4-DAY PETAWAWA RIVER CANOE TRIP

Paddle the Petawawa River in Davidson, QC

Long considered a classic route for canoes, the Petawawa offers stunning scenery, deep gorges, the “Natch” campsite (the surrounding cliffs of which were the subject of a Tom Thomson painting) and frequent encounters with wildlife. The Petawawa cuts across the remote northeastern tip of the park and flows southeast towards its confluence with the Ottawa River.

Our four day, fully guided canoe trip will take us from Lake Traverse to McManus Lake. This stretch of river offers class 1-3 whitewater which provides ideal opportunities to develop your whitewater skills. Unparalleled for its wildlife and scenery, the Petawawa River provides the best of Algonquin wilderness with a fun, challenging whitewater experience.

Itinerary

The Petawawa Day Trip packs your day with the most whitewater possible! Due to the continuous nature of the river, we are able to make two descents for maximum enjoyment.

Day 1
– 7:00 am Breakfast
– 7:45 am Meet your guides and fellow paddlers for a pre-trip briefing and packing
– 9:00 am Depart for the river
– 10:30 am Petawawa River
– 12:15 pm Lunch
– 1:00 Continue canoeing on the Petawawa
– 4:00 Make camp at Little Thompson rapid
– Evening Camp, dinner, relax

Day 2
– 8:00