On a recent paddling trip kayaking downriver from Clearwater to Kamloops, we explored islands in the middle of the North Thompson River and camped overnight on them during the 3 day journey. At the end of the first day of paddling we landed on the final island of Chu Chua Cottonwood Provincial Park.
BC Parks describes the park as follows:
“An area of large, undisturbed, floodplain islands in the North Thompson River. The typical large floodplain area is in a natural, undisturbed condition.”
We landed on the gravel beach and camped up in low sand dunes on the edge of the green space – grass, willows, and osier dogwood surround cottonwood forests. To go right to the interior of each island means pushing through tall undisturbed growth. We saw many deer and bird tracks, but no human or cow traces were spotted. This is a rarely visited set of islands.
In high water, there is a chain of separate islands, then when the river recedes, small channels separate them and by mid-summer, some go dry.
Muddy shoals and gravel bars appear in the river, making navigation difficult for anything but canoes, kayaks, and possibly river jetboats.
The river was peaceful, but Highway 5 is not far away on one side and the CN tracks are on the other side.
We landed on a number of other islands on our downriver paddle. We camped on two of these and enjoyed explored the rarely visited isles of the North Thompson River.
The North Thompson and South Thompson Rivers provide many days of paddling each year. Downriver paddles are easier so we try to go at least 20km and arrange for a vehicle at each end. We started at the Valleyview Boat Launch. This is a busy spot on weekends with many floaters entering the water to drift down to Pioneer or Riverside Park. Be sure to park on River Road, not in the boat launch area (or you may be ticketed). An early start is recommended to get on the river before the noisy arrival of powerboats. The first section passes some secluded Valleyview beaches and the Indian Reserve, enroute to the Yellowhead Bridge.
On our way downriver, we paddled past four and a half bridges.
We went down the north side of Rabbit Island and had a brief break at Mission Flats beaches before heading downstream. A channel around an island is part of the navigation route to the lake.
As we approached Tranquille and the Kamloops Lake, the river widens.
On the last section of shoreline near Tranquille, some river otters were curious about the paddlers.
The paddle from Valleyview to Cooney Bay takes 3 to 3.5 hours and is safe, easy paddling for all canoes and kayaks. More sections of the rivers are planned up to the end of the paddling season (November).
The South Thompson River from Chase to Kamloops provides excellent downriver paddling. We can divide the river route into 3 sections (based on accessible launch/landing sites) – Chase to Pritchard, Pritchard to Lafarge, and Lafarge to downtown Kamloops. We paddled from Lafarge to Pioneer Park in mid-June.
The paddling is all easy and the only issue is avoiding a lot of powerboats. By getting an early start, we were able to avoid most of the motorized traffic. Most boat owners are considerate and slow down when passing canoes and kayaks (but not all). The silt cliffs rise above the shores of the river.
There are many riverfront homes in Dallas and Valleyview. Behind them, Sunrise Mountain stands among the wispy clouds over the south shore of the river.
Mt. Peter and Paul stand over the north side of the river as we approach downtown Kamloops.
The river section is 20 km from the launch area next to the Lafarge Bridge to the boat launch at Pioneer Park. We are very lucky to have two rivers running downstream to the “meeting of the waters,” making fine downriver paddling for us from March to November.
In spring we paddle downriver, enjoying the green corridors of our valleys in our kayaks and canoes. We choose to go before the noise and wakes of powerboats take over the rivers.
We paddled from the public beach at Chase on Little Shuswap Lake to the Lafarge Bridge, a total of 40.5 km.
Banana Island Provincial Park makes a good stop for a break. Even at high water, there is a small beach on the north side of the island.
About halfway along the route is the Pritchard Bridge. There is a good landing spot on the northwest side of the bridge.
The next 20km downstream is steady paddling all the way to the Lafarge Bridge. There is a good landing beach on the northeast side. For most paddlers, half of this route will be a good choice. Pick a nice day with little wind in May, the first half of June, or September to avoid power boat traffic and noise.
Other good (and easy) downriver sections are Lafarge to Pioneer Park, Pioneer Park to Cooney Bay, and Harrington Road in Westsyde to McArthur Island, all scheduled for this year.
