Lake Winnipeg's Whitewater

Outside of its protected bays and harbours, much of Lake Winnipeg is too wild, windy and unpredictable for recreational paddling. But many of the rivers that flow into its eastern shore offer world-class whitewater canoeing, kayaking and rafting, including (from north to south):Winnipeg Windsurfing

• Berens River - 148 kilometres. Wild, remote, accessible only by float plane. Flows through swampy muskeg and the Canadian Shield, with many waterfalls and rapids. Several short portages required. Intermediate.
• Pigeon River - 153 kilometres. Wilderness whitewater river with spectacular waterfalls, canyons and whirlpools. Fly-in. Class II-V rapids.
• Bloodvein River - 200 kilometres. Flows through pristine boreal lakes of Canadian Shield (part of Atitkaki Provincial Park). Tall granite cliffs, laced with blood-red stone and adorned with red ochre pictographs. Boulder-strewn rapids and narrow gorges, 112 sets of rapids and falls. A Canadian Heritage River.
• Manigotagan River - 132 kilometres. Quiet, picturesque stretches of water interspersed with waterfalls and rapids. Abundant wildlife. Class II-V rapids, novice-expert.
• Black River - 95 kilometres. Begins in Nopiming Provincial Park, near Ontario border. Flows through mixed woodland forest and Canadian Shield. Many waterfalls and technical rapids, Class II-III. Intermediate.