Alberta Paddling Information
Where to Paddle in Alberta

Mark’s Guide for Alberta Paddlers

Mark's Guide for Alberta Paddlers by Mark Lund ©2007 Guidebook is 8½” x 11”, spiral coil binding, 225 pages Mark's Guide For Alberta Paddlers — this guide includes 60 reach reports for Alberta's rivers and lakes, stretching from Milk River in the south to the Peace River in the north, from the Cold River in the east to the Kootenay River in the west. Table of Contents with links to sample reports Retailers who have ordered Mark's Guide for Alberta Paddlers Available throughout Alberta Available from Paddle Alberta for $35 Add $7 for postage within Canada Add $12 for postage within U.S. Purchase Online with PayPal Please select the destination country for shipping: Canada United States

Lake Tripping: Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park

• Rating: High winds & ice cold water
• Reach Report by Mark Lund: Maligne Lake
• References, Books: Mark’s Guide for Alberta Paddlers

Lake Tripping: Lakeland Provincial Park

• Rating:
• Lakeland Provincial Park
• Lakeland PP & PRA Backcountry Map
• Lac La Biche Regional Tourism--newspaper articles about Lakeland Park Canoe Circuit
• References, Books: Phone Provincial Park for copy of Canoe Routes map: 780-623-5235

North Saskatchewan: Devon to Edmonton

• Rating:
• Reach Report by Mark Lund: North Saskatchewan River: Devon to Capilano Park, Edmonton
• References, Books:
  • City of Edmonton — River Recreation Guide
  • Mark’s Guide for Alberta Paddlers
  **Note**  The road from Honeyvale Acres (west of Edmonton) to the North Saskatchewan River is now closed to the public.

North Saskatchewan: Drayton Valley to Devon

• Rating:
• Reach Report by Mark Lund: North Saskatchewan River: Drayton Valley to Devon
• References, Books: Mark’s Guide for Alberta Paddlers

North Saskatchewan: Nordegg to Drayton Valley

• Rating:
• Paddle Alberta Alberta River Guide: North Saskatchewan River: Nordegg to Drayton Valley buy
  • Class I – II   A high volume river that flows through the foothills region of forested valleys and river characterized by ledges, wave trains and rock features. From Nordegg, Bridge through The Gap and many rough water stretches toward Saunders, Horburg and Rocky Mountain House. Then Baptiste River, Abraham’s Gates, Brazeau River, Lodgepole, Buck Creek and then on to Drayton Valley.

North Saskatchewan — Edmonton to Saskatchewan Boundary

• Rating:
• Reach Report by Mark Lund: North Saskatchewan River: Edmonton to Saskatchewan Boundary
• References, Books: Mark’s Guide for Alberta Paddlers

South Saskatchewan: Grand Forks to Estuary, Saskatchewan

• Rating:
• Reach Report by Mark Lund: South Saskatchewan River: Grand Forks to Estuary, Sask.
• References, Books:
  Prairie River: A Canoe and Wildlife Viewing Guide to the South Saskatchewan River
  from Grand Forks, Alberta to Estuary, Saskatchewan. 2nd ed. (Print — Non-Fiction)
  Dickinson, Dawn, Baresco, Dennis and Newton, Garry, illus. Federation of Alberta Naturalists (FNA), 2003.
  158 p. ISBN 0-9696134-5-8 ($14.95 pbk.)

Bow River: Calgary to Carseland

• Rating:
• Paddle Alberta Alberta River Guide: Bow River: Ghost Dam to Carseland buy
  • Class I – I+   Features spruce and aspen forests to rolling grasslands. From Ghost Dam through Cochrane, Calgary then Policeman’s Flats, the Highwood River, McKinnon Flats and on to Carseland.  Includes the Lower Elbow River. Ghost Dam to the Gas Plant is the most technical stretch. Be aware of the Weirs in Calgary and Carseland.
• Reach Report by Mark Lund: Bow River: Calgary to Carseland Dam
• References, Books: Mark’s Guide for Alberta Paddlers

