A whitewater river is any river where its gradient and/or flow create

rapid Rapids are sections of a river where the river bed has a relatively steep gradient, causing an increase in water velocity and turbulence. Rapids are hydrological features between a ''run'' (a smoothly flowing part of a stream) and a ''cascade'' ...

s or

whitewater Whitewater forms in a rapid context, in particular, when a river's gradient changes enough to generate so much turbulence that air is trapped within the water. This forms an unstable current that froths, making the water appear opaque and ...

turbulence. This list only focuses on rivers which are suitable for whitewater sports such as

canoeing Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. Common meanings of the term are limited to when the canoeing is the central purpose of the activity. Broader meanings include when it is combined with other act ...

kayaking Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits faci ...

, and

rafting Rafting and whitewater rafting are recreational outdoor activities which use an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other body of water. This is often done on whitewater or different degrees of rough water. Dealing with risk is often a ...

Africa

Zambezi The Zambezi River (also spelled Zambeze and Zambesi) is the fourth-longest river in Africa, the longest east-flowing river in Africa and the largest flowing into the Indian Ocean from Africa. Its drainage basin covers , slightly less than ha ...

Zambia Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most central point. Its neighbours are t ...

Nile The Nile, , Bohairic , lg, Kiira , Nobiin: Áman Dawū is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa and has historically been considered the longest riv ...

Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa. The country is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the south by Tanzania. The ...

* Tana River,

Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

Asia

Pakistan

Sutlej The Sutlej or Satluj River () is the longest of the five rivers that flow through the historic crossroads region of Punjab in northern India and Pakistan. The Sutlej River is also known as ''Satadru''. It is the easternmost tributary of the In ...

* Braldu *

Swat In the United States, a SWAT team (special weapons and tactics, originally special weapons assault team) is a police tactical unit that uses specialized or military equipment and tactics. Although they were first created in the 1960s to ...

* Kunhar River *

Indus River The Indus ( ) is a transboundary river of Asia and a trans-Himalayan river of South and Central Asia. The river rises in mountain springs northeast of Mount Kailash in Western Tibet, flows northwest through the disputed region of Kashmi ...

Thailand

Wa River Lam Wa ( th, ลำว้า, ) is a watercourse of the Thai highlands in Thailand, a tributary of the Nan River, part of the Chao Phraya River basin. It has its source beneath high Doi Phi Pan Nam mountain of the Luang Prabang Range and joins t ...

is a popular whitewater rafting destination in the Nan Province of

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

. It has rapids ranging from difficulty levels of 2 through 6. *

Wang Thong River The Wang Thong River ( th, แคววังทอง, , , also known as the ''Khek River'') is a river in Thailand. Its source lies in the Phetchabun Mountains in the Khao Kho District, Thailand.

is a popular whitewater rafting destination in the Phitsanulok Province of

. It has rapids ranging from difficulty levels of 3 through 5.

India

In the north, most rivers in India descend from the

Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 10 ...

, the highest mountains on earth: cold glacial waters thunder down the rocks, bringing with them ample whitewater rapids to encounter. The water here is high volume and can be very violent in the early spring. Hence, extreme caution must be taken if one has not mastered paddling skills for rapids above class III. Caution should otherwise be exercised near the Tibetan border as this is area is a place of extreme political dispute, on land and on water. *

Zanskar Zanskar, Zahar (locally) or Zangskar, is a tehsil of Kargil district, in the Indian union territory of Ladakh. The administrative centre is Padum (former Capital of Zanskar). Zanskar, together with the neighboring region of Ladakh, was brief ...

, a Grand Canyonesque experience. Class III-IV. Gradings, as on all rivers, subject to change depending on volume of water. *

Alaknanda The Alaknanda is a Himalayan river in the Indian state of Uttarakhand and one of the two headstreams of the Ganges, the major river of Northern India and the holy river of Hinduism. In hydrology, the Alaknanda is considered the source ...

Bhagirathi The Bhāgīrathī (Pron: /ˌbʌgɪˈɹɑːθɪ/) is a turbulent Himalayan river in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and one of the two headstreams of the Ganges, the major river of Northern India and the holy river of Hinduism. In the Hind ...

Brahmaputra River The Brahmaputra is a trans-boundary river which flows through Tibet, northeast India, and Bangladesh. It is also known as the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibetan, the Siang/Dihang River in Arunachali, Luit in Assamese, and Jamuna River in Bangla. I ...

- This river begins in Tibet and winds its way towards

Arunachal Pradesh Arunachal Pradesh (, ) is a state in Northeastern India. It was formed from the erstwhile North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) region, and became a state on 20 February 1987. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south. It shares ...

, from whence it continues in a very steep gradient. Class V in high volume, but Class VI on some waterfalls that must be portaged. This area is a contested area between India and China and much paperwork is required to ride it. * Mandakini *

Ganges The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...

: This river is thousands of miles long. It begins in the Himalayas and empties into the

Bay of Bengal The Bay of Bengal is the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean, bounded on the west and northwest by India, on the north by Bangladesh, and on the east by Myanmar and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India. Its southern limit is a line bet ...

, shared with Bangladesh. Sadly, this river, very holy to Hindus, is very sick with pollution in its lower reaches, particularly near cities like

Varanasi Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world. * * * * The city has a syncretic t ...

. This is a big water river that varies through the whole gamut depending on location, class II-V+ rapids. *

Tons Tons can refer to: * Tons River, a major river in India * Tamsa River, locally called Tons in its lower parts (Allahabad district, Uttar pradesh, India). * the plural of ton, a unit of mass, force, volume, energy or power :* short ton, 2,000 poun ...

Kali Kali (; sa, काली, ), also referred to as Mahakali, Bhadrakali, and Kalika ( sa, कालिका), is a Hindu goddess who is considered to be the goddess of ultimate power, time, destruction and change in Shaktism. In this tra ...

Yamuna The Yamuna ( Hindustani: ), also spelt Jumna, is the second-largest tributary river of the Ganges by discharge and the longest tributary in India. Originating from the Yamunotri Glacier at a height of about on the southwestern slopes of B ...

Teesta Teesta River is a long river that rises in the Pauhunri Mountain of eastern Himalayas, flows through the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal through Rangpur, and enters the Bay of Bengal. It drains an area of . In India, it flows th ...

* Rangit

South India

Towards the south, all rivers originate from the Western Ghats. Most of them can only be paddled in the monsoon season (June–October), while some others can be paddled year-round as they are dependent on dam releases. Only a small percentage of the rivers have recorded descents, and there is a vast potential for first descents.

= Rivers in Karnataka

=
Kali River
section near Dandeli. Class III-III+
Cauvery
multiple sections, Bheemeshwari, Dubare, Hogenakkal Class II-II+
Upper Barapole
in Coorg. Class III-IV. Very creekish river.
Sitanadi
near Agumbe. Class III
Kempuhole
near Sakleshpur. Class II-V.
Bhadra
Class II-III
Shishila
near Dharmasthala, Class II+

Indonesia

Alas River Alas River is a river in Aceh in northeastern Sumatra, Indonesia, about 1400 km northwest of the capital Jakarta.Lae Alas

, located in South Aceh,

Aceh Aceh ( ), officially the Aceh Province ( ace, Nanggroë Acèh; id, Provinsi Aceh) is the westernmost province of Indonesia. It is located on the northernmost of Sumatra island, with Banda Aceh being its capital and largest city. Granted a ...

Sumatra Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the sixth-largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 (182,812 mi.2), not including adjacent i ...

. *

Asahan River The Asahan River ( id, Sungai Asahan) is one of the principal rivers in North Sumatra, Indonesia, that begins in Porsea, Toba Samosir Regency at the Southeast part of Lake Toba.North Sumatra North Sumatra ( id, Sumatra Utara) is a province of Indonesia located on the northern part of the island of Sumatra. Its capital and largest city is Medan. North Sumatra is Indonesia's fourth most populous province after West Java, East Java and ...

, Sumatra. Class IV-V. * Batang Tarusan River, located in Taratak,

West Sumatra West Sumatra ( id, Sumatra Barat) is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the west coast of the island of Sumatra and includes the Mentawai Islands off that coast. The province has an area of , with a population of 5,534,472 at the 2020 cen ...

, Sumatra. Class II-IV. * Manau River, located in

Jambi Jambi is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the east coast of central Sumatra and spans to the Barisan Mountains in the west. Its capital and largest city is Jambi. The province has a land area of 50,160.05 km2, and a sea area of 3 ...

, Sumatra. * Manna River, located in Tanjung Sakti, Lahat,

South Sumatra South Sumatra ( id, Sumatra Selatan) is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the southeast of the island of Sumatra, The province spans and had a population of 8,467,432 at the 2020 Census. The capital of the province is Palembang. The prov ...

, Sumatra. Grade IV. * Selabung River, located in Banding Agung, South Ogan Komering Ulu, South Sumatra, Sumatra. * Citarik River, located in Mount Halimun National Park,

West Java West Java ( id, Jawa Barat, su, ᮏᮝ ᮊᮥᮜᮧᮔ᮪, romanized ''Jawa Kulon'') is a province of Indonesia on the western part of the island of Java, with its provincial capital in Bandung. West Java is bordered by the province of Banten ...

Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mo ...

. *

Serayu River The Serayu River is a river in Central Java, Indonesia, about 300 km southeast of the capital Jakarta. Hydrology The river spanned from northeast to southwest with length around 181 km, and crossring five ''kabupaten'' (regency) in Central ...

, located in Wonosobo, Dieng Highlands,

Central Java Central Java ( id, Jawa Tengah) is a province of Indonesia, located in the middle of the island of Java. Its administrative capital is Semarang. It is bordered by West Java in the west, the Indian Ocean and the Special Region of Yogyakart ...

, Java. Class II-IV. * Ayung River, located in

Bali Bali () is a province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighbouring islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and ...

. * Nimanga River, located in Timbukar, Minahasa,

North Sulawesi North Sulawesi ( id, Sulawesi Utara) is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the Minahasa Peninsula of Sulawesi, south of the Philippines and southeast of Sabah, Malaysia. It borders the Philippine province of Davao Occidental and Socc ...

Sulawesi Sulawesi (), also known as Celebes (), is an island in Indonesia. One of the four Greater Sunda Islands, and the world's eleventh-largest island, it is situated east of Borneo, west of the Maluku Islands, and south of Mindanao and the Sulu ...

. * Sa’dan River, located in Tana Toraja,

South Sulawesi South Sulawesi ( id, Sulawesi Selatan) is a province in the southern peninsula of Sulawesi. The Selayar Islands archipelago to the south of Sulawesi is also part of the province. The capital is Makassar. The province is bordered by Central Sul ...

, Sulawesi. Grade III-IV.

Malaysia

* Padas, located in Sabah, Borneo. Class III-IV (during rainy season - class V). * Kiulu, located in Sabah, Borneo. Class I-II * (Kampar River @ Itik, located in

Gopeng Gopeng is a town located in Mukim Teja, Kampar District, Perak, Malaysia. It is situated approximately south of Ipoh, the state capital. History Gopeng was the most important town in the Kinta Valley until 1890, when Ipoh became more prom ...

Perak, Malaysia. Class I1-V) * (Selangor River, located in Kuala Kubu bahru, Selangor. Class II-V) * (Sungkai River, located in Sungkai, perak, Malaysia. Class I-V) * (Ulu Slim River, located at Slim Village, Perak, Malaysia. Class I-V) * (Bernam River, Located in Tanjung malim, Perak, Malaysia. Class I-III) * (Loh River, located in Ulu Dungun, Terengganu, Malaysia. Class II-VI) * (Singoh River, located in Grik, Perak, Malaysia. class II-VI) * (Sedim River, located in Kulim Kedah, Malaysia. Class II-V)

Philippines

* Cagayan (de Oro) River, located in Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Philippines. Class II-III (upper section - class IV). Whitewater tributaries include: ** Bubunaoan River, located in Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon, Philippines. Class II-III ** Tumalaong River, located in Lingating, Baungon, Bukidnon, Philippines. Class II-III ** Kalawaig River, located in Talakag, Bukidnon, Philippines. *

Tagoloan River The Tagoloan River is the 13th largest river system in the Philippines in terms of watershed size, as classified by the National Water Resources Board. It has an estimated drainage area of covering the provinces of Bukidnon and Misamis Orienta ...

