A great trip with stunning views and approachable whitewater for intermediate boaters and some optional spicier sections for stronger boaters on the river’s upper reaches.
Shuttle Distance: 225km. Hike Distance/Elevation:`20-30km/1000m. River Distance: 50-80km (longer trips are possible). River Difficulty: II-III (IV-V). Flows: The Red Deer is a reliable run through the entire spring and summer. At higher flows the difficulty and consequences rise as the river becomes quite continuous, especially in the upper canyons. Gauge: Red Deer River Below Burnt Timber
The Upper Red Deer River is a moderate 3-4 day packrafting trip through some of the most stunning scenery the Rocky Mountains have to offer. The hike in is long, but with the elevation gain is spread out over a long distance it’s a fairly easy climb on great trail. The paddling is mostly fairly straightforward, but novice groups should put in lower on the river to avoid some more technical paddling and must-make moves getting through and around the upper canyons.
The hike into the Upper Red Deer River starts from the Skoki Loop trailhead in Lake Louise National Park. At the time of writing, only a self-issued watercraft permit is required at the trailhead, but make sure to check what kind of backcountry permits may be required for this trip. You may be able to get a ride up the gated road with the Skoki Lodge hiking guest shuttle, but the dates and timing are a bit random, so an early start on this hike is a big help. From here the hike follows well maintained, gradual trails climbing up into some beautiful high country. There are a number of routes into the Upper Red Deer basin, check Parks Canada for recent trail conditions. However you get there, your goal is to get to the Upper Red Deer Lakes backcountry campground and make your way to the river from there. The best put in for this river depends a bit on flows and your skill set.
At most flows the river is mostly a beginner-intermediate friendly Class II-III, but 4 canyons in the upper reaches all contain more challenging whitewater, waterfalls and some mandatory portages.
At the time of writing, most of these have wood hazards forcing mandatory portages and all require precise eddy skills to navigate safely. Those that do go have Class IV-V rapids depending on water levels. Groups nervous about these sections should put in below the last waterfall, called Knock Out Falls on Paddling Maps and Hidden Falls by equestrian groups, from here down the rivers is a great Class II+ river with a few features that can reach Class III. The first canyon begins just below a meadow where the Mount Drummond route leaves the main Upper Red Deer River trail. There is some great camping in this area. Most of the canyon is Class III but it finishes with two waterfalls, the upper was runnable at the time of writing but the lower was blocked with wood. Below this, the river mellows out into shallow meadows for a bit, passing a large lake formed by an old Oxbow on river left. Another campground is located here.
The second canyon starts shortly below this with some Class III rock gardens leading into a narrow, unrunnable section. It can be portaged on either side, but the trail on river left offers the easiest travel.
Below this is a longer stretch of Class II and III water, eventually passing the Upper Red Deer River ranger cabin just upstream of the third canyon. This canyon is runnable but has some challenging Class III/IV moves and a tricky headwall drop at lower water. The exit to this canyon is a very challenging drop that can form a major hole at higher water. Below this is a river wide waterfall that leads into the final canyon. The final canyon is short, but necessitates another portage around the final unrunnable section (Knock-Out/Hidden Falls). Again, the trail on river left provides the easiest travel. From here to the Banff National Park boundary the river is mostly Class II with a few short Class III sections. Wood is abundant in this river, watch out for sweepers and strainers. There is a lot of beautiful camping through here, especially on high meadows above the river. There is also potential for extending the trip here with some side hikes and scrambles. As you approach the park boundary, be aware that Parks Canada will sometimes have a river wide bison drift fence in place at the boundary that may require a portage. Past the boundary the river picks up a little before flattening out again as you paddle past the Ya Ha Tinda Ranch. Groups looking for a shorter float can take out here at the Big Horn Campground. Continuing downstream the river keeps up its mostly Class II characters with some large log jams. The river picks up speed as you get closer to the blue bridge at Mountain Aire with a few more read and run rapids thrown in. If you want some more whitewater, continue downstream for some of the classic runs on the Red Deer that can extend this trip all the way to Sundre. Want to build the skills to take on a trip like this? Check out our packrafting courses: https://ascentfv.com/packrafting/