Bow River: Ghost Dam to Calgary

• Rating:
• Paddle Alberta Alberta River Guide: Bow River: Ghost Dam to Carseland buy
  • Class I – I+   Features spruce and aspen forests to rolling grasslands. From Ghost Dam through Cochrane, Calgary then Policeman’s Flats, the Highwood River, McKinnon Flats and on to Carseland.  Includes the Lower Elbow River. Ghost Dam to the Gas Plant is the most technical stretch. Be aware of the Weirs in Calgary and Carseland.
• Reach Report by Mark Lund: Bow River: Ghost Dam to Cochrane
• References, Books: Mark’s Guide for Alberta Paddlers

Bow River: Lake Louise to Banff/Canmore area

• Rating:
• Banff National Park Reach Report — Canoeing the Bow River
• References, Books: Banff National Park — Backcountry Visitors Guide

Old Man River: Fort McLeod to Grand Forks

• Rating: to
• Reach Report by Mark Lund: Old Man River: Fort McLeod to Grand Forks
• References, Books:
  • Mark’s Guide for Alberta Paddlers
  • Prairie River: A Canoe and Wildlife Viewing Guide to the South Saskatchewan River
    from Grand Forks, Alberta to Estuary, Saskatchewan. 2nd ed. (Print-Non-Fiction).
    Dickinson, Dawn, Baresco, Dennis and Newton, Garry, illus. Federation of Alberta Naturalists (FNA), 2003.
    158 p. ISBN 0-9696134-5-8 ($14.95 pbk.)

Red Deer: Content to Drumheller

• Rating:
• Paddle Alberta Alberta River Guide: Middle Red Deer River: Dickson Dam to Drumheller buy
  • Class I   Aspen Parkland valley to City of Red Deer. Transition to badlands begin after Canyon Gap near Joffre Bridge. Content Bridge to Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park (a ‘must visit’ site). From Content Bridge, the spectacular Canadian Badlands begin to dominate the river valley through to Drumheller.
• Download touring guide from Travel Alberta/Canadian Badlands website
• References, Books: Mark’s Guide for Alberta Paddlers

Red Deer: Drumheller to Dinosaur Provincial Park

• Rating:
• Paddle Alberta Alberta River Guide: Lower Red Deer River: Drumheller to Red Deer Forks
  SOLD OUT—OUT OF PRINT
  • Class I   Scenic Drumheller badlands, through Deadlodge Canyon, Dinosaur Provincial Park badlands, and on to the Cottonwood bends of the confluence with the South Saskatchewan River.
• Reach Report by Mark Lund: Red Deer River: Drumheller to Dinosaur Prov. Park
• References, Books: Mark’s Guide for Alberta Paddlers

Athabasca River: Whitecourt to Fort Assiniboine

• Rating:
• Reach Report by Mark Lund: Athabasca River: Whitecourt to Fort Assiniboine
• References, Books: Mark’s Guide for Alberta Paddlers

Athabasca River: Jasper to Whitecourt

• Rating:
• Paddle Alberta Alberta River Guide: Athabasca River: Jasper to Whitecourt buy
  • Class I+ – II+ From Jasper through Jasper National Park & the majestic Rock Mountain front to Hinton, through forested foothills past ‘Tunnelrock’, ‘The Gates’ and the Berland River towards Windfall & Whitecourt.
• References, Books:
  • Jasper National Park: Information Centre/Trail Office: 780-852-6176
  • Jasper National Park of Canada
  • The Mountain Guide — The Official Parks Canada Visitors Guide to Banff, Jasper, Kootenay, Yoho, Mount Revelstoke and Glacier National Parks. (Complete Printable Version [4.66 Mb])

Milk River: Milk River to Writing–on–Stone Provincial Park

• Rating:
• Paddle Alberta Alberta River Guide: Milk River: Whiskey Gap to Deer Creek buy
  • Class I – II   Unique prairie scenery, coulees and river characterized by rock gardens and some undercuts. The guide describes the route from Whiskey Gap, past Del Bonita, the forks, Milk River and Gold Springs Park, on to Poverty Rock, Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park and finally Deer Creek. 
• Reach Report by Mark Lund: Milk River: Milk River to Highway #880
• References, Books: Mark’s Guide for Alberta Paddlers

Peace River: Dunvegan to Peace River

• Rating:
• Reach Report by Mark Lund: Peace River: Clayhurst to Peace River
• References, Books: Mark’s Guide for Alberta Paddlers