, located in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, Philippines. Class I-II (upper Tagoloan - Class II-IV) * Malitbog River, located in

Malitbog, Bukidnon Malitbog, officially the Municipality of Malitbog ( Bukid and Higaonon: Banuwa ta Malitbog; ceb, Lungsod sa Malitbog; tl, Bayan ng Malitbog), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Bukidnon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it ...

, Philippines. Class II-III (creeking) * Agusan River, located in Agusan, Cagayan de Oro city, Philippines. Class II-III (creeking) * Jasaan (also known as Cabulig River) River, located in

Jasaan, Misamis Oriental Jasaan, officially the Municipality of Jasaan ( ceb, Lungsod sa Jasaan; tl, Bayan ng Jasaan), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Misamis Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 57,055 people. It is ...

, Philippines. Class II in lower section, Class II-III in middle section. * Cabulaway River, located at Balingasag, Misamis Oriental, Philippines. Class I-III (creeking)

Europe

United Kingdom

Whitewater rivers in the UK are typically low volume and technical. In

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

and

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

rivers are typically less than 20 m³/s, and some are run with less than 1 m³/s (usually these involve skidding the kayak down steep rockslides and small waterfalls). In

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...

there are also a few bigger volume (up to about 50 m³/s) rivers. Like many places in Europe, England, Scotland and Wales have been subject to centuries of rivers getting

dammed ''Dammed: The Politics of Loss and Survival in Anishinaabe Territory'' is a 2020 book by Brittany Luby, Associate Professor of History at the University of Guelph. The book charts the impacts of the damming of the Winnipeg River in the Lake of ...

weir A weir or low head dam is a barrier across the width of a river that alters the flow characteristics of water and usually results in a change in the height of the river level. Weirs are also used to control the flow of water for outlets of l ...

ed, or diverted in ways that suit agriculture or land development and the natural flow has been altered heavily in many regions; there are many orphan dams or sites intended for grist mills that no longer have any function but obstruct the water. Some areas of the island Great Britain occupies has enough gradient to create rapids and waterfalls, but unfortunately ages of damming prevents the full volume of water and snowmelt from reaching the lower reaches: Clywedog Dam holds back approximately 50,0000 megalitres of water alone on the

River Severn , name_etymology = , image = SevernFromCastleCB.JPG , image_size = 288 , image_caption = The river seen from Shrewsbury Castle , map = RiverSevernMap.jpg , map_size = 288 , map_c ...

, and Parliament granted weirs and locks to be placed upon that river multiple times during the 19th century, some of which are still used. Scotland is famous for its rocky north, but many rivers have been dammed in Scotland over the course of the 20th century to create hydroelectric power, with the trend still continuing. Almost all runs in England and Wales need recent rain to be at a paddleable level, and many can only be run immediately after heavy rain. In Scotland, some bigger rivers can be run for weeks after rain although as with the rest of the country, most need recent wet weather. The paddling season is year-round but the rivers are more often runnable in winter (the wettest months of the year being December and January). Exceptions to this include rivers which have artificially maintained flows from reservoirs. On these rivers, flow may increase in dry weather as more water is released. The Afon Tryweryn is one example in Wales. Most runs offer only a few kilometres of whitewater; often several rivers can be run on a wet day. Some rivers consist of only a single rapid. Only a few rivers (such as the

Findhorn Findhorn ( gd, Inbhir Èir or ''Inbhir Èireann'') is a village in Moray, Scotland. It is located on the eastern shore of Findhorn Bay and immediately south of the Moray Firth. Findhorn is 3 miles (5 km) northwest of Kinloss, and about 5 ...

and Spean in the Scottish Highlands) have more than a days' worth of paddling, and most of this tends to be grade III or less. The

River Dart The River Dart is a river in Devon, England, that rises high on Dartmoor and flows for to the sea at Dartmouth. Name Most hydronyms in England derive from the Brythonic language (from which the river's subsequent names ultimately derive fr ...

excepted, there is no natural whitewater in the (mainly flat) south and east of England. Here whitewater paddlers often go playboating at man made

s. Hurley weir on the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, se ...

west of London is probably the most popular. There are several

artificial whitewater An artificial whitewater course (AWWC) is a site for whitewater canoeing, whitewater kayaking, whitewater racing, whitewater rafting, playboating and slalom canoeing with artificially generated rapids. Course types Main types of course: Fl ...

courses, where water is pumped or diverted through a concrete channel containing obstacles to create rapids. There is a 28 m³/s artificial whitewater course on the Trent at

Holme Pierrepont Holme Pierrepont is a hamlet and civil parish located south-east of the city of Nottingham in Nottinghamshire, England. It is in the Gamston ward of the Rushcliffe local authority in the East Midlands region. The population of the civil parish ...

Nottingham Nottingham ( , locally ) is a city and unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east of Sheffield and north-east of Birmingham. Nottingham has links to the legend of Robi ...

(at the National Watersports Centre), a 5 m³/s course on the Tees in

Teesside Teesside () is a built-up area around the River Tees in the north of England, split between County Durham and North Yorkshire. The name was initially used as a county borough in the North Riding of Yorkshire. Historically a hub for heavy manu ...

, and smaller courses on the Nene at

Northampton Northampton () is a market town and civil parish in the East Midlands of England, on the River Nene, north-west of London and south-east of Birmingham. The county town of Northamptonshire, Northampton is one of the largest towns in England ...

, and at Cardington. In

Commercial rafting is limited to artificial whitewater courses (where it often provides the majority of the courses' income). Bigger and more reliable rivers can be found in

and

, in particular the

River Findhorn The River Findhorn (Scottish Gaelic: Uisge Fionn Èireann) is one of the longest rivers in Scotland. Located in the north east, it flows into the Moray Firth on the north coast. It has one of the largest non-firth estuaries in Scotland. The riv ...

River Orchy The River Orchy ( gd, Urchaidh / Abhainn Urchaidh) is a river that passes through the village of Dalmally, Argyll in the Scottish Highlands, West Highlands of Scotland. It rises in the Black Mount Forest, and flows southerly, passing through Loc ...

River Spey The River Spey (Scottish Gaelic: Uisge Spè) is a river in the northeast of Scotland. At it is the eighth longest river in the United Kingdom, as well as the second longest and fastest-flowing river in Scotland. It is important for salmon fishi ...

River Tay The River Tay ( gd, Tatha, ; probably from the conjectured Brythonic ''Tausa'', possibly meaning 'silent one' or 'strong one' or, simply, 'flowing') is the longest river in Scotland and the seventh-longest in Great Britain. The Tay originates i ...

and the Afon Tryweryn. There are several sites off the west coast of Britain where strong tidal currents channeled between islands create big volume sections of whitewater. These include the Bitches in Pembrokeshire in Wales, and the

Falls of Lora The Falls of Lora is a tidal race which forms at the mouth of Loch Etive when a particularly high tide runs out from the loch. They form white water rapids for two to five days either side of the spring tides.riparian owners. This means that the public are only allowed access to a tiny proportion of the available whitewater, and often this is restricted to a few months or even a few days per year. This also limits commercial operations and the activities of clubs. Agreements rarely exist as there is no incentive for the owners of rivers to let anyone else use them. * Recently, legal research conducted by Rev Dr Douglas Caffyn, claims to have identified a public right of access on all navigable rivers in England and Wales in

Common Law In law, common law (also known as judicial precedent, judge-made law, or case law) is the body of law created by judges and similar quasi-judicial tribunals by virtue of being stated in written opinions."The common law is not a brooding omniprese ...

. In law, a public right is a higher right than any private right, and so this outweighs the rights of the riparian owners in a court of law. In Scotland, like most of the rest of the world, access to whitewater is legal and has never been illegal. It has been enshrined in law in the recent Scottish

Land Reform Land reform is a form of agrarian reform involving the changing of laws, regulations, or customs regarding land ownership. Land reform may consist of a government-initiated or government-backed property redistribution, generally of agricultura ...

act. The

Right to Roam The freedom to roam, or "everyman's right", is the general public's right to access certain public or privately owned land, lakes, and rivers for recreation and exercise. The right is sometimes called the right of public access to the wilderness ...

act in England explicitly excluded rivers. The

British Canoe Union British Canoeing, formerly known as the British Canoe Union (BCU) is a national governing body for canoeing in the United Kingdom, established in 1936 as the British Canoe Union. In 2000 it federalised to become the umbrella organisation for ...

is running the

Rivers Access Campaign The Rivers Access Campaign is an ongoing initiative by the British Canoe Union (BCU) to open up the inland waterways of England and Wales to the public. Under current English and Welsh law, public access to rivers is restricted, and only 2% of a ...

to raise awareness and bring about changes in the law to permit public access to all inland rivers in England and Wales.

Alps

Whitewater rivers in the

Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...

are mainly medium volume

glacier A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires distinguishing features, such a ...

-fed rivers with long continuous rapids and few big drops. The season is short (two or three months in early summer when the snow and glaciers are melting) but the whitewater is reliable in this period. Tourists come from around Europe to kayak and raft–the most common centres are

Briançon Briançon (, ) is the sole subprefecture of the Hautes-Alpes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in Southeastern France. It is the highest city in France at an altitude of , based on the national definition as a community cont ...

in the

French Alps The French Alps are the portions of the Alps mountain range that stand within France, located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regions. While some of the ranges of the French Alps are entirely in France, others, such as ...

, the area around

Landeck Landeck () is a city in the Austrian state of Tyrol, the capital of the district of Landeck. Geography Landeck is located in the Tyrolean Oberland in the west of the state at an elevation of about . The town is situated in the valley of the In ...

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

, and Bovec in

Slovenia Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, and ...

Austria

* Enns River, Schladming, Class 3-4 * Inn River Imst Gorge, Haiming, Class 3 * Inn River Landeck Gorge, Landeck, Class 4-5 * Saalach River,

Lofer Lofer is a market town in the district of Zell am See in the Austrian state of Salzburg. Geography Lofer is located in the historic Pinzgau region, in the valley of the Saalach river between the Chiemgau Alps and Reiter Alpe in the north and eas ...

, Class 3-4 * Salzach River, Zell am See, Class 3-4 * Sanna River, Landeck, Class 4

France

* Dranse River, Morzine, Class 3-4 * Doron de Bozel River, Bourg St Maurice, Class 4-5 * Durance River, Embrun, Class 3 * Guisane River, Briancon, Class 3-4 * Isere River, Bourg St Maurice, Class 4 * Ubaye River, Barcelonnette, Class 4-5

Italy

* Dora Baltea River, Villeneuve, Class 3-4 * Noce River, Dimaro, Class 4-5 * Sesia River, Varallo Sesia, Class 2-4

Slovenia

* Soca River, Bovec, Class 3-4

France (Corsica)

For a brief three to six week period in March and April snowmelt runoff explodes down the steep gorges creating the ultimate destination for any rafter or kayaker. While the Corsican whitewater season is short, the rocky island offers exciting whitewater in rivers such as Golo and Tavignano. * Golo River, Ponte Leccia, Class 3-4

Greece

The best time to go rafting and kayaking in Greece is in Spring when the river flow and weather are ideal. * Arachthos River, Arta, Class 2-4 * Kalaritikos River, Arta, Class 4 * Mileopotamos River, Grevena, Class 3-4 * Venetikos River, Grevena, Class 2-4 * Pinios River - Vernezi Route, Larissa, Class 3-4 * Aspropotamos River, Trikala, Class 3

Italy (Apennines)

Spring is the best time for rafting and kayaking in Southern Italy as the currents are stronger. * Lao River, Laino Borgo, Class 3-4

Montenegro

Rivers in

Montenegro ) , image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Podgorica , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , official_languages = ...

all come from high mountains close to the sea. They have natural riverbeds with very different sections from steep creeking to large volume. They have best water in spring, but some are runnable throughout the year. Tara river,

Kolašin Kolašin (Montenegrin Cyrillic: Колашин, ) is a town in northern Montenegro. It has a population of 2,989 (2003 census). Kolašin is the centre of Kolašin Municipality (population 9,949) and an unofficial centre of Morača region, named af ...

