508:
Kicking Horse River used for such recreation. The upper canyon (accessed via
Beaverfoot Road off Highway 1 West) is a class 3-4 whitewater run suitable for canoes, kayaks and rafts. Prior to a landslide in the upper canyon, boats had to portage a one kilometre stretch of rapids in order to avoid getting caught on rocks. After the landslide, the river was narrowed, allowing boats to pass freely through the rapids. Nowadays, this stretch is named Portage/Shotgun, hence the previous need to portage the area. The middle canyon (accessed via Kicking Horse rest area) is a class 4-5, depending on water levels. This run is suitable only for experienced kayakers and rafters. Commercial rafting companies avoid this section, due to the risk involved. The lower canyon is another class 3-4 whitewater run that is run by commercial rafting companies at suitable water levels. Prior to the start of the 2016 rafting season, Canadian Pacific railway installed a gate, prohibiting road access to the lower-canyon. Because of this, many rafting companies have been forced to stop rafting this portion of the river, resulting in revenue and job loss. The Kicking Horse is home to many varieties of freshwater fish, making fishing a viable activity.
463:"A little way above this fall one of our pack horses, to escape the fallen timber, plunged into the river, luckily where it formed an eddy, but the banks were so steep that we had great difficulty in getting him out. In attempting to recatch my own horse, which had strayed off while we were engaged with the one in the water, he kicked me in the chest, but I had luckily got close to him before he struck out, so that I did not get the full force of the blow. However, it knocked me down and rendered me senseless for some time. This was unfortunate, as we had seen no tracks of game in the neighbourhood, and were now without food; but I was so hurt that we could not proceed further that day at least." - James Hector chronicles, 1858
449:
45:
381:
304:
744:
328:
312:
29:
52:
507:
Several whitewater rafting companies, as well as kayakers and canoeists, use the river. The first company to raft the
Kicking Horse river is named Kootenay River Runners. They continue to raft trips on the Kicking Horse daily, as well as two other nearby rivers. There are three main sections of the
344:
is the longest authentic covered timber-frame bridge in Canada. Planned as a community project by the Timber
Framers Guild, local volunteers were joined by carpenters and timber framers from Canada, the United States and Europe. The bridge structure is 150 feet (46 m) long, with a 210,000-pound
479:(Winnipeg) to Vancouver Island. He made many important observations regarding the geology and ethnology of the Canadian West and the Rocky Mountains, discovering the Kicking Horse Pass and giving the Kicking Horse River its name.
729:
1029:
44:
697:
722:
1771:
1022:
914:
829:
567:
715:
1776:
939:
919:
849:
448:
298:
and associated Spiral
Tunnels are in the Kicking Horse valley and were necessitated by the steep rate of descent of the river and its valley.
1015:
600:
1756:
1668:
707:
427:
cascade which occurs just below the first highway crossing of the river below Wapta Lake. The second is the
Natural Bridge Falls near
1124:
1050:
577:
1761:
1210:
1136:
991:
986:
165:
673:
1781:
889:
794:
738:
647:
1402:
1397:
1382:
361:
1691:
996:
1766:
981:
869:
488:
435:, one of the largest waterfalls in Canada in both volume and width. They are over 500 feet (150 m) wide.