When the North and South Thompson Rivers rise from the spring melt, the boat launch at McArthur Island can be used to access the Thompson River.
During freshet, the volume of watyer increases and the current is stronger. Once we enter the river, we look for slower water to progress upstream. The north side shoreline can be followed towards Overlander Bridge, a good workout. We enter the main flow and go across the river to come down the channel on the south side of Rabbit Island. The current is slowest next to the island.
At the west end of Rabbit Island, we turn the corner to come back up the shoreline. The current is slower right next to the island, although the water is quite shallow. We enjoy paddling right around the island. When the river is very high, some of the interior channels of the island fill with water and we can explore them (article).
The Rabbit Island Circuit is about 6 km. We could do an extra lap around the island or go downstream farther and could easily extend the paddle to 10km. The upstream sections add a good strength and endurance workout.
A good early-season paddle is to launch at Pioneer Park and paddle down to the Confluence of the two rivers, then take a sharp right turn right to go up the North Thompson River. It is never an easy paddle upstream, but we look for the slowest water on the river, crossing back and forth, sometimes progressing quite slowly. This is a good early-season workout.
Mt. Paul stands above the Kamloops Indian Reserve on the eastern shore.
Cottonwood-lined Schubert Drive and the Rivers Trail in North Kamloops follows the western shore to Halston.
It takes about an hour to paddle up to the Halston Bridge and beyond to the CN Bridge. A train was crossing the bridge as I paddled underneath and around the pylons.
There are extensive sandbars and shallows along the North Thompson River. Along the eastern banks are signs of beaver activity, including a lodge, several belly slides, and chewed off willows and red osier dogwood. Great blue herons stood on the shoreline and bald eagles watched from the cottonwoods.
This is a hard workout paddling upstream on the North Thompson, but it is an easy paddle back down to the confluence. The hard work starts again, paddling back upriver to the Black Bridge, then the Red Bridge on the way to Pioneer Park.
Early in the season there is no one else on the river. It is a good workout to paddle the 10.6 km route, half of it upstream into the current, but it is part of developing a base of paddling endurance for the year, running this year from February to November.
The South Thompson River is a well-used and busy river from June through mid-September, but there is very little activity on the river after October 1st. The river is lower and has a number of shallow areas, troublesome for power boats, but these pose no problem for canoes and kayaks. We launched our kayaks at the Lafarge Bridge (NE side of the river) and paddled down to the Valleyview Boat Launch.
This section of the river is 14km long which takes about 2.5 hours of paddling. There are a number of homes on both sides of the river along the way, but it is a quiet area on a weekday morning, late in October. Fall colors lined the banks and there were lots of geese, ducks, eagles, and a variety of smaller birds in the riparian zone.
Even though the air and the water are cooler in the spring and the fall, those months invite us for a day of quiet paddling downstream.
Paddling down the Shuswap River is a delight at any time, but it is a special experience during the peak of the salmon run. The sockeye spawn in the gravel shallows in the upper river. The river is full of red-colored sockeye and black-headed spring salmon, most moving upstream, but some in redds near the shore, some leaping out of the water, and some dead ones along the shore. Eagles, seagulls, and crows line the shores scavenging. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans was there in river boats and on the shoreline counting fish and monitoring. As we paddled over the fish, we had to be careful not to collide with the salmon in numerous shallows.
It would be nice to launch at Mabel Lake, but the rapids in Skookumchuk Rapids Provincial Park have Class 111 – Class 1V whitewater for 3 km. The Shuswap River has 10 hand launch sites from Mabel Lake to Mara Lake. Most have a sign at the turn-off, parking areas, and a good spot to launch and many also have outhouses and picnic tables. We launched at a designated hand launch site at Hupel, 29.5km by road from Enderby.
The route from Hupel to halfway between Cooke Creek and Dale’s Hand Launch is mostly Class 11 water, but has some short sections of Class 111 too, all very doable, although there are some narrow spots and some obstacles too, so this section is for experienced paddlers. The river becomes slower as it continues to Enderby. For this last venture, we chose to exit at Riverside Hall, just past the Trinity Valley Bridge, a total of 26 km.