, Mojkovac,

Žabljak Žabljak (Serbian / Montenegrin: Жабљак, ) is a small town in northern Montenegro. It has a population of 1,723. Žabljak is the seat of Žabljak Municipality (2011 population: 3,569). The town is in the centre of the Durmitor mountain ...

Pljevlja Pljevlja ( srp, Пљевља, ) is a town and the center of Pljevlja Municipality located in the northern part of Montenegro. The town lies at an altitude of . In the Middle Ages, Pljevlja had been a crossroad of the important commercial roads an ...

Plužine Plužine (Montenegrin Cyrillic: Плужине, ) is a town in northwestern Montenegro. In 2011 it has a population of 1,341. Location Town is located near the Piva lake (Pivsko) in the northwestern mountainous region of Montenegro, close to th ...

130 km,

Durmitor National Park Durmitor (Montenegrin language, Montenegrin: Дурмитор, or ) is a massif located in northwestern Montenegro. It is part of the Dinaric Alps. Its highest peak, Bobotov Kuk, reaches a height of . The massif is limited by the Tara River Canyo ...

Class 2-5 Moraca river,

Podgorica Podgorica (Cyrillic: Подгорица, ; lit. 'under the hill') is the capital and largest city of Montenegro. The city was formerly known as Titograd (Cyrillic: Титоград, ) between 1946 and 1992—in the period that Montenegro form ...

, Class 2-5 Lim river, Plav,

Andrijevica Andrijevica ( Montenegrin Cyrillic: Андријевица, ) is a town and the seat of Andrijevica Municipality in eastern Montenegro. According to the 2011 census, it has a population of 1,048. History The town of Andrijevica is a relatively n ...

Berane Berane ( cyrl, Беране) is one of the largest towns of northeastern Montenegro and a former administrative centre of the Ivangrad District. The town is located on the Lim river. From 1949 to 1992, it was named Ivangrad ( cyrl, Иванг� ...

Bijelo polje Bijelo Polje ( cnr, Бијело Поље, ) is a town in northeastern Montenegro on the Lim River. It has an urban population of 15,400 (2011 census). It is the administrative, economic, cultural and educational centre of northern Montenegro. ...

, Class 2-4

Cijevna The Cem ( sq, Cem, or in its definite form ), also known as the Cijevna ( cyrl, Цијевна), is a river that rises in Kelmend, Albania and after nearly half of its length crosses into Montenegro, where it flows into the River Morača near t ...

, Class 3

Norway

Similar to its Swedish neighbour,

Norwegian Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe * Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway * Demographics of Norway *The Norwegian language, including ...

whitewater rivers are typically steep pool-drop rivers with many waterfalls, and are run mainly by experienced kayakers. There are also bigger (sometimes glacier-fed) rivers which are sometimes rafted. The season lasts all summer, although some rivers only run after recent rain. Norwegian waterfalls regularly feature on extreme kayaking videos.

Portugal

The best time for whitewater in Portugal is in Spring during the higher river flow. * Paiva River - Praia do Vau to Espiunca, Arouca, Class 3-4 * Laboreiro River I - (Castro Laboreiro) Ameijoeira Bridge to Ribeiro de Baixo, class IV-V (X); * Laboreiro River II - (Castro Laboreiro) Ribeiro de Baixo to Olelas, Class IV-V (X); * Vez River I - Porta Cova (Sistelo) to Sistelo Bridge, Classe IV (V);

Russia

White water sport in Russia is quite popular, but the vast majority of people uses

catamarans A Formula 16 beachable catamaran Powered catamaran passenger ferry at Salem, Massachusetts, United States A catamaran () (informally, a "cat") is a multi-hulled watercraft featuring two parallel hulls of equal size. It is a geometry-stab ...

for these purposes. The best period for whitewater is May and July–August. Some rivers are possible to raft in June and September. Here is a list of the most popular rivers:

Altai

* Peschanaya river - Class III *

Katun Katun may refer to: Places * Katun (river), a tributary of the Ob in Siberia, Russia * Katun Mountains or Katun Alps, a mountain range in Russia, part of the Altai Mountains * Katun (Vranje), a village in Vranje Municipality, Serbia * Katun ( ...

river - Class IV. One of the most volumed river in the region. *

Kumir ''Kumir'' is a Tajik film released in 1988. It was directed by Yormahmad Aralev and stars Daler Nazarov, Larisa Belogurova and Ahmadsho Ulfatshoyev. Synopsis Khurshed (Daler Nazarov), a pop singer, works under the leadership of impresario Mir ...

, Korgon,

Charysh The Charysh (russian: Чарыш; alt, Чарас, ''Çaras'') is a river in south-western Siberia in Russia, flowing into the left bank of the Ob.Chuya The Chuya (russian: Чуя; alt, Чуй, ''Çuy'') is a river in the Altai Republic in Russia, a right tributary of the Katun ( Ob's basin). The Chuya is long, and its drainage basin A drainage basin is an area of land where all flowing ...

river - Class V (VI for Mazhoiskiy kaskad). The right tributary of Katun river. There are regular competitions down Chuya on the Mazhoyskiy kaskad part - the canyon part of the river, which includes around 30 rapids, 10 of them are VI class. * Bolshaya Sumulta, Malaya Sumulta rivers - Class V. Malaya Sumulta flows into Bolshaya Sumulta which is the tributary of Katun. * Shavla river - Class V. Tributary of

Argut The Argut (; alt, Аркыт, ''Arkıt'') is a river in central Altai Republic, a right tributary of Katun. Upstream from its confluence with the Dzhazator, it is called ''Akalakha''. Geography The Argut is long (including Akalakha), and has ...

. * Chulyshman river - Class V (VI). The middle and down part contain three rapids V class and two VI class. The upper part contains seven VI class rapids. There is an opportunity of rafting down upper Bashkaus and middle-down Chulyshman (Class V). *

Bashkaus The Bashkaus (russian: Башкаус) is a river in the Altai Republic in Siberia, Russia. It is a left tributary of the Chulyshman, which flows into Lake Teletskoye ( Ob basin). The Bashkaus is long, and its drainage basin covers . It rises f ...

river - Class V (VI). The upper part has a number of IV class rapids and one V class. The down part is one of the most difficult places for white water containing 11 rapids VI class. The river flows in 35 km canyon without any opportunity of evacuation by land. *

river - Class VI * Kadrin river - Class VI

Baikalia Baikalia (or Baykalia) is a vague geographical term referring to the region around Lake Baikal. It is less common than the concept of Transbaikalia, the area to the east of Lake Baikal. The term Baikalia is loosely defined and has no official de ...

* Zun-Murin river - Class III * Utulik river - Class IV (V) * Khara-Murin river - Class IV (V) *

Snezhnaya The Snezhnaya (russian: Снежная lit: Snowy) is a river in Buryatia and Irkutsk Oblast, Siberia, Russia. Course It is one of the main rivers that feeds into Lake Baikal. It is named after how most of the water in the river gets into the riv ...

river - Class IV (V)

Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range, have historica ...

Bolshoy Zelenchuk The Bolshoy Zelenchuk (russian: Большой Зеленчук) is a river in the North Caucasus, Russia. It is a left tributary of the Kuban into which it flows at Nevinnomyssk. It is long, and has a drainage basin of .Kuban Kuban ( Russian and Ukrainian: Кубань; ady, Пшызэ) is a historical and geographical region of Southern Russia surrounding the Kuban River, on the Black Sea between the Don Steppe, the Volga Delta and the Caucasus, and separated ...

river - Class II (IV) *

Bolshaya Laba The Bolshaya Laba (russian: Большая Лаба; ady, Лабэшхуэ, ''Labešxwe'', ), or Great Laba, is a river in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, Russia. From the confluence In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs whe ...

river - Class II (V) * Belaya river - Class II (VI) *

Mzymta Mzymta (, , lit. 'the place (-ҭа) of the river Мӡым", , ''Mezmytha'') is a river in Western Caucasus, Russia, flowing through Mostovsky District and the city of Sochi ( Adlersky City District) of Krasnodar Krai, Russia. Mzymta is the lar ...

river - Class II (V) * Psheha river - Class III

Karelia Karelia ( Karelian and fi, Karjala, ; rus, Каре́лия, links=y, r=Karélija, p=kɐˈrʲelʲɪjə, historically ''Korjela''; sv, Karelen), the land of the Karelian people, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance fo ...

* Tohmajoki river - Class II (IV) * Uksunjoki river - Class II (V)

Kola Peninsula The Kola Peninsula (russian: Кольский полуостров, Kolsky poluostrov; sjd, Куэлнэгк нёа̄ррк) is a peninsula in the extreme northwest of Russia, and one of the largest peninsulas of Europe. Constituting the bulk ...

* Krasnenkaya river - Class III (IV) * Kutsayoki river - Class III (IV) * Tuntsayoki river - Class III * Tumcha river - Class III

Novgorod Oblast Novgorod Oblast (russian: Новгоро́дская о́бласть, ''Novgorodskaya oblast'') is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the city of Veliky Novgorod. Some of the oldest Russian cities, includin ...

Msta The Msta () is a river in Tver and Novgorod Oblasts of northwestern Russia, a tributary of Lake Ilmen. It is long, and the area of its basin . The principal tributaries of the Msta are the Berezayka (left), the Uver (right), the Peretna (left), ...

river - Class I (II)

Putorana Plateau The Putorana Plateau () or the Putorana Mountains is a mountainous area in the Russian Federation. It is a large massif or plateau crossed by mountain ranges. The nearest large settlement is Norilsk, where foreign travel is restricted. The cit ...

* Bolshoy Honnamakit river - Class III (IV) * Ayan river - Class III *

Kureyka The Kureyka (russian: Курейка; also ''Lyuma'', ''Numa'') is a major right tributary of the Yenisey in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia. The Kureyka basin is very sparsely populated. The village of Kureyka used to have a museum dedicated to Joseph ...

river - Class IV * Oran river - Class VI

Sayan

* Bolshoy Yenisei (Biy-Hem) river - Class IV * Ulug-O river - Class IV * ,

Abakan Abakan (russian: Абака́н, p=ɐbɐˈkan; Khakas: , ''Ağban''/, ''Abaxan'') is the capital city of the Republic of Khakassia, Russia, located in the central part of Minusinsk Depression, at the confluence of the Yenisei and Abakan Rivers. ...

rivers - Class IV *

Oka Oka or OKA may refer to: Cars * Oka (automobile), a small car designed by AvtoVAZ and produced by ZMA and SeAZ * OKA 4wd, a large 4-wheel-drive vehicle made in Western Australia by OKA Military * 2B1 Oka, Soviet 420 mm self-propelled mort ...

river - Class IV * Zhombolok river - Class IV (V). Tributary of Oka. * Chuna (Uda) river - Class IV (VI) *

Kitoy The Kitoy (, ) is a river in Buryatia and Irkutsk Oblast in Russia, a left tributary of the Angara. The length of the river is 316 km. The area of its basin is 9,190 km². The Kitoy freezes up in the second half of October and stays iceb ...

river - Class V (VI) * Onot river - Class VI

Transbaikalia

* Vitim river - Class III *

Tsipa The Tsipa (russian: Ципа) is the largest tributary of the Vitim in Buryatia, Russia. It is long, and has a drainage basin of . Maksim Perfilyev was the first Russian to reach the Tsipa in 1640. Perch, pike, lenok, grayling, taimen and w ...

river - Class III (IV)

Ural

* Inzer (Bolshoi Inzer) river - Class II (III) * Lemeza river - Class II (III) * Kara river - Class IV. The river flows in Polar Ural. Usually, the trips also include Sibirchata-Yaha river.

