Spring River Rafting – A Front Row Seat to Wildlife
A spring river rafting trip with Kootenay River Runners is about the entire landscape. It starts the moment you check in and lasts until you step off the raft. Being surrounded by iconic destinations like Kootenay National Park, Yoho National Park, Banff, and Canmore, wildlife sightings are an unforgettable part of the adventure.
The experience begins before you even reach the water. Local roadways are well known for wildlife. Deer, elk, moose, black bears and grizzly bears are commonly spotted along the roadside and as you step off the bus and onto the river, more adventure awaits.
Kootenay River – Radium Hot Springs
This is the premier river for wildlife lovers. Located in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, the Kootenay offers the best opportunity to see animals in a truly remote and unique wilderness setting. The trip starts in Radium Hot Springs. This area is famous for its bighorn sheep, which traveler’s often spot right in town or on the surrounding cliffs. They are a local highlight and a visitor favourite. In fact, they sometimes even greet guests at our office!
Our trip takes us into Kootenay National Park. From there, we head onto logging roads where wildlife thrive. Join us for whitewater rafting in May & June! During these months, we see both black and grizzly bears almost daily! Along the river we can spot deer, foxes, many bird species. Occasionally, the unexpected happens; we’ve even seen a wolverine and a wolf on this trip!
Toby Creek – Panorama Mountain Resort
Flowing out of the Purcell mountains, Toby Creek offers a wilderness feel just along the border of Panorama Mountain Resort. This stretch is especially known for black bears, which are often seen along the water’s edge, particularly in the spring and early summer months.
The surrounding forest is full of life, from deer moving quietly through the trees to a wide variety of bird species overhead. In recent years, moose have been increasing their river visits and while rafting along a creek each wildlife encounter truly feels both thrilling & intimate.
Kicking Horse River – Golden, BC
Near the edge of Yoho National Park and within easy reach of Banff and Lake Louise, the Kicking Horse River combines dramatic scenery and rapids with wildlife viewing. Keep an eye on the cliffs, you might spot mountain goats navigating impossibly steep terrain. In the valley below, deer, moose, and a wide variety of bird species are part of the everyday landscape. Sometimes, the wildlife comes even closer—a greeting from our friendly raft dog Mosi or catching a glimpse of a black bear wandering through in search of its next dandelion snack can both happen right at basecamp.
From roadside sightings to riverbank encounters, rafting with Kootenay River Runners offers a front-row seat to the wildlife of the Canadian Rockies. Whether you’re spotting eagles on the Kootenay River, watching black bears along Toby Creek, or scanning cliffs for mountain goats on the Kicking Horse, you will have memories for a lifetime.
Contact us to book your trip today, this is where you don’t just see nature—you’re part of it!