412:
341:
320:
291:
151:
428:
400:
380:
1648:
1495:
1417:
1372:
1279:
1222:
929:
879:
834:
814:
92:
1367:
1244:
894:
819:
632:
1628:
1603:
551:
518:
1558:
538:
353:
316:
1583:
365:
1490:
909:
472:
303:
271:
1485:
423:
The river has three waterfalls along its stretch. The first is the
Kicking Horse Cascade, a long
1663:
1475:
1159:
924:
784:
604:
496:
357:
283:
123:
1706:
1613:
327:
1643:
1568:
1332:
1312:
1264:
1179:
944:
774:
691:
369:
1678:
1598:
1563:
1460:
1392:
1377:
1342:
1042:
965:
864:
764:
476:
263:
259:
1701:
1578:
1480:
1455:
1440:
1322:
1307:
1269:
899:
789:
779:
769:
543:
332:
1726:
1638:
1623:
1505:
1465:
1362:
1357:
1352:
1317:
1302:
1287:
1239:
1204:
1169:
1118:
1073:
1063:
1058:
854:
799:
408:
139:
1750:
1731:
1711:
1696:
1686:
1653:
1633:
1618:
1608:
1548:
1543:
1510:
1500:
1450:
1337:
1327:
1297:
1292:
1259:
1184:
1174:
1164:
1154:
1113:
1103:
1093:
1083:
859:
804:
627:
533:
528:
456:
The River’s unusual name stems from an incident near Wapta Falls in August 1858, Sir
279:
651:
1716:
1593:
1553:
1538:
1533:
1470:
1425:
1407:
1387:
1347:
1254:
1189:
1108:
1068:
934:
884:
874:
809:
674:"Fatal train derailment: A closer look at what happened that tragic day | CBC News"
572:
457:
311:
267:
1007:
1721:
1573:
1528:
1445:
1249:
1231:
1199:
1194:
1149:
1098:
1078:
1038:
949:
904:
839:
824:
759:
432:
404:
384:
134:
28:
1658:
1588:
1520:
1435:
1430:
1144:
1088:
523:
396:
392:
111:
180:
167:
346:
287:
275:
360:
to Golden, British
Columbia. The river is spanned by the new Park Bridge.
492:
295:
672:
Feb 06, CBC News · Posted; February 6, 2019 10:35 AM MT | Last
Updated.
499:. The train landed in the river, and three crew members were killed.
278:
while exploring the river. Hector named the river and the associated
403:. The river continues to flow southwest until after it drops over
447:
424:
379:
326:
310:
407:, when it takes a near hairpin turn and flows northwest into the
491:
freight train with 112 cars and 3 locomotives derailed near the
290:, was the route through the mountains subsequently taken by the
1011:
711:
617:
Search for
Station 08NA006 Kicking Horse River near Golden
315:
Kicking Horse River at Park Bridge rest area near Golden.
286:, which connects through the Rockies to the valley of the
294:
when it was constructed during the 1880s. The railway's
475:
from 1857 to 1860, Hector explored the country from the
349:
structure. The bridge was completed in
September 2001.
391:
The Kicking Horse River begins at the outlet of small
1677:
1519:
1416:
1278:
1230:
1221:
1135:
1049:
958:
752:
238:
228:
218:
208:
200:
157:
145:
133:
117:
107:
98:
88:
80:
72:
67:
21:
364:, named for the river and pass, is located in the
431:. The final and largest is 100-foot (30 m)
1023:
723:
452:Natural bridge across the Kicking Horse River
8:
266:, Canada. The river was named in 1858, when
696:: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
356:traverses the river at several points from
51:
1227:
1030:
1016:
1008:
730:
716:
708:
372:, on the west side of the town of Golden.