Serbia

Ibar river The Ibar ( sr-cyrl, Ибар, ), also known as the Ibër and Ibri ( sq, Ibër, Ibri), is a river that flows through eastern Montenegro, northern Kosovo and central Serbia, with a total length of . The river begins in the Hajla mountain, in Rož ...

is one of the most famous whitewater courses in this area. Section between Usce and Maglic is class III. Upper Ibar is in class III-IV. Studenica river (left tributary of Ibar) is very attractive for whitewater kayaking (III-V) * Lim river in canyon between Kumanica and Prijepolje, class III-IV. Lim is also very attractive near town Priboj. * Veliki Rzav river class II-II+. It is one of the cleanest rivers in Serbia.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Neretva river The Neretva ( sr-cyrl, Неретва, ), also known as Narenta, is one of the largest rivers of the eastern part of the Adriatic basin. Four HE power-plants with large dams (higher than 150,5 metres) provide flood protection, power and water s ...

class 3 * Una river class 3-4 *

Vrbas river The Vrbas ( sr-cyrl, Врбас, ) is a major river with a length of , in western Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is a right tributary of the Sava river. The city of Banja Luka is located on the river banks. Etymology The word ''vrba'' means 'willow' i ...

class 3+ *

Krivaja (Bosna) The Krivaja ( sr-cyrl, Криваја) is a river in central-northern parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and a right tributary of the Bosna River. Its source is confluence of the Stupčanica and the Bioštica rivers at the western outskirts of to ...

class 3-4 *

Sutjeska river The Sutjeska ( sr-cyrl, Сутјеска, ; lit. "gorge or canyon") is a 35 km-long river in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is a tributary of the Drina river, which it meets south of Foča. Geography The Sutjeska River could be considere ...

class 3-4

Bulgaria

* Struma river class 3-4 * Arda river class 2-3

Romania

* Cerna river class 2-4 * Jiu river class 2-3 (lower section), class 3-3+ (upper section - Jiu canion) * Buzau river class 2-3 * Nera river class 2+ * Basca Roziliei river class 3-3+ * Basca Mare river class 3-4

Croatia

* Mreznica river class 2-3

Spain

Like the Alps, whitewater in the Pyrenees is best in early summer when the snow and glaciers are melting. * Ara River - Torla, Class 3-5 * Gallego River - Murillo de Gallego, Class 3-4 * Esera River - Campo (Huesca), Class 3-4 * Noguera Pallaresa River - Llavorsi to Rialp, Sort, Class 3-4

Sweden

The Swedish whitewater rivers are mainly big water and is located in the middle and north parts of Sweden. One of the most spectacular rivers is Vindelaelven and particularly Trollforsarna III-VI, where one Euro cup competition was held in 2007. The main information channel for Swedish white water is Forsguiden,

North America

Canada

Canada has a varied terrain that supports many kinds of environments, with the majority of whitewater found in three areas: the mountainous Rockies in Alberta, the smaller Eastern forests of Quebec, Ontario, and some of the Maritimes, and the volcanic influenced geology of British Columbia. This creates the conditions necessary for whitewater: gradient, volume, and pressure. Like its neighbor to the south,

First Nations First Nations or first peoples may refer to: * Indigenous peoples, for ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area. Indigenous groups *First Nations is commonly used to describe some Indigenous groups including: **First Natio ...

had used the river systems as personal highways and built

dugout canoes A dugout canoe or simply dugout is a boat made from a hollowed tree. Other names for this type of boat are logboat and monoxylon. ''Monoxylon'' (''μονόξυλον'') (pl: ''monoxyla'') is Greek – ''mono-'' (single) + '' ξύλον xylon'' (t ...

to run rapids; later

French Canadian French Canadians (referred to as Canadiens mainly before the twentieth century; french: Canadiens français, ; feminine form: , ), or Franco-Canadians (french: Franco-Canadiens), refers to either an ethnic group who trace their ancestry to Fre ...

fur trappers used the same technique to collect beaver pelts and form small settlements. Canadian whitewater rivers are characterized by the dramatic difference between the high water spring run-off and the summer low water volume; the classification of rapids therefore changes from spring to summer. It also is highly subject to the change of seasons, where many places are frozen solid by October and, for example, runs that are ready in late May in the neighboring US Pacific Northwest are still too dangerous to attempt in British Columbia or too cold: the spring run-off of the glaciers has either not finished or the landscape is not fully thawed. Most of the land in Canada is not privately owned and likewise neither are the rivers. Many places in which water thunders through the terrain are on land that is either protected or very remote, so knowledge of first aid and the local wildlife is paramount. As with the United States to the South,

rattlesnakes Rattlesnakes are venomous snakes that form the genera '' Crotalus'' and '' Sistrurus'' of the subfamily Crotalinae (the pit vipers). All rattlesnakes are vipers. Rattlesnakes are predators that live in a wide array of habitats, hunting small an ...

grizzly bear The grizzly bear (''Ursus arctos horribilis''), also known as the North American brown bear or simply grizzly, is a population or subspecies of the brown bear inhabiting North America. In addition to the mainland grizzly (''Ursus arctos horri ...

s, black bears,

mountain lion The cougar (''Puma concolor'') is a large cat native to the Americas. Its range spans from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes in South America and is the most widespread of any large wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere. ...

wolves The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly un ...

, and two members of the

lynx A lynx is a type of wild cat. Lynx may also refer to: Astronomy * Lynx (constellation) * Lynx (Chinese astronomy) * Lynx X-ray Observatory, a NASA-funded mission concept for a next-generation X-ray space observatory Places Canada * Lynx, ...

family are very much active at the height of rafting and kayaking season, and they do use the water as a source of food and sustenance. On multi day excursions in The Northwest Territories, British Columbia, or Alberta it is extremely important to know or learn to coexist with the grizzly bears that live there; this is particularly true when it is salmon season. Caution should be used whenever camping in bear country, and learning how to properly store food or anything with a scent is paramount to avoiding conflict.

Alberta

Bow River The Bow River is a river in Alberta, Canada. It begins within the Canadian Rocky Mountains and winds through the Alberta foothills onto the prairies, where it meets the Oldman River, the two then forming the South Saskatchewan River. These w ...

- Horseshoe Canyon, II - III * Carbondale Creek, Southern Alberta * Cascade Creek, Western Rockies, III - IV * Castle River, Southern Albert * Elbow River, Western Rockies, III+ - IV *

Highwood River The Highwood River is a tributary of the Bow River in southwestern Alberta, Canada. Course The Highwood originates in the Canadian Rockies in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, in the Highwood Pass below Mount Arethusa. It flows south and is par ...

, and tributaries, Southern Alberta * Kakwa River, Northern Alberta *

Kananaskis River The Kananaskis River is a mountain river in western Alberta, Canada. It is a tributary of the Bow River, crossing the length of Kananaskis Country. The river was named by John Palliser in 1858 after a Cree. Course The Kananaskis originates in t ...

, Foothills, II - III * Mosquito Creek - Western Rockies, II - III * Mystia River, Western Rockies, II - III+ *

North Saskatchewan River The North Saskatchewan River is a glacier-fed river that flows from the Canadian Rockies continental divide east to central Saskatchewan, where it joins with the South Saskatchewan River to make up the Saskatchewan River. Its water flows event ...

, Rockies to Plains, II - III *

Oldman River The Oldman River is a river in southern Alberta, Canada. It flows roughly west to east from the Rocky Mountains, through the communities of Fort Macleod, Lethbridge, and on to Grassy Lake, where it joins the Bow River to form the South Saskatchew ...

, Southern Alberta * Pipestone River, Western Rockies, III - IV * Red Earth Creek, Western Rockies, IV - V *

St. Mary River (Montana-Alberta) The St. Marys River, St. Mary's River, or St. Mary River may refer to: Canada *St. Mary River (British Columbia), tributary of the Kootenay River * St. Mary's River (Nova Scotia), an important Nova Scotia salmon river United States *St. Marys Riv ...

, II - III * Sheep River, Western Rockies, III+ - V *

Slave River The Slave River is a Canadian river that flows from the confluence of the Rivière des Rochers and Peace River in northeastern Alberta and empties into Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories. The river's name is thought to derive from the ...

, NWT Border, I-VI * Smoky River, Northern Alberta * Upper Bow - Western Rockies, Willys Rapid Section, III - IV * Upper Red Deer River, Alberta foothills, II - III *

Waterton River Waterton Lake is a mountain lake in southern Alberta, Canada and northern Montana, United States. The lake is composed of two bodies of water, connected by a shallow channel known locally as the Bosporus. The two parts are referred to as Middle ...

, Southern Alberta

British Columbia

Fraser River The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Blackrock Mountain in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia just south of the City of Vancouver. The river's annual ...

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, for ...

* Alsek, British Columbia - Alaska * Ashnola River, Keremeos, IV - IV+ * Babine River *

Capilano River The Capilano River flows from north to south through the Coast Mountains on Vancouver's North Shore between West Vancouver and North Vancouver (district municipality) and empties into Burrard Inlet, opposite Stanley Park. The river is one of three ...

* Chehalis River *

Chilliwack River Chilliwack ( )( hur, Ts'elxwéyeqw) is a city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. Chilliwack is surrounded by mountains and home to recreational areas such as Cultus Lake and Chilliwack Lake Provincial Parks. There are numerous outdoo ...

* Coquitlam River *

Mamquam River The Mamquam River is a c.35 km (c. 21 mi) tributary of the Squamish River. Course The Mamquam River originates at Mamquam Pass and starts off by flowing northwest for about 7.5 km. Shortly below its source, the river picks up ...

Cheakamus River The Cheakamus River (pron. CHEEK-a-mus) is a tributary of the Squamish River, beginning on the west slopes of Outlier Peak in Garibaldi Provincial Park upstream from Cheakamus Lake on the southeastern outskirts of the resort area of Whistler. ...

* Dipper Creek, Squamish Valley, V+ *

Kicking Horse River The Kicking Horse River is in the Canadian Rockies of southeastern British Columbia, Canada. The river was named in 1858, when James Hector, a member of the Palliser Expedition, reported being kicked by his packhorse while exploring the river. He ...

, III - IV * Yoho River, Columbia Valley, IV - V * Toby Creek, Columbia Valley, IV - V+ * Skookumchuck Creek, Columbia Valley, IV * Upper Fraiser, Columbia Valley, III - IV * Palliser River, Kootney Valley, III * Albertson River, Kootney Valley, III - V * Kootney River, Kootney Valley *

Thompson River The Thompson River is the largest tributary of the Fraser River, flowing through the south-central portion of British Columbia, Canada. The Thompson River has two main branches, the South Thompson River and the North Thompson River. The ri ...

, Central, III - IV- * Stein River, Central, IV - V *

Nahatlatch River The Nahatlatch River is a tributary of the Fraser River in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It originates in the Lillooet Ranges of the Coast Mountains and empties into the Fraser River in the Fraser Canyon, north of Boston Bar. Course T ...

, Central, III - V * Clear Water River, Central, III - IV * Tatlow Creek, Coastal * Ryan Creek, Coastal * Soo River, Coastal, IV - V * Callahan Creek, Coastal, V * Kanu River, Coastal *

Homathko River The Homathko River is one of the major rivers of the southern Coast Mountains of the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is one of the few rivers that penetrates the range from the interior Chilcotin Country to the coastal inlets of the P ...

, Coastal *

Dean River The Dean River is one of the major rivers of the Kitimat Ranges subrange of the southern Coast Mountains in British Columbia. It begins at Aktaklin Lake on the Chilcotin Plateau and winds north around the Rainbow Range to enter Dean Channel at th ...

, Coastal * Stikine River, Coastal, V - VI * Englishman River, Island, III - IV * Similkameen River, Princeton, II - III

Ontario

Niagara River The Niagara River () is a river that flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It forms part of the border between the province of Ontario in Canada (on the west) and the state of New York in the United States (on the east). There are diffe ...

The Canadian side of the river has the largest of the three set of waterfalls that make up

Niagara Falls Niagara Falls () is a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara Gorge, spanning the Canada–United States border, border between the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario in Canada and the U.S. state, state ...