The river below Ashton Creek is slower and runs through farmlands. On a previous day of paddling, we went all the way to Enderby, taking out at the bridge (link to story).
Paddling with salmon at the height of the migration on their four year cycle is a unique experience. We watched the fish and their predators with fascination as we quietly paddled downriver. This is a good time to carry an underwater camera, but it is not easy to get a good photo of the fish while moving downstream in a kayak or canoe. It is probably easier to do this from the shoreline with a bit of wading (Cooke Creek is a good place to do this). Along the way, we stopped for lunch in Shuswap River Islands Provincial Park, a section of oxbows, channels, islands, and sandbars. Cottonwoods line the riparian zone in this protected area. The upper river has an unspoiled feel to it and the huge sockeye run is indicative of a healthy river, even in rising temperatures.
We have penciled in a return paddle in October of 2018 to meet the next generation of salmon as they return to the Shuswap River.
We have paddled the 36 km route down the North Thompson River from the McLure Ferry to Westsyde Road a few times.. It is different experience each time, depending on the volume of water in the river. Before the spring melt, the river has extensive sand and gravel bars and the water moves more slowly. During freshet, the river is wide and moves quickly. Side channels are also full of water and there is a lot of movement in the river – eddies, rapids, whirlpools, and waves. The Heffley Rapids are imposing, making for an exciting ride.
This time, we paddled the river on September 1st and the sandbars and gravel bars were emerging. The river was still moving along at a good speed and we were able to maintain about 9km/hour with steady paddling. We found that the river travels about 2km/hour faster on the outside of curves (using a deck-mounted GPS) and that river always had one side that ran faster. We launched from the Ferry on Westsyde Road and stayed in the faster water as much as could.
Most of the river is just steady paddling, but there are a few obstacles to go around and some minor rapids. We always stop and land at a small beach just past Jamieson Creek and jus before the Heffley Rapids. We hiked over to the edge of the rapids this last time and planned a route, which worked very well. We went through only 3 sections of rapids by going down a side channel to the right. The left side has a long series of rapids and in higher water, there will be about 8 sections to get through. This is not a route for novices. Good boat-management and a variety of paddle strokes are needed.
The last section past Rayleigh to Westsyde seems slower, but the river is wider and flows about the same speed. Most kayaks will be fine for running the river, but the longer boats go faster, are more seaworthy in rougher water, and a rudder helps to avoid obstacles with both paddling and steering.
We divide the river into 4 sections for a day trip:
Clearwater to Little Fort Ferry (use the Search Bar for this story)
The Eagle River runs west from Eagle Pass in the Monashees down to Sicamous and into Shuswap Lake. There is really not enough water in the upper end of the river to paddle, but when the Perry River joins the river, there is enough water to paddle from Craigellachie or Malakwa. On the upper river there are fallen trees, sweepers, deadheads, and logjams to contend with so it is only suitable for experienced paddlers. Eagle River meanders all the way making the distance much longer in a boat. We launched at the Malakwa Suspension Bridge which is only 21 km from the lake, but it took us 39.6 km to paddle the river. At times we were paddling east on our way downriver.
The upper section had some faster water, but many hazards too. At one point 6 km downstream, the entire river was blocked by a logjam with only a 4 foot opening, followed by an obstacle-slalom course. I was able to get through, but another person capsized and the third person portaged around the section. For the first two hours, we had to slow down the kayaks in the river, scout the best line, and paddle adeptly around various hazards.
At a good landing/launch spot downstream the river became slower, more clear of hazards, and it started to meander even more. This would be a better/safer spot for most kayakers to launch (see the locations coordinates below).
From this point, it is just a long paddle to the lake. We took 7 hours in all. Next time, we will start about 6 km downstream and we will pull out at the dog park just past the Cambie-Solsqua Bridge, shortening the route by about 13km. We ended up paddling out into the lake where there were powerboats, windy conditions, and nowhere to land near parking. We landed near the bridge, but this is a busy area with limited parking opportunities.