568:List of tributaries of the Columbia River
603:. Water Survey of Canada. Archived from
302:
589:
244:402 m/s (14,200 cu ft/s)
224:40.9 m/s (1,440 cu ft/s)
689:
395:and flows southwest. It receives the
18:
595:
593:
7:
234:2.25 m/s (79 cu ft/s)
340:Kicking Horse Pedestrian Bridge in
331:Kicking Horse River at the feet of
601:"Archived Hydrometric Data Search"
578:List of rivers of British Columbia
282:as a result of the incident. The
14:
1772:Tributaries of the Columbia River
992:Category:Canadian Heritage Rivers
987:Category:American Heritage Rivers
648:"Kicking Horse Pedestrian Bridge"
16:River in British Columbia, Canada
742:
650:. Tourism Golden. Archived from
471:As surgeon and geologist to the
50:
43:
27:
739:Canadian Heritage Rivers System
307:Kicking Horse Pedestrian Bridge
274:, reported being kicked by his
1777:Rivers of the Canadian Rockies
159: • coordinates
1:
362:Kicking Horse Mountain Resort
99:Physical characteristics
59:Location in British Columbia
210: • location
147: • location
119: • location
1798:
1757:Rivers of British Columbia
240: • maximum
230: • minimum
220: • average
997:Category:Rivers of Canada
974:
248:
196:
129:
103:
38:
26:
1762:Canadian Heritage Rivers
982:American Heritage Rivers
489:Canadian Pacific Railway
292:Canadian Pacific Railway
1782:Kootenay Land District
1649:Strait of Juan de Fuca
1496:Queen Charlotte Strait
1373:Princess Royal Channel
487:On 4 February 2019, a
453:
388:
387:on Kicking Horse River
335:
324:
308:
93:Kootenay Land District
1383:Queen Charlotte Sound
1368:Prince Rupert Harbour
633:BC Geographical Names
628:"Kicking Horse River"
451:
383:
330:
314:
306:
607:on February 21, 2009
354:Trans-Canada Highway
317:Trans Canada Highway
473:Palliser Expedition
272:Palliser Expedition
256:Kicking Horse River
177: /
33:Kicking Horse River
22:Kicking Horse River
1664:Trincomali Channel
1476:Loughborough Inlet
870:North Saskatchewan
497:Kicking Horse Pass
454:
389:
358:Yoho National Park
336:
325:
309:
284:Kicking Horse Pass
270:, a member of the
181:51.300°N 116.983°W
124:Yoho National Park
1744:
1743:
1740:
1739:
1644:Strait of Georgia
1629:Satellite Channel
1569:Discovery Passage
1333:Grenville Channel
1313:Finlayson Channel
1265:Skidegate Channel
1005:
1004:
945:Upper Restigouche
512:Major tributaries
370:Purcell Mountains
345:(95,000 kg)
252:
251:
1789:
1679:Vancouver Island
1669:Victoria Harbour
1604:Okisollo Channel
1599:Malaspina Strait
1564:Desolation Sound
1461:Johnstone Strait
1393:Seaforth Channel
1378:Principe Channel
1343:Juan Perez Sound
1228:
1223:Coastal features
1043:British Columbia
1032:
1025:
1018:
1009:
940:The Three Rivers
747:
746:
745:
732:
725:
718:
709:
702:
701:
695:
687:
685:
684:
669:
663:
662:
660:
659:
644:
638:
637:
624:
618:
616:
614:
612:
597:
552:Beaverfoot River
519:Sherbrooke Creek
477:Red River Colony
264:British Columbia
262:of southeastern
260:Canadian Rockies
241:
231:
221:
211:
192:
191:
189:
188:
187:
186:51.300; -116.983
182:
178:
175:
174:
173:
170:
120:
84:British Columbia
54:
53:
47:
31:
19:
1797:
1796:
1792:
1791:
1790:
1788:
1787:
1786:
1767:Columbia Valley
1747:
1746:
1745:
1736:
1702:Clayoquot Sound
1673:
1579:Homfray Channel
1559:Captain Passage
1515:
1481:Nodales Channel
1456:Goletas Channel
1441:Cordero Channel
1412:
1323:Fitz Hugh Sound
1308:Douglas Channel
1274:
1270:Skidegate Inlet
1217:
1131:
1045:
1036:
1006:
1001:
970:
954:
790:Boundary Waters
748:
743:
741:
736:
706:
705:
688:
682:
680:
671:
670:
666:
657:
655:
646:
645:
641:
626:
625:
621:
610:
608:
599:
598:
591:
586:
564:
559:
548:Porcupine Creek
544:Ottertail River
539:Otterhead River
514:
505:
485:
483:2019 Derailment
469:
446:
441:
439:Natural history
421:
378:
338:
337:
333:Chancellor Peak
239:
229:
219:
209:
185:
183:
179:
176:
171:
168:
166:
164:
163:
160:
148:
118:
63:
62:
61:
60:
57:
56:
55:
34:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1795:
1793:
1785:
1784:
1779:
1774:
1769:
1764:
1759:
1749:
1748:
1742:
1741:
1738:
1737:
1735:
1734:
1729:
1727:Quatsino Sound
1724:
1719:
1714:
1709:
1704:
1699:
1694:
1689:
1683:
1681:
1675:
1674:
1672:
1671:
1666:
1661:
1656:
1651:
1646:
1641:
1639:Stuart Channel
1636:
1631:
1626:
1624:Sansum Narrows
1621:
1616:
1611:
1606:
1601:
1596:
1591:
1586:
1584:Hoskyn Channel
1581:
1576:
1571:
1566:
1561:
1556:
1551:
1546:
1541:
1536:
1531:
1525:
1523:
1517:
1516:
1514:
1513:
1508:
1506:Sutlej Channel
1503:
1498:
1493:
1488:
1483:
1478:
1473:
1468:
1466:Kingcome Inlet
1463:
1458:
1453:
1448:
1443:
1438:
1433:
1428:
1422:
1420:
1414:
1413:
1411:
1410:
1405:
1400:
1395:
1390:
1385:
1380:
1375:
1370:
1365:
1363:Portland Inlet
1360:
1358:Milbanke Sound
1355:
1353:Laredo Channel
1350:
1345:
1340:
1335:
1330:
1325:
1320:
1318:Fisher Channel
1315:
1310:
1305:
1303:Dixon Entrance
1300:
1295:
1290:
1288:Arthur Passage
1284:
1282:
1276:
1275:
1273:
1272:
1267:
1262:
1257:
1252:
1247:
1242:
1240:Cumshewa Inlet
1236:
1234:
1225:
1219:
1218:
1216:
1215:
1207:
1202:
1197:
1192:
1187:
1182:
1177:
1172:
1167:
1162:
1157:
1152:
1147:
1141:
1139:
1133:
1132:
1130:
1129:
1121:
1116:
1111:
1106:
1101:
1096:
1091:
1086:
1081:
1076:
1071:
1066:
1061:
1055:
1053:
1047:
1046:
1037:
1035:
1034:
1027:
1020:
1012:
1003:
1002:
1000:
999:
994:
989:
984:
979:
975:
972:
971:
969:
968:
962:
960:
956:
955:
953:
952:
947:
942:
937:
932:
927:
922:
917:
912:
907:
902:
897:
892:
887:
882:
877:
872:
867:
862:
857:
852:
847:
842:
837:
832:
827:
822:
817:
812:
807:
802:
797:
792:
787:
782:
777:
772:
767:
762:
756:
754:
750:
749:
737:
735:
734:
727:
720:
712:
704:
703:
664:
639:
619:
588:
587:
585:
582:
581:
580:
575:
570:
563:
560:
558:
557:
556:Glenogle Creek
554:
549:
546:
541:
536:
531:
526:
521:
515:
513:
510:
504:
501:
484:
481:
468:
465:
445:
442:
440:
437:
420:
417:
409:Columbia River
399:upstream from
377:
374:
366:Dogtooth Range
301:
300:
250:
249:
246:
245:
242:
236:
235:
232:
226:
225:
222:
216:
215:
212:
206:
205:
202:
198:
197:
194:
193:
161:
158:
155:
154:
149:
146:
143:
142:
140:Columbia River
137:
131:
130:
127:
126:
121:
115:
114:
109:
105:
104:
101:
100:
96:
95:
90:
86:
85:
82:
78:
77:
74:
70:
69:
65:
64:
58:
49:
48:
42:
41:
40:
39:
36:
35:
32:
24:
23:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1794:
1783:
1780:
1778:
1775:
1773:
1770:
1768:
1765:
1763:
1760:
1758:
1755:
1754:
1752:
1733:
1732:San Josef Bay
1730:
1728:
1725:
1723:
1720:
1718:
1715:
1713:
1712:Kyuquot Sound
1710:
1708:
1705:
1703:
1700:
1698:
1697:Checleset Bay
1695:
1693:
1690:
1688:
1687:Barkley Sound
1685:
1684:
1682:
1680:
1676:
1670:
1667:
1665:
1662:
1660:
1657:
1655:
1654:Sutil Channel
1652:
1650:
1647:
1645:
1642:
1640:
1637:
1635:
1634:Sechelt Inlet
1632:
1630:
1627:
1625:
1622:
1620:
1619:Saanich Inlet
1617:
1615:
1612:
1610:
1609:Port San Juan
1607:
1605:
1602:
1600:
1597:
1595:
1592:
1590:
1587:
1585:
1582:
1580:
1577:
1575:
1572:
1570:
1567:
1565:
1562:
1560:
1557:
1555:
1552:
1550:
1549:Burrard Inlet
1547:
1545:
1544:Boundary Pass
1542:
1540:
1537:
1535:
1532:
1530:
1527:
1526:
1524:
1522:
1518:
1512:
1511:Wells Passage
1509:
1507:
1504:
1502:
1501:Seymour Inlet
1499:
1497:
1494:
1492:
1491:Pryce Channel
1489:
1487:
1484:
1482:
1479:
1477:
1474:
1472:
1469:
1467:
1464:
1462:
1459:
1457:
1454:
1452:
1451:Frederick Arm
1449:
1447:
1444:
1442:
1439:
1437:
1434:
1432:
1429:
1427:
1424:
1423:
1421:
1419:
1418:Central Coast
1415:
1409:
1406:
1404:
1401:
1399:
1396:
1394:
1391:
1389:
1386:
1384:
1381:
1379:
1376:
1374:
1371:
1369:
1366:
1364:
1361:
1359:
1356:
1354:
1351:
1349:
1346:
1344:
1341:
1339:
1338:Hecate Strait
1336:
1334:
1331:
1329:
1328:Gardner Canal
1326:
1324:
1321:
1319:
1316:
1314:
1311:
1309:
1306:
1304:
1301:
1299:
1298:Chatham Sound
1296:
1294:
1293:Burke Channel
1291:
1289:
1286:
1285:
1283:
1281:
1277:
1271:
1268:
1266:
1263:
1261:
1260:Rennell Sound
1258:
1256:
1253:
1251:
1248:
1246:
1243:
1241:
1238:
1237:
1235:
1233:
1229:
1226:
1224:
1220:
1214:
1212:
1208:
1206:
1203:
1201:
1198:
1196:
1193:
1191:
1188:
1186:
1183:
1181:
1178:
1176:
1173:
1171:
1168:
1166:
1163:
1161:
1160:Great Central
1158:
1156:
1153:
1151:
1148:
1146:
1143:
1142:
1140:
1138:
1134:
1128:
1126:
1122:
1120:
1117:
1115:
1112:
1110:
1107:
1105:
1102:
1100:
1097:
1095:
1092:
1090:
1087:
1085:
1082:
1080:
1077:
1075:
1072:
1070:
1067:
1065:
1062:
1060:
1057:
1056:
1054:
1052:
1048:
1044:
1040:
1033:
1028:
1026:
1021:
1019:
1014:
1013:
1010:
998:
995:
993:
990:
988:
985:
983:
980:
977:
976:
973:
967:
964:
963:
961:
957:
951:
948:
946:
943:
941:
938:
936:
933:
931:
928:
926:
923:
921:
918:
916:
913:
911:
910:South Nahanni
908:
906:
903:
901:
898:
896:
893:
891:
888:
886:
883:
881:
878:
876:
873:
871:
868:
866:
863:
861:
858:
856:
853:
851:
848:
846:
845:Kicking Horse
843:
841:
838:
836:
833:
831:
828:
826:
823:
821:
818:
816:
813:
811:
808:
806:
803:
801:
798:
796:
793:
791:
788:
786:
783:
781:
778:
776:
773:
771:
768:
766:
763:
761:
758:
757:
755:
751:
740:
733:
728:
726:
721:
719:
714:
713:
710:
699:
693:
679:
675:
668:
665:
654:on 2008-11-21
653:
649:
643:
640:
635:
634:
629:
623:
620:
606:
602:
596:
594:
590:
583:
579:
576:
574:
571:
569:
566:
565:
561:
555:
553:
550:
547:
545:
542:
540:
537:
535:
534:Amiskwi River
532:
530:
529:Emerald River
527:
525:
522:
520:
517:
516:
511:
509:
502:
500:
498:
494:
490:
482:
480:
478:
474:
466:
464:
461:
459:
450:
443:
438:
436:
434:
430:
426:
418:
416:
414:
410:
406:
402:
398:
394:
386:
382:
375:
373:
371:
367:
363:
359:
355:
350:
348:
343:
334:
329:
322:
318:
313:
305:
299:
297:
293:
289:
285:
281:
277:
273:
269:
265:
261:
257:
247:
243:
237:
233:
227:
223:
217:
213:
207:
203:
199:
195:
190:
162:
156:
153:
150:
144:
141:
138:
136:
132:
128:
125:
122:
116:
113:
110:
106:
102:
97:
94:
91:
87:
83:
79:
75:
71:
66:
46:
37:
30:
25:
20:
1717:Nootka Sound
1594:Jervis Inlet
1554:Calm Channel
1539:Boundary Bay
1534:Baynes Sound
1486:Phillips Arm
1471:Knight Inlet
1426:Belize Inlet
1408:Wright Sound
1388:Rivers Inlet
1348:Lama Passage
1255:Masset Inlet
1245:Darwin Sound
1209:
1123:
925:Tatshenshini
844:
830:Hillsborough
785:Bonnet Plume
681:. Retrieved
677:
667:
656:. Retrieved
652:the original
642:
631:
622:
609:. Retrieved
605:the original
573:Divide Creek
506:
486:
470:
467:James Hector
462:
458:James Hector
455:
422:
390:
351:
339:
321:CPR mainline
268:James Hector
255:
253:
1722:Pachena Bay
1574:Haro Strait
1529:Active Pass
1446:Drury Inlet
1403:Smith Sound
1398:Smith Inlet
1280:North Coast
1250:Laskeek Bay
1232:Haida Gwaii
1039:Hydrography
775:Bay du Nord
611:October 19,
433:Wapta Falls
405:Wapta Falls
385:Wapta Falls
214:near Golden
184: /
1751:Categories
1707:Hansen Bay
1692:Brooks Bay
1659:Toba Inlet
1614:Ramsay Arm
1589:Howe Sound
1521:Salish Sea
1436:Call Inlet
1431:Bute Inlet
966:Coppermine
890:Saint John
865:Missinaibi
795:Clearwater
765:Arctic Red
683:2019-02-20
658:2008-08-21
524:Yoho River
503:Recreation
419:Waterfalls
397:Yoho River
393:Wapta Lake
258:is in the
112:Wapta Lake
1205:Williston
1170:Kinbasket
959:Nominated
920:St. Marys
915:St. Croix
900:Shelburne
780:Bloodvein
770:Athabasca
347:Burr arch
319:on left,
288:Bow River
276:packhorse
201:Discharge
1185:Okanagan
1175:Kootenay
1165:Harrison
1155:Cowichan
1119:Thompson
1074:Kootenay
1064:Cowichan
1059:Columbia
978:See also
855:Margaree
800:Cowichan
692:cite web
562:See also
493:Big Hill
460:writes:
323:on right
296:Big Hill
172:116°59′W
89:District
81:Province
68:Location
1190:Shuswap
1180:Nechako
1114:Stikine
1104:Quesnel
1094:Nechako
1084:Nanaimo
860:Mattawa
805:Detroit
444:History
368:of the
169:51°18′N
73:Country
1200:Teslin
1195:Tagish
1150:Babine
1109:Skeena
1069:Fraser
1051:Rivers
935:Thelon
930:Thames
885:Rideau
875:Ottawa
835:Humber
815:French
810:Fraser
753:Rivers
413:Golden
376:Course
342:Golden
204:
152:Golden
108:Source
76:Canada
1145:Atlin
1137:Lakes
1099:Peace
1079:Liard
950:Yukon
905:Soper
840:Kazan
825:Hayes
820:Grand
760:Alsek
584:Notes
429:Field
425:talus
401:Field
135:Mouth
1211:more
1125:more
1089:Nass
895:Seal
850:Main
698:link
613:2008
352:The
280:pass
254:The
1213:...
1127:...
1041:of
880:Red
678:CBC
495:of
411:in
1753::
694:}}
690:{{
676:.
630:.
592:^
415:.
1031:e
1024:t
1017:v
731:e
724:t
717:v
700:)
686:.
661:.
636:.
615:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