, all rated Class VI. Niagara Gorge squeezes a large volume that rivals the Congo River in size of the water in spite of being smaller in area. Many people have died from not respecting the water here, which is why one is very likely to get arrested for even attempting it. *

Albany River Albany, derived from the Gaelic for Scotland, most commonly refers to: *Albany, New York, the capital of the State of New York and largest city of this name * Albany, Western Australia, port city in the Great Southern Albany may also refer to ...

* Gull River- Class III *

Ottawa River The Ottawa River (french: Rivière des Outaouais, Algonquin: ''Kichi-Sìbì/Kitchissippi'') is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. It is named after the Algonquin word 'to trade', as it was the major trade route of Eastern ...

(at the Ottawa River Provincial Park near

Whitewater Region, Ontario Whitewater Region is a township on the Ottawa River in Renfrew County, located within the scenic Ottawa Valley in eastern Ontario, Canada. Whitewater Region is made up of the former municipalities of Beachburg, Cobden, Ross and Westmeath, whic ...

) III - IV * Kesagami River * Madawaska River-Class III *

Magnetawan River The Magnetawan River is a long river in Parry Sound District, Ontario, Canada. The river flows 175 km from its source of Magnetawan Lake inside Algonquin Provincial Park to empty into Georgian Bay at the community of Britt on Byng Inlet. ...

* Magpie River *

Missinaibi River The Missinaibi River is a river in northern Ontario, Canada, which flows northeast from Missinaibi Lake, north of Chapleau, and empties into the Moose River, which drains into James Bay. This river (including Missinaibi Lake and Moose River t ...

* Moose River * Opeongo River *

Petawawa River The Petawawa River is a river in the Saint Lawrence River drainage basin in Nipissing District and Renfrew County in eastern and northeastern Ontario, Canada. The river flows from Algonquin Provincial Park to the Ottawa River at the town of Petawa ...

-Class III - IV * Spanish River * Wellandvale/Twelve Mile Creek, in planning stage

Quebec

Coulonge River The Coulonge River (; ) is a predominantly wilderness river in western Quebec, Canada. One of a dozen or so significant tributaries of the Ottawa River, it has a length of and a drainage area of , and runs in a general south-eastern direction fro ...

Bonaventure River The Bonaventure River is a river in the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec, Canada. It rises in the Chic-Choc Mountains and flows south to empty into Baie des Chaleurs near the town of Bonaventure, Quebec. The river is about long. The indigenous ...

* Dumoine River * Gens de Terre River * Kipawa River *

Saint Lawrence River The St. Lawrence River (french: Fleuve Saint-Laurent, ) is a large river in the middle latitudes of North America. Its headwaters begin flowing from Lake Ontario in a (roughly) northeasterly direction, into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, connecting ...

(

Lachine Rapids The Lachine Rapids (french: Rapides de Lachine) are a series of rapids on the Saint Lawrence River, between the Island of Montreal and the south shore. They are located near the former city of Lachine. The Lachine Rapids contain large standing ...

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple- ...

Moisie River The Moisie River is a river in eastern Quebec. Known as the Nahanni of the East, it is a wild river of North America. It has been proposed to protect the river with the Moisie River Aquatic Reserve. Course The Moisie River basin lies betwee ...

Noire River Noire River or Rivière Noire may refer to: North America * Grande rivière Noire or Big Black River (Saint John River tributary), in Maine, United States, and Quebec, Canada * Noire River (L'Assomption River tributary), Matawinie, Lanaudière, ...

* Rouge River *

Rupert River The Rupert River is one of the largest rivers in Quebec, Canada. From its headwaters in Lake Mistassini, the largest natural lake in Quebec, it flows west into Rupert Bay on James Bay. The Rupert drains an area of . There is some extremely la ...

* Neilson River-Class IV - V * Du Nord River, III - VI * Doncaster River, III - IV * Jacques-Cartier River (Taureau), IV - V,

Québec City Quebec City ( or ; french: Ville de Québec), officially Québec (), is the capital city of the Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the metropolitan area had a population of 839,311. It is the ...

* Jacques-Cartier River (Tewkesbury), III - IV,

* Saint-Charles River, III,

* Broadback River, I - VI *

Gatineau River The Gatineau River (french: Rivière Gatineau, ) is a river in western Quebec, Canada, which rises in lakes north of the Baskatong Reservoir and flows south to join the Ottawa River at the city of Gatineau, Quebec. The river is long and drai ...

, III - IV *

Mistassibi River The Mistassibi River is a river in central Quebec, Canada. It is long and has a drainage basin of . Its source is an area with unnamed lakes about east of Canso Bay of Lake Albanel, eastern neighbor of Lake Mistassini. The name ''Mistassibi'', ...

, IV - V,

Lac saint-jean Lac Saint-Jean (Canadian French: ) is a large, relatively shallow lake in south-central Quebec, Canada, in the Laurentian Highlands. It is situated north of the Saint Lawrence River, into which it drains via the Saguenay River. It covers an area ...

Manitoba

Bloodvein River The Bloodvein River is a river in Canada. It flows west from its headwaters in Red Lake in northwest Ontario to the east side of Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba through the boreal forests of the Canadian Shield. It is around long. Lakes along its le ...

Manigotagan River The Manigotagan River is a whitewater river located in southeastern Manitoba, Canada. The river flows into the eastern side of Lake Winnipeg and it is a rare remote river of southern Canada. Situated at the river's mouth, on the shore of Lake W ...

* Roseau River * Seal River * Whitemouth River

Northwest Territories

The whitewater rivers in the Northwest Territories are remote and require access and egress by float plane or helicopter. Most are over or close to 300 km in length from the put in to the take out, and therefore are multi-day expeditions. * North Nahanni River,

Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories (abbreviated ''NT'' or ''NWT''; french: Territoires du Nord-Ouest, formerly ''North-Western Territory'' and ''North-West Territories'' and namely shortened as ''Northwest Territory'') is a federal territory of Canada. ...

- IV-VI * South Nahanni River,

- II, Upper III+ * Broken Skull River,

- II+ * Keele River,

- II+ * Natla River,

- II+ -III+ *

Mountain River A mountain river is a river that runs usually in mountains, in narrow, deep valley with steep banks, rocky stream bed, and accumulated rock debris. Mountain rivers are characterized by high slope and flow velocity, insignificant depth, frequent r ...

- II-III * Ravensthroat River,

- II-III+ * Redstone River,

- II-III+ * Silverberry River,

- II-III+ * Horton River,

- I-III+ *

Arctic Red River The Arctic Red River is a tributary to the Mackenzie River in the Northwest Territories, Canada. In 1993 the river was designated as part of the Canadian Heritage Rivers System. It was also the name of a community on the Mackenzie where the r ...

- I-III+ * Kazan River *

, Alberta Border, Fort Smith - I-V

United States

The United States offers varied terrain and conditions through which rivers pass, everything from the deserts of the southwest to glacial peaks in Alaska to Appalachian creeks that thunder through the glades to even a few that run right through the downtown sections of small cities and isolated hamlets. Legally, most rivers and creeks are not privately held. They are the property of the nation and its people and are overseen by individual state governments and a handful of federal government agencies in

Washington, DC ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morg ...

like the

Department of the Interior The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government headquartered at the Main Interior Building, located at 1849 C Street NW in Washington, D.C. It is responsible for the ma ...

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational properti ...

National Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency inc ...

, and

Bureau of Land Management The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior responsible for administering federal lands. Headquartered in Washington DC, and with oversight over , it governs one eighth of the country's ...

. Dams may be held on a contract basis with the federal or state government, for example the energy company

PG&E The Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is an American investor-owned utility (IOU). The company is headquartered in the Pacific Gas & Electric Building, in San Francisco, California. PG&E provides natural gas and electricity to 5.2 millio ...

has dams in the Sierra Nevada range near Sacramento in California and this affects water volume. (Other entities like the

Tennessee Valley Authority The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is a federally owned electric utility corporation in the United States. TVA's service area covers all of Tennessee, portions of Alabama, Mississippi, and Kentucky, and small areas of Georgia, North Carolin ...

in the East have similar arrangements, and the water volume is lower than it should be naturally in the East in many sections of the Appalachians.) The Army Corps of Engineers and the operators of the dams themselves usually schedule releases in advance and this information is readily available to the public upon request. Many whitewater rivers and creeks exist in rather rural or wild conditions when compared to parts of Europe and thus are located in places where animals can bite back or harm visitors, including children and dogs. (Some require a substantial hike through forest, desert, or mountains to reach the put in and cannot be reached by car at all.) In no particular order or regard to specific geography, they would include

s, black bears,

moose The moose (in North America) or elk (in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is a member of the New World deer subfamily and is the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is the largest and heaviest extant species in the deer family. Most adult ma ...

, bull elk, porcupines,

cougar The cougar (''Puma concolor'') is a large cat native to the Americas. Its range spans from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes in South America and is the most widespread of any large wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere. ...

bobcats The bobcat (''Lynx rufus''), also known as the red lynx, is a medium-sized cat native to North America. It ranges from southern Canada through most of the contiguous United States to Oaxaca in Mexico. It is listed as Least Concern on the I ...

, more than 15 species of

rattlesnake Rattlesnakes are venomous snakes that form the genera ''Crotalus'' and ''Sistrurus'' of the subfamily Crotalinae (the pit vipers). All rattlesnakes are vipers. Rattlesnakes are predators that live in a wide array of habitats, hunting small an ...

s on both sides of the Mississippi,

scorpion Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones. They have eight legs, and are easily recognized by a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always en ...

s, copperheads, water mocassins, and coral snakes.

Beavers Beavers are large, semiaquatic rodents in the genus ''Castor'' native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. There are two extant species: the North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') and the Eurasian beaver (''C. fiber''). Beavers a ...

are sometimes extant on rivers but prefer to build in the calmer sections where there are only minor riffles and their dams are easily portaged or surmounted.

Eastern United States

There are several places in the East where the water roars, everything from big rivers like the

Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York, the river flows for along the borders of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, before ...

to creeks that dive over large waterfalls, many exceeding . In fact, there used to be more of them but over time some of these have been dammed or altered; the upper portions of the Mississippi River near St. Paul Minnesota, for example, used to have very large rapids and several waterfalls. The Mississippi, the divide between East and West itself, used to be a much more wild and turbulent river with more violent spots in its drainage area past Cairo Illinois with the

Des Moines Rapids The Des Moines Rapids between Nauvoo, Illinois and Keokuk, Iowa-Hamilton, Illinois is one of two major rapids on the Mississippi River that limited Steamboat traffic on the river through the early 19th century. The rapids just above the conf ...

and the Sauk Rapids being either larger than today or undammed.

= New England

= The following are some of the rivers in

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...

that are popular. *

Ashuelot River The Ashuelot River is a tributary of the Connecticut River, approximately long, in southwestern New Hampshire in the United States. It drains a mountainous area of , including much of the area known as the Monadnock Region. It is the longest ...

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

, Class III-IV *

Bearcamp River The Bearcamp River is a river at the southern edge of the White Mountains in New Hampshire, the United States. It is the largest tributary of Ossipee Lake, part of the Saco River watershed leading to the Atlantic Ocean. The Bearcamp River rise ...

, Class II-IV *

Contoocook River The Contoocook River () is a river in New Hampshire. It flows from Contoocook Lake on the Jaffrey/ Rindge border to Penacook (just north of Concord), where it empties into the Merrimack River. It is one of only a few rivers in New Hampshire th ...

, Class III-IV * Dead River,

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and nor ...

, Class III-V * Deerfield River,

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provin ...

and

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...

, Class II-V. Navigable from spring until just before Halloween, when the water begins to freeze. First rafting companies set up here in the 1980s. *

Farmington River The Farmington River is a river, U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 in length along its main stem, located in northwest Connecticut with major tributaries ex ...

and

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the ...

, Class III *

Gale River The Gale River is a tributary of the Ammonoosuc River in northwestern New Hampshire in the United States. Via the Ammonoosuc, it is part of the watershed of the Connecticut River, which flows to Long Island Sound. The Gale River flows for its e ...

, Class I-IV *

Housatonic River The Housatonic River ( ) is a river, approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 1, 2011 in western Massachusetts and western Connecticut in the United S ...

, Class I-V. Closest whitewater to New York City. *

Kennebec River The Kennebec River (Abenaki: ''Kinəpékʷihtəkʷ'') is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed June 30, 2011 river within the U.S. state of Maine. It rises in Moosehead ...

, mostly Class II-IV *

Millers River The Millers River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 river in northern Massachusetts, originating in Ashburnham and joining the Connecticut River just ...

, Class III *

Penobscot River The Penobscot River (Abenaki: ''Pαnawάhpskewtəkʷ'') is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed June 22, 2011 river in the U.S. state of Maine. Including the river's ...

, Class III-V *

Quaboag River The Quaboag River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 river in Massachusetts that heads at Quaboag Pond in Brookfield at an elevation of above sea level ...

, Massachusetts, Class III * Rapid River,

, Class IV *

Saco River The Saco River (Abenaki: ''Sαkóhki'') is a river in northeastern New Hampshire and southwestern Maine in the United States. It drains a rural area of of forests and farmlands west and southwest of Portland, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean ...

, New Hampshire, Class III-IV * Swift River,

, Class II-IV *

West River West River may refer to: Rivers Canada *West River (Antigonish, Nova Scotia) in Antigonish County, Nova Scotia * West River (Pictou, Nova Scotia) in Pictou County, Nova Scotia * West River (Halifax, Nova Scotia) in Sheet Harbour, Nova Scotia * West ...

, class II-III *

Westfield River The Westfield River is a major tributary of the Connecticut River located in the Berkshires and Pioneer Valley regions of western Massachusetts. With four major tributary branches that converge west of the city of Westfield, it flows (measured ...

, Massachusetts, Class I-IV * Winhall River,

, Class III

= New York

= * Black River, Watertown - Class III-V *

- Class I-II. Further down the river also has a few rapids as well that can swell to III in wet weather. *

Esopus Creek Esopus Creek is a tributary of the Hudson River that drains the east-central Catskill Mountains in the U.S. state of New York. From its source at Winnisook Lake on the slopes of Slide Mountain, the Catskills' highest peak, it flows across Uls ...

- Class II-IV *

Genesee River The Genesee River is a tributary of Lake Ontario flowing northward through the Twin Tiers of Pennsylvania and New York in the United States. The river provided the original power for the Rochester area's 19th century mills and still provides h ...

- Class II-III *

Grasse River The Grasse River or Grass River (per 1905 decision of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names) is a river in northern New York, in the United States. The river mainly flows northeast from the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains into the St. Lawren ...

- Upper section, Class IV - V *

Hudson River The Hudson River is a river that flows from north to south primarily through eastern New York. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York and flows southward through the Hudson Valley to the New York Harbor between Ne ...

, North Creek - Foreign visitors should be advised and warned that the name should not fool them: it is true that the Hudson empties in the tidal estuary where

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

sits. However, this section is over 200 miles away from New York City in heavily forested wilderness; this water is placid only in sections farther south and requires hiking to reach the put in in some cases; not to be attempted in the mistaken and dangerous belief the water is anything like it is near Manhattan. Class IV-V. Suitable for kayakers intermediate and above. * Middle Branch Oswegatchie River - Bryants Bridge and Sluice Falls sections, Class IV -V. *

Mongaup River The Mongaup River is a stream in the U.S. state of New York. It is a tributary to the Delaware River. Etymology The name 'Mongaup' is derived from an Indian language; probably meaning "dancing feather", or "huckeberry valley". Variant spellings ...

- Class II-III; about * Moose River, Old Forge - Class IV-V+ *

(Whirlpool Rapids) - Class V+ *

Raquette River The Raquette River ( moh, Ahná:wate), sometimes spelled Racquette, originates at Raquette Lake in the Adirondack Mountains in New York. long, it is the third longest river entirely in the state of New York. The river is a popular destination ...

- Class III - IV+ *

Sacandaga River The Sacandaga River is a river in the northern part of New York in the United States. Its name comes from the Native American ''Sa-chen-da'-ga'', meaning "overflowed lands". The Sacandaga River is a tributary of the Hudson River, flowing into ...

, Lake Luzerne- Class II-III * Salmon River - Class I-III * Ten Mile Creek - Class I-III; about

= Mid-Atlantic

= *

Lackawanna River The Lackawanna River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed August 8, 2011 tributary of the Susquehanna River in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It flows through a region of th ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, Class I-IV: a run *

Lehigh River The Lehigh River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 tributary of the Delaware River in eastern Pennsylvania. The river flows in a generally southward pat ...

, White Haven to

Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania Jim Thorpe is a borough and the county seat of Carbon County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is part of Northeastern Pennsylvania. It is historically known as the burial site of Native American sports legend Jim Thorpe. Jim Thorpe is l ...

- a run, through a gorge, Class III; in high water this is a Class 4 run. A very good choice for those learning to paddle when the water is at its normal level. *

Nescopeck Creek Nescopeck Creek is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 8, 2011 tributary of the Susquehanna River in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The creek is in the Coal Region of ...

, Pennsylvania, Class II-III *

Patapsco River The Patapsco River mainstem is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 1, 2011 river in central Maryland that flows into the Chesapeake Bay. The river's tidal port ...

, Maryland, Class I-IV. A 31.5 mile (50.69 km) run *

Patuxent River The Patuxent River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay in the state of Maryland. There are three main river drainages for central Maryland: the Potomac River to the west passing through Washington, D.C., the Patapsco River to the northeast ...

, Maryland, Class I-IV. *

Potomac River The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map. Retrieved Augu ...

, West Virginia/Maryland/Virginia, Class II-V+. This river begins in the Appalachian Mountains and runs to the sea, a distance of 367 miles (approx 591 km.) This river forms the border between Northern Virginia and the

District of Columbia ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle (Washington, D.C.), Logan Circle, Jefferson Memoria ...

. There are two major whitewater sections. The first is close to

Harpers Ferry, West Virginia Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia. It is located in the lower Shenandoah Valley. The population was 285 at the 2020 census. Situated at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, where the U.S. st ...

, class III. The second section is V to V+ and includes the Great Falls of the Potomac, just from the center of Washington, D.C. Additionally, there are at least five major "forks" of the Potomac, with some reaching class III - IV (without waterfalls), mostly in West Virginia. *

Rockaway River The Rockaway River is a tributary of the Passaic River, approximately 35 mi (56 km) long, in northern New Jersey in the United States. The upper course of the river flows through a wooded mountainous valley, whereas the lower course flo ...

Boonton, New Jersey Boonton is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the town's population was 8,815, an increase of 468 (+5.6%) from the 2010 census count of 8,347, which in turn reflected a decline of 149 (� ...

, Class IV *

Youghiogheny River The Youghiogheny River , or the Yough (pronounced Yok ) for short, is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 15, 2011 tributary of the Monongahela River in the U.S. ...

, Pennsylvania/Maryland; Upper Yough ( Sang Run to Friendsville, MD), Class 4–5; Lower Yough ( Ohiopyle to Bruner's Run, PA), Class II-IV.

= Southeast

= The Southeast is the section of the nation where the

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. The ...

have their highest peaks. In most cases the size of the water is smaller than the West, however, some of the finest whitewater in the East is here, especially good for kayakers. *

Chattahoochee River The Chattahoochee River forms the southern half of the Alabama and Georgia border, as well as a portion of the Florida - Georgia border. It is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, a relatively short river formed by the confluence of the Chatt ...

Columbus, Georgia Columbus is a consolidated city-county located on the west-central border of the U.S. state of Georgia. Columbus lies on the Chattahoochee River directly across from Phenix City, Alabama. It is the county seat of Muscogee County, with which it o ...

- Urban whitewater, class I-V rapids. Short course of very turbulent rapids with unusually high water volume for a Southern river. *

Chattooga River The Chattooga River (also spelled Chatooga, Chatuga, and Chautaga, variant name Guinekelokee River) is the main tributary of the Tugaloo River. Water course The headwaters of the Chattooga River are located southwest of Cashiers, North Carol ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

- sports long, challenging rapids, big drops, and thunderous power; this river can be a challenge for even experts; the Chattooga was one of the rivers used for the filming of the 1973 adventure movie, ''

Deliverance ''Deliverance'' is a 1972 American survival thriller film produced and directed by John Boorman, and starring Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty, and Ronny Cox, with the latter two making their feature film debuts. The screenplay was adapt ...

''. It is designated as a

Wild and Scenic River The National Wild and Scenic Rivers System was created by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 (Public Law 90-542), enacted by the U.S. Congress to preserve certain rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free- ...

. *

Cheat River The Cheat River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed August 15, 2011 tributary of the Monongahela River in eastern West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania in the Uni ...

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the ...

- Class IV. *

French Broad River The French Broad River is a river in the U.S. states of North Carolina and Tennessee. It flows from near the town of Rosman in Transylvania County, North Carolina, into Tennessee, where its confluence with the Holston River at Knoxville form ...

Asheville, North Carolina Asheville ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Buncombe County, North Carolina. Located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, it is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the state's 11th-most populous cit ...

- featuring a long run of varying difficulty, from flatwater runnable in a canoe to class IV rapids near Hot Springs, North Carolina and the border with Tennessee. The main drawbacks are that the water tends to be muddy or polluted and it is a natural flow river. *

Gauley River The Gauley River is a river in West Virginia. It merges with the New River to form the Kanawha River, a tributary of the Ohio River. The river features numerous recreational whitewater areas, including those in Gauley River National Recreation Ar ...

Summersville, West Virginia Summersville is a city in Nicholas County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 3,459 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Nicholas County. History Summersville was laid out in 1824. The city was named for Lewis Summers, a lo ...

- Nicknamed "The Beast of the East." Has huge rapids, especially at the "Fall Drawdown" (when the reservoir is drained) is a world-class ride; many of them listed as Class V; the Upper Gauley, from Summersville to Mason's Branch, is the tougher section; th
Lower Gauley
from Koontz' Flume to Swiss, is still a Class-IV river with significant hazards; navigating the Upper and Lower Gauley in a single day is called "the Gauley Marathon," twenty-six miles of big rapids and paddling. * Green River,

- th
Green Narrows
is the steepest "creek run" with regular activity in the Eastern U.S; with a gradient that reaches 600 feet/mile over one short section, The Narrows is a series of blind waterfalls and tight slots; regular, predictable releases from the Tuxedo Hydro Plant upstream draw paddlers on a regular basis. *

James River The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia that begins in the Appalachian Mountains and flows U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 1, 2011 to Chesap ...

Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...

- Urban whitewater; Class IV. Runs right through downtown

Richmond, VA (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...

, the state capital.. Good for beginners in upper part and a decent river for practice for the more advanced. This river was named for

James VI and I James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until ...

and was one of the first to ever be navigated by British settlers; much farther downriver the water becomes quieter and brackish and leads straight to the spot where the fort of Jamestown was built and the archaeological site still stands. Not far from Richmond, the

Powhatan The Powhatan people (; also spelled Powatan) may refer to any of the indigenous Algonquian people that are traditionally from eastern Virginia. All of the Powhatan groups descend from the Powhatan Confederacy. In some instances, The Powhatan ...

tribe built their capital, Werowocomoco, on an island in this river and chose it in part because of its considerable rapids. *

Linville Gorge The Linville Gorge Wilderness ("The Grand Canyon of North Carolina") is the third largest wilderness area in North Carolina (after Shining Rock Wilderness and Joyce-Kilmer Slickrock Wilderness) and one of only two wilderness gorges in the Sou ...

, western

North Carolina North Carolina () is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 28th largest and List of states and territories of the United ...

- This runs right through

Pisgah National Forest Pisgah National Forest is a National Forest in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. It is administered by the United States Forest Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. The Pisgah National Forest is complet ...

and has Class V rapids; it is a creek run suitable for kayakers and small canoes but it is too small for rafts. Approximately 17 miles long and not recommended at all for novices as it is one of the most difficult runs in the east. Very steep gorge walls make escape in an accident impossible. Deaths have occurred for those who overestimate their skills. * Nantahala River,

Bryson City, North Carolina Bryson City is a town in Swain County, North Carolina in the United States. The population was 1558 as of the 2020 Census. It is the county seat of Swain County. Located in what was historically the land of the Cherokee, Bryson City was founded as ...

- a relatively gentle river, with the final rapid having the propensity to send paddlers in for a cold, exhilarating swim; suitable for beginners and families with younger children. * New River,

Thurmond, West Virginia Thurmond is a town in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States, on the New River. The population was five at the 2020 census. During the heyday of coal mining in the New River Gorge, Thurmond was a prosperous town with a number of businesses ...

- Class III-V natural flow river. Passes through portions of

Monongahela National Forest The Monongahela National Forest is a national forest located in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, USA. It protects over of federally managed land within a proclamation boundary that includes much of the Potomac Highlands Regi ...

. * Ocoee River,

Ducktown, Tennessee Ducktown ( chr, ᎦᏬᏅᏱ, translit=Gawonvyi) is a city in Polk County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 461 at the 2020 census and 475 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Cleveland Metropolitan Statistical Area. History D ...

– Site of 1996 Olympic Slalom Course at the

Ocoee Whitewater Center The Ocoee Whitewater Center, near Ducktown, Tennessee, United States, was the canoe slalom venue for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, and is the only in-river course to be used for Olympic slalom competition. A 1,640 foot (500 m) stretch of ...

and already a river with natural whitewater. A very good river for both novices and more advanced paddlers. Gets its name from ''passiflora incarnata'', the maypop, a very close relative of the commercial

passionfruit ''Passiflora edulis,'' commonly known as passion fruit, is a vine species of passion flower native to southern Brazil through Paraguay and northern Argentina. It is cultivated commercially in tropical and subtropical areas for its sweet, seedy ...

that is a common edible garden plant in the South and was introduced as a source of food to settlers by tribes like the Cherokee. This plant is still found in thickets near the river. * Pigeon River (Tennessee – North Carolina),

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 36th-largest by ...

- class III+ rapids, Dam released river with scheduled releases from Memorial Day to Labor Day. This river runs right through

Cherokee National Forest The Cherokee National Forest is a United States National Forest located in the U.S. states of Tennessee and North Carolina that was created on June 14, 1920. The forest is maintained and managed by the United States Forest Service. It encompasse ...

and is not far from

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an American national park in the southeastern United States, with parts in North Carolina and Tennessee. The park straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, w ...

. *

Russell Fork The Russell Fork, 1975 Board on Geographic Names decision is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed June 13, 2011 tributary of the Levisa Fork in southwestern Virginia and sout ...

, this class V river drops per mile in the Russell Fork Gorge, which has been described as a continuous forty-five degree waterfall; it has dangerous rapids, even experienced paddlers have died in its many undercut rocks, and there have been many close calls; for the most experienced rafters and kayakers only. *

Watauga River The Watauga River () is a large stream of western North Carolina and East Tennessee. It is long with its headwaters in Linville Gap to the South Fork Holston River at Boone Lake. Course The Watauga River rises from a spring near the base ...

, mostly cold and clear water Class I-II rapids with the exception of the Bee Cliff Rapids following scheduled high volume reservoir releases during summer months from the

Wilbur Dam Wilbur Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Watauga River in Carter County, in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is one of two dams on the river owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority. The dam impounds Wilbur Lake, which extends for abou ...

flowing through

Elizabethton, Tennessee Elizabethton is a city in, and the county seat of Carter County, Tennessee, United States. Elizabethton is the historical site of the first independent American government (known as the Watauga Association, created in 1772) located west of both t ...

(Northeast Tennessee); also upstream of both TVA Wilbur Dam and

Watauga Dam Watauga Dam is a hydroelectric and flood control dam on the Watauga River in Carter County, in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which built the dam in the 1940s as part of efforts to con ...

as a separate, non-commercial run beginning in North Carolina to

Johnson County, Tennessee Johnson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, the population was 18,244. Its county seat is Mountain City. It is the state's northeasternmost county, sharing borders with Virginia and North Carolin ...

above Watauga Lake; Class IV-V.

Western United States

In the western United States, the more noted rivers, such as the

Grand Canyon The Grand Canyon (, yuf-x-yav, Wi:kaʼi:la, , Southern Paiute language: Paxa’uipi, ) is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States. The Grand Canyon is long, up to wide and attains a depth of over a m ...

have much greater water volume and therefore require a different set of paddling skills. Western rafters also navigate many small, low volume rivers, some with much steeper descents than eastern rivers; however, since the mountains are newer in the west, the hazard from undercut rocks, a problem in the east, is replaced by more frequent log jams precipitated by logging activities near the rivers. The big-water rivers usually do not require the precision paddling of smaller rivers, but have larger rapids and longer wilderness trips due to the greater length and water flow of the big rivers. The smaller rivers and creeks boated by most rafters offer many one- or two-day trips with difficulty levels from I to VI. In the West, some paddlers start on the American in

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

and work their way up to the Rogue and Illinois in

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

, the Tuolumne (California), the Salmon in

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Monta ...

, the Snake, and then the big-water rivers like the Green and Colorado through the Grand Canyon (

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

), the Fraser in

, and many

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U ...

n streams.

= California

= California has some of the most challenging whitewater runs in the United States as well as several rivers with sections that are safe for families with children who wish to go rafting. Several rivers in California are fed by the snowmelt of the Sierra Nevada mountain range as well as natural springs in high mountainous areas; some rivers flow directly through protected land and foreign visitors should be strongly warned that early spring runs can be very dangerous; the normal classification cranks up much higher turning some runs into death traps for even Olympic level whitewater enthusiasts. A primary example would be Cherry Creek, a class V-V+ river in normal conditions: this creek has had a number of fatalities to its name for unwary kayakers because the water cuts through high vertical walls of granite: there is no way out except down the river and certain sections cannot be portaged. If the water volume gets too high, death is certain. It is for this reason most locals will not willingly even try to ride it before June. *

American River , name_etymology = , image = American River CA.jpg , image_size = 300 , image_caption = The American River at Folsom , map = Americanrivermap.png , map_size = 300 , map_caption ...

Carson River The Carson River is a northwestern Nevada river that empties into the Carson Sink, an endorheic basin. The main stem of the river is long although the addition of the East Fork makes the total length , traversing five counties: Alpine Coun ...

Cosumnes River The Cosumnes River is a river in northern California in the United States. It rises on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada and flows approximately into the Central Valley, emptying into the Mokelumne River in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Del ...

* Eel River *

Feather River The Feather River is the principal tributary of the Sacramento River, in the Sacramento Valley of Northern California. The river's main stem is about long. Its length to its most distant headwater tributary is just over . The main stem Feather ...

Kaweah River The Kaweah River is a river draining the southern Sierra Nevada in Tulare County, California in the United States. Fed primarily by high elevation snowmelt along the Great Western Divide, the Kaweah begins as four forks in Sequoia National Park ...

Kern River The Kern River, previously Rio de San Felipe, later La Porciuncula, is an Endangered, Wild and Scenic river in the U.S. state of California, approximately long. It drains an area of the southern Sierra Nevada mountains northeast of Bakersfie ...

* Kings River- Cuts through a very deep canyon. Overall class I-V rapids, depending on section as this river is quite large with many tributaries. Portions of the river are part of Kings Canyon National Park and also flow through

Sierra National Forest Sierra National Forest is a U.S. national forest located on the western slope of central Sierra Nevada in Central California and bounded on the northwest by Yosemite National Park and the south by Kings Canyon National Park. The forest is know ...

which abuts the national park directly; the most challenging whitewater is normally not accessible except by hiking or horseback. Portions of the river and its tributaries were used for the 1972 Slalom Olympic Trials. Was designated a National Wild and Scenic River in 1987. **

North Fork Kings River The North Fork Kings River is a tributary of the Kings River, in the U.S. state of California. The river's main stem is entirely within Fresno County, and its watershed drains about of the southern Sierra Nevada mountain range. Course It rise ...

, class V. **

South Fork Kings River The South Fork Kings River is a tributary of the Kings River in the Sierra Nevada of Fresno County, California. The river forms part of Kings Canyon, the namesake of Kings Canyon National Park and one of the deepest canyons in North America wi ...

, including Garlic Falls, Class V. **

Middle Fork Kings River The Middle Fork Kings River is a tributary of the Kings River in Kings Canyon National Park, California, in the southern Sierra Nevada. Draining – almost all of it wilderness – the Middle Fork is one of the largest wholly undeveloped water ...

III-V+ ** Dinkey Creek-Class V. *

Merced River The Merced River (), in the central part of the U.S. state of California, is a -long tributary of the San Joaquin River flowing from the Sierra Nevada into the San Joaquin Valley. It is most well known for its swift and steep course through ...

Klamath River The Klamath River ( Karuk: ''Ishkêesh'', Klamath: ''Koke'', Yurok: ''Hehlkeek 'We-Roy'') flows through Oregon and northern California in the United States, emptying into the Pacific Ocean. By average discharge, the Klamath is the second la ...

Mokelumne River The Mokelumne River ( or ; ''Mokelumne'', Miwok for "People of the Fish Net") is a -long river in northern California in the United States. The river flows west from a rugged portion of the central Sierra Nevada into the Central Valley and ul ...

Napa River The Napa River is a river approximately long in the U.S. state of California. It drains a famous wine-growing region called the Napa Valley, in the mountains north of the San Francisco Bay. Milliken Creek and Mt. Veeder watersheds are a few ...

* Russian River *

Sacramento River The Sacramento River ( es, Río Sacramento) is the principal river of Northern California in the United States and is the largest river in California. Rising in the Klamath Mountains, the river flows south for before reaching the Sacramento� ...

-This river is one of the most important rivers of Northern California. It begins in the Klamath Mountains and cuts right through downtown

Sacramento ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...

, the state capital of California. It then turns west where it empties out near

Oakland Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay ...

, a distance of over 400 miles. Although it has several sections that are heavily dammed for agriculture nearer the San Joaquin River Delta, others like the Upper Sacramento near

Mount Shasta Mount Shasta ( Shasta: ''Waka-nunee-Tuki-wuki''; Karuk: ''Úytaahkoo'') is a potentially active volcano at the southern end of the Cascade Range in Siskiyou County, California. At an elevation of , it is the second-highest peak in the Cascad ...

range class II-IV. * Smith River *

Stanislaus River The Stanislaus River is a tributary of the San Joaquin River in north-central California in the United States. The main stem of the river is long, and measured to its furthest headwaters it is about long. Originating as three forks in the hig ...

* Trinity River *

Truckee River The Truckee River is a river in the U.S. states of California and Nevada. The river flows northeasterly and is long.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed October 20, 2012 Th ...

Tuolumne River The Tuolumne River (Yokutsan: ''Tawalimnu'') flows for through Central California, from the high Sierra Nevada to join the San Joaquin River in the Central Valley. Originating at over above sea level in Yosemite National Park, the Tuolumne ...

This river partially enters

Yosemite National Park Yosemite National Park ( ) is an American national park in California, surrounded on the southeast by Sierra National Forest and on the northwest by Stanislaus National Forest. The park is managed by the National Park Service and covers an ...

and once played a role in the now-gone Hetch Hetchy Valley. Its classification is I-V+. One section was not considered navigable until as late as 1983, and requires multiple portages of waterfalls that are too dangerous for kayakers in particular. This river requires overall that a rafter or kayaker knows how to swim, and many sections are in areas that are remote. ** Cherry Creek Class V-VI. For advanced kayakers and canoes only. **

Clavey River The Clavey River is a tributary of the Tuolumne River in the Sierra Nevada, located in the Stanislaus National Forest and Tuolumne County, California. The river is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline ...

, Class V+. Clavey can only be accessed by hiking to the put in, and it is a wild 20.8 mile ride.

