast moving water with 1 notable class 2/2+ rapid about 300m downstream of the put in.

While there are a handful of good eddies and a few fun wavetrains that make this run enjoyable for beginner kayakers, there is also a lot of wood which can be difficult to avoid for newer paddlers. Keep an eye out for logjams and sweepers on the corners and at the heads of the constantly shifting floodplain islands, especially in the few km downstream of the Beaverfoot bridge.