North Sask - Nordegg to Rocky

This is one of the most popular river canoe trips in Alberta. It has a bit of everything - mountains, prairies, rapids, cliffs, and wildlife. It requires river paddling experience - there are some dangerous rapids and sweepers in this section. However, if you have a guide or know how to paddle and read rivers, most of the rapids can be avoided or floated through. Some people start at Saunders instead of at the Nordegg Bridge to avoid Saunders Ledge, which can be dangerous. This misses paddling through the mountains, but is a legitimate safety choice.

Devil's Elbow is a classic rapid for playing in. It can easily be avoided on the inside of the curve, but on the outside it can be a class II to class III depending on the water levels. It is good for beginners to have fun if there are experienced rescuers in place - there is nothing to dodge except to stay away from the occasional undercut. With a campground right there, it is the perfect spot to do laps.

This river is pretty good for wildlife - I've seen lots of deer, elk, black bear, moose, beavers, eagles, peregrine falcons, etc. There is often a herd of elk hanging out between Saunders and Horburg. If you want to see wildlife, just like anywhere, early mornings and late evenings are best.

This is bear country, so make sure you are keeping all food secured and campsites clean.

You can camp anywhere along the bank. I've put some popular campsites on the map which have fire rings and sometimes green thrones (an open-air outhouse). Many of these campsites have been stripped clean of firewood. Please DO NOT CUT DOWN TREES. Some people are doing this and the campsites are starting to be overly impacted. Keep your fires small (or don't have them - sometimes there are firebans too) and if you definitely need fires, bring firewood. Also, make sure you're picking up your garbage and not leaving any sign of being there. People on future trips appreciate this!

This section is best paddled between 100 and 250 cms at the Rocky Mountain House monitoring station. You can check the current flow rate at https://rivers.alberta.ca/

You can start this trip earlier at the Bighorn Dam or continue on to Drayton Valley.