= Colorado and Utah

= *

Animas River Animas River (''On-e-mas''; es, Río de las Ánimas) is a river in the western United States, a tributary of the San Juan River, part of the Colorado River System. The Animas-La Plata Water Project was completed in 2015. The project pumps w ...

Arkansas River The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. It generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's source basin lies in the western United ...

- a big river, with many sections ranging from Class I to V, popular with kayakers and with commercial rafting companies. Numerous runs of all difficulty. Probably the most frequently run and one of the best rivers in Colorado. * Boulder Creek *

Cache La Poudre River The Cache la Poudre River ( ), also known as the Poudre River, is a river in the state of Colorado in the United States. Name The name of the river () is a corruption of the original Cache à la Poudre, or "cache of powder". It refers to an ...

- Colorado's only federally designated

contains sections appropriate for every level of expertise including an easy Class II section, several Class III and Class-IV sections, as well as some Class V. There is a Class VI waterfall that is very dangerous because the last drop is unrunnable. The water pours off a slab into a -wide crack and grinds anything that goes into it. *

Clear Creek (Colorado) Clear Creek is a tributary of the South Platte River, approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed March 25, 2011 in north central Colorado in the United States. Th ...

Colorado River The Colorado River ( es, Río Colorado) is one of the principal rivers (along with the Rio Grande) in the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The river drains an expansive, arid watershed that encompasses parts of seven U.S. s ...

-This river is the most famous whitewater river in the country, with sections in Arizona, Nevada (near Hoover Dam), and Colorado; it is also one of the longest rivers in the Western deserts and its overall classification ranges from I-V+. Gore Canyon is the first difficult section and should not be attempted by novices, Class IV-V, depending on the time of year and rainfall and this part is the upper section in Colorado. The section through the Grand Canyon and

Grand Canyon National Park Grand Canyon National Park, located in northwestern Arizona, is the 15th site in the United States to have been named as a national park. The park's central feature is the Grand Canyon, a gorge of the Colorado River, which is often conside ...

would include the Hance Rapids and overall the class of the rapids here are I-V, with the overall section being a IV.

Cataract Canyon Cataract Canyon is a canyon of the Colorado River located within Canyonlands National Park and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in southern Utah. It begins at Colorado's confluence with the Green River, and its downstream terminus is the co ...

is third, with up to 1,400 m³/s volume running through the canyon as this section goes through

Canyonlands National Park Canyonlands National Park is an American national park located in southeastern Utah near the town of Moab. The park preserves a colorful landscape eroded into numerous canyons, mesas, and buttes by the Colorado River, the Green River, and their ...

. Class III to V.

Glen Canyon Dam Glen Canyon Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam on the Colorado River in northern Arizona, United States, near the town of Page. The high dam was built by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) from 1956 to 1966 and forms Lake Powell, one of t ...

is reliant on the releases from the dam that come seasonally, however this part can get up to V+. Trips down this river can take many days to complete, and full navigation, months. *

Dolores River The Dolores River is a tributary of the Colorado River, approximately long, in the U.S. states of Colorado and Utah. The river drains a rugged and arid region of the Colorado Plateau west of the San Juan Mountains. Its name derives from the Sp ...

* Green River *

Gunnison River The Gunnison River is located in western Colorado, United States and is one of the largest tributaries of the Colorado River. Description The river flows east to west and has a drainage area of according to the USGS. The drainage basin of ...

has a much lesser known sister to the northeast in Colorado:

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is an American national park located in western Colorado and managed by the National Park Service. There are two primary entrances to the park: the south rim entrance is located east of Montrose, while ...

, created in 1999 and thus as of 2021one of the youngest of all national parks. The Gunnison River drops about 34 feet per mile (10.4 m/1.6 km) in the canyon and thus has a steeper gradient than the portions of the Colorado that are normally rafted or kayaked. Rapids vary to class I to VI overall on the whole river and in the canyon itself the rapids get to V and up. Visitors must be highly skilled to raft the whole of the Black Canyon section. ** Kannah Creek Class V * Los Pinos River *

North Platte River The North Platte River is a major tributary of the Platte River and is approximately long, counting its many curves.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed March 21, 2011 In a ...

Roaring Fork River Roaring Fork River is a tributary of the Colorado River, approximately long, in west central Colorado in the United States. The river drains a populated and economically vital area of the Colorado Western Slope called the Roaring Fork Valley ...

South Platte River The South Platte River is one of the two principal tributaries of the Platte River. Flowing through the U.S. states of Colorado and Nebraska, it is itself a major river of the American Midwest and the American Southwest/Mountain West. It ...

Yampa River The Yampa River flows through northwestern Colorado in the United States. Rising in the Rocky Mountains, it is a tributary of the Green River and a major part of the Colorado River system. The Yampa is one of the few free-flowing rivers in the ...

= Idaho

= *

Kootenai River The Kootenay or Kootenai river is a major river in the Northwest Plateau, in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, and northern Montana and Idaho in the United States. It is one of the uppermost major tributaries of the Columbia River, the l ...

* Lochsa River *

Middle Fork Salmon River The Middle Fork of the Salmon River is a river in central Idaho in the northwestern United States. It is a tributary to the Salmon River, and lies in the center of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness Area. The middle fork is an ex ...

- Class III-IV * North Fork Payette River * Salmon River main stem - Class III-IV *

Snake River The Snake River is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest region in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, in turn, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean. The Snake ...

* Payette River main stem

= Illinois

= * Vermillion River

= Minnesota

= *

Baptism River The Baptism River is an U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed May 7, 2012 river of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The river source is the confluence of the East Branch Baptism Ri ...

* Devil Track River * Kettle River Class III-IV at

Banning State Park Banning State Park is a state park of Minnesota, USA, stretched along of the Kettle River near Sandstone in Pine County. The centerpiece of the park is of churning rapids, some up to Class IV. The daring kayakers and canoeists who shoot B ...

* Lester River * Saint Louis River *

St. Croix River (Wisconsin–Minnesota) The St. Croix River (literally "holy cross" in French) is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 169 miles (272 km) long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map Retrieve ...

at Interstate State Park * Temperance River

= Montana

= * Clarks Fork Yellowstone River * Gallatin River * Madison River * Stillwater River (disambiguation), Stillwater River * Boulder River (disambiguation), Boulder River * Yellowstone River * Middle Fork of the Flathead River, Flathead * Big Timber Creek * Sun River

= Oregon

= :River flow information is available fro
the USGS
an

:River forecast data available throug
National Weather Service
Popular whitewater rivers in Oregon: * Alsea River, Upper North Fork (Class 3 (5)) * Blue River (Oregon), (Class 4 (5)) * Breitenbush River (Class 4) * Bull Run River (Oregon), Bull Run River - Site of slalom course * Calapooia River, the upper upper section (Class 3 (4)) * Clackamas River - Year-round water, proximity to Portland, and a range of runs make this a popular river. ** Barton to Carver (Class 2) ** Carver to Clackamette (Class 2) ** Bob's to Memaloose (Class 2) ** Fish Creek to Bob's (Class 3–4) - runnable year round (in kayaks, canoes, and rafts) ** Three Lynx to Fish Creek (Class 3–4) - runnable winter through late Spring most years. ** Killer Fang (Class 4) ** June Creek (Class 4) * Collawash River ** Middle (Class 3+ to 4) ** Upper section (Class 4+ to 5-) * Coquille River (Oregon), Coquille River ** Black Rock Fork of the South Fork (Class 4 (5)) ** Brewster Canyon, East Fork Coquille (Class 5) ** Lower (Class 3–4) ** South Fork (Coal Creek Canyon) (Class 4 (5)) ** Upper South Fork (The Gem) (Class 5) ** Upper Upper South Fork (Cataract Canyon) (Class 5+ to 6) * Crooked River (Oregon), Crooked River (Class 4) * Deschutes River (Oregon), Deschutes River ** Canyon Run (class 4 (5)) ** Lower Deschutes (Class 3) ** Riverhouse Run (Class 4) ** Dillon Falls to Meadow Camp (Class 4 (5)) ** Upper Upper - Benham Falls (Class 5) * Grande Ronde River * Hood River (Oregon), Hood River ** Upper Middle Fork (Class 4-4+) ** Upper East Fork (Class 4+) * Illinois River (Oregon), Illinois River (Class 4+ - 5) * John Day River * Little River (North Umpqua River), Little River upper section (Class 4 (5)) * McKenzie River (Oregon), McKenzie River headwaters (Class 4–5) * Middle Santiam River concussion run (Class 4) * Molalla River ** Table Rock Fork (Class 3 (4)) ** Three Bears (Class 3 (4)) ** North Fork (Class 4+) ** Table Rock Fork Gorge (Class 4 - 5) * Nehalem River * North Fork Middle Fork Willamette River ** Miracle Mile (Class 5) ** Headwaters (Class 5) ** Lower Gorge (Class 4) * North Santiam River ** Niagara section (Class 3, 4, 5) ** Little North Santiam River *** Opal Creek headwaters (Class 4 - 5) *** Upper Opal Creek (Class 4+) *** Lower Opal Creek (Class 4 (5)) *** Opal Gorge (Class 4 - 5) * Owyhee River ** Lower Canyon (Class 3) ** Upper Canyon (Class 4 (5)) * Roaring River (Clackamas River) (Class 4+ - 5) * Rogue River (Oregon), Rogue River This river was one of about four that was selected for filming The River Wild. A good challenge for intermediate kayakers. Excellent fishing location and source is located close to Crater Lake. ** Middle Fork Gorge (Class 4+ - 5) ** North Fork, Natural Bridge Section (Class 4 (6)) ** North Fork, Mill Creek Section: (Class 4+) ** North Fork, Takilma Gorge (Class 4+) * Salmon River (Clackamas County, Oregon), Salmon River (Class 5-5+) * Salmonberry River (Class 3+ (5, 6)) * Sandy River (Oregon), Sandy River Gorge (Class 4) ** Sandy Gorge (Class 5 (6)) ** Revenue Bridge to Dodge Park ** Dodge Park to Oxbow Park ** Oxbow to Columbia (Class 2) * Siletz River North Fork (Class 3–4) * Smith River (Umpqua River), Smith River ** Hole Gorge (Class 4) ** Lower South Fork Gorge (Class 4+) ** Upper South Fork Gorge (Class 5) * South Santiam River ** Soda Fork (Class 5) ** Monster Section (Class 4 (6)) ** Mountain House Section: (Class 5) * South Umpqua River Three Falls Section (Class 3 (4-5)) * Umpqua River * White River (Oregon), White River ** Lower (Class 3 (4)) ** Upper (Class 3 - 4 (4)) ** Celestial Gorge (Class 6) * Wilson River (Oregon), Wilson River, Devil's Lake Fork (Headwaters Run) (Class 4+)

= Washington

= The most popular runs in Washington are listed below. * Canyon Creek (Washington), Canyon Creek * East Fork of the Lewis River (Washington), Lewis River * Green River (Duwamish River), Green River * Icicle Creek * Little White Salmon River * Skookumchuck Narrows * Skykomish River * Snoqualmie River * Washougal River * Wenatchee River - Tumwater Canyon * Wind River (Washington), Wind River * White Salmon River

= Wyoming

= * Clarks Fork Yellowstone River *

* Wind River (Wyoming), Wind River

Oceania

Australia

*Johnstone River#North Johnstone River, North Johnston River North, QLD *Tully River North, QLD *Barron River (Queensland), Barron River, Cairns *Penrith, New South Wales, Penrith White water stadium, NSW *Nymboida River, Northern NSW * Mitta Mitta River, Victoria * Franklin River, Tasmania * Avon River (Western Australia), Avon River, Western Australia

New Zealand

* Wairoa River (Bay of Plenty) (grade 2–5) * Kaituna River * Rangitata River * Mohaka River (grade 2–5)

South America

Chile

* Futaleufú River * Trancura River near Pucón * Baker River (Chile), Baker River

Ecuador

* Napo River, Rio Napo (Napo River) Class 3 * Rio Misahualli (Misahualli River) Class 2

Peru

* Chili River (near Arequipa)

References

{{Canoeing and kayaking Lists of rivers, Whitewater rivers