In the lower river, there is also a set of rapids, then a fish weir to negotiate.
We enjoyed the wildlife corridor, especially with the early run of the sockeye salmon. The fish jumped out of the water and predators patrolled the shoreline. We spotted a bear, many eagles, herons, and turkey vultures.
For recreational paddlers, the lower river would be a good choice, avoiding the upper river obstacles. Paddling this river in high water conditions would be for experienced paddlers only. The Eagle River is scenic and interesting, worth a day of paddling and exploration.
Coordinates (east to west):
Malakwa Suspension Bridge launch area (on the north side) – N50 46.448 W118 47.677
Every spring the snows melt from distant mountain ranges and the lands at the head of Kamloops Lake are flooded. We can paddle in the bays and channels, and enjoy the views, especially on a calm day.
Reflections from the hills and the sky blend with tones of filtered light.
Cloud shapes contrast with the colors of the hills, reflected on the lake.
As the clouds change in the sky, the new effects are displayed on the waters.
Double C’s are created with the reflections:
We paddle into the floodlands to immerse ourselves in Nature’s Art Gallery.
In June each year, we can launch our boats from the Tranquille Wildlife Management area and paddle out into the flooded lands at the head of Kamloops Lake. We have a 10km circuit that we can do, but each time a different channel is taken. At the peak of the freshet, all the channels are connected, but as the water recedes, many of them are dead ends, requiring some back-paddling. The area is full of birds. This year we have spotted bald eagles, golden eagles, great blue herons, ducks, geese, marsh wrens, yellow-headed blackbirds, and a number of smaller birds. The cottonwoods, willows, and dogwoods stand in deep water for a few weeks, but still seem to thrive. Groups of trees/shrubs look like floating islands in the bays.
Past the last of these “islets” is the river, slow-moving as it runs into the lake. The crossing is 1km to the far shore. The channel mouth starts to the left of the gully ahead. This image was probably taken in May before the area was fully flooded.
Any series of channels can be taken, but we usually paddle the one closest to the far shore and return back through the middle. Views extend down the lake past Battle Bluff and up the river toward Mt. Paul. Mount Mara overlooks Tranquille Bay and the rocky hills along the south shore rise steeply above the floodlands.
This is one of the yearly great wonders of the region and just a few of us venture out in our kayaks to experience the sights of this wet wilderness each June.
Kamloops’ two rivers provide fine early season paddling. The South Thompson flows more slowly, has fewer shallows/sandbars, and has less hazards. Progress up or down is good, except when the power boats arrive. The North Thompson has far less traffic and a little more caution is needed, and it is hard work to paddle upstream.
Most river paddling outings follow this pattern of hard work upstream, followed by an easy return journey. On this grey and windy day, the route was from Pioneer Park downstream to the confluence, then upstream on the North Thompson. The Red Bridge stands at the west end of Pioneer Park. It was first built in 1887, then rebuilt in 1912, then in 1936. It is a wooden truss bridge, now an unusual situation for an active urban route. The top rails are red, but we paddle under the dark pylons and timbers.
The Black Bridge is on a spur line of the CNR. On the northwest pylon is a long-standing beaver lodge. On one sunny spring day my kayak silently glided down and surprised two beavers sunning themselves on the pile of debris. Past the bridge, we come to Indian Point. When the river is higher we can take a tight turn through the swirling water to the North Thompson. In April, the gravel bars extend half-way to Riverside Park, so we paddle past all the geese, ducks, seagulls and turn sharp right into the faster flowing waters. Both shores of the North Thompson have water-covered sandbars which kayaks can clear, but the water runs more quickly over the shallows, so we stay in the main channel, working hard upstream. Sand dunes line the river on the east side in several places.
From the confluence to above the Halston Bridge is 4 km. The east side has many signs of wildlife. Swallows nest in the bank, bears and eagles can be seen at the point where Paul Creek flows into the river, and we can see where beavers have a slide down the sand-clay banks.
The North Thompson narrows at the Halston Bridge and the CN Trail Bridge and the river speeds up this this narrow corridor. We have to be careful to stay away from the pylons and bases.
The return paddle back down the river is much easier, then we turn upriver for the final leg back to Pioneer Park. This is not an easy route, an 11.6 km paddle, a workout for the early season, building an endurance base for the season.
Downriver paddling is one of the best outdoor experiences, but paddling in a shallow river with the salmon migrating upstream to spawn is a special experience. During the last big sockeye run, we paddled down the Shuswap River from the Skookumchuck to Enderby.
The river runs faster at the upper end and slowly at the lower end over a 35 km journey. For the whole distance, there was a steady stream of red sockeye moving upstream, with an occasional large blackish spring salmon. Fish jumped out of the water, surprising us each time. In shallower sections, we had to be careful to avoid striking the salmon with our kayak paddles. Eagles perched on tree limbs. Seagulls, crows, eagles, and a number of small mammals scavenged dead fish on the shore. The normally quiet river was abuzz with life.
We had timed the paddle to the peak of the salmon run and are looking forward to the next peak years.
The run down the North Thompson River from McLure to Kamloops is about 36 km. We launched from the McLure Ferry on the west side in our ocean-going kayaks.
In high water, the river runs faster and all the island channels open up. We immediately chose the channel behind a larger island and we continued to take these types of channels all the way down the river. The river was running quickly, and we were in no hurry, but we still averaged 9.6 km/hour, about twice as fast as steady paddling on flat water.
The North Thompson has many gravel and sand shoals which are a danger to power boats, but pose no hazard to shallow-draught kayaks. There was some swirling water and some spots of fast-running water, but the route down the North Thompson is a pleasant route, best suited to longer boats and experienced paddlers, but relatively easy for most of the route.
The one challenging area is the Heffley Rapids. Just below the Jamieson Creek outlet, the river moves quickly and crosses rocky ground resulting in sections of rapids over a one kilometer distance. The first rapid is usually the biggest one and it is best to pick a good route through standing waves, intersecting side channels, and bumpy sections. It is possible to be flipped over (I was a few years ago), so care and precision is needed. It is usually a lot of fun and more exciting than the long sections of slow water, but the Heffley Rapids are not for inexperienced paddlers. Even having done this a few times, we usually stop at a small beach above the rapids and then we walk the shoreline to scout out a good route.
In fast water, the route from the McLure Ferry to Harrington Road in Westsyde took only 4 hours. There is a lot of slow-moving water from Heffley to Westsyde, but there is nowhere to land so the last section is a leisurely paddle to the landing. We find the river to be quiet, scenic, and interesting. The North Thompson has back eddies, channels, islands, swirling water, a few rapids a lot of hidden beaches, and more opportunities for wildlife sightings. The river is navigable in a kayak from above Clearwater all the way to Kamloops, but it is rare to see a paddler on the river. Our next trip will be a long route from Clearwater all the way to Kamloops, with an overnight stay on islands in the middle of the river along the way.
The floodlands out from Tranquille invite paddlers an opportunity to paddle for about 10 km through channels, bays, and lagoon-like mazes of wetland vegetation. Launching out of Tranquille, both sides of the river await exploration.
As the freshet approaches in June, the wildlife also moves in. The earliest residents are ducks, geese, blackbirds, and other nesting waterfowl and wetland birds. Under the water, fish and aquatic invertebrates proliferate and the larger birds like great blue herons and pelicans also move in. With the abundance of life also come the predators. Bald and golden eagles, ospreys, red-tailed hawks, and even kites and peregrines can be spotted. Painted turtles sun themselves on logs. All are best seen while drifting quietly.
Paddling requires both hands and attention to balance, so calm conditions and a slow approach facilitate seeing and photographing wildlife. When we paddle out into this area in June and July, we try to take our time and keep the focus on exploration. On the last venture, a number of dead-end channels were found. As the river recedes at the end of freshet, through channels start to disappear, but new surprises can still be found – wild asparagus, knotweed in flower, amphibians, and wading birds.
Framing all of this are the hills and skies of the Thompson River Valley, a favorite place.
