Thompson River

Location: Border of British Columbia and Alberta

The Thompson River starts its flow to the Pacific in the Rocky Mountains near the BC/Alberta border. However, the two rivers take completely different paths as they cut their way through the harsh mountainous terrain. The Thompson, which is 303 miles long, flows south and west into the interior and joins the Fraser River at Lytton. Three hours from Vancouver, near the town of Lytton.

Level of Difficulty: Class II-IV+ / Beginner – Intermediate

Twenty-five rapids with death defying names like “Devil’s Cutting Board,” “Jaws of Death” and “the Cauldron” are encountered while traveling through steep-sided canyons and gorges. Though seemingly not for the faint of heart, the time of year you choose to raft will vary the intensity of the whitewater on the river.

Scenery: Desert-like, spawning fish playground

Warm Chinook winds breeze through B.C.’s interior river canyon creating a drier desert-like climate that makes summer rafting on the cool, crisp water even more inviting. The largest tributary of the Fraser river, it is a varitable highway for spawning Sockeye, Chinook, Coho and Pink salmon. The clear green water of the Thompson converges with the churning brown water at the confluence of the Fraser and creates a mixing whirlpool for more than a mile downstream.

Season: April – September

Thompson River rafting trips are offered during the summer months when the snow has melted and the weather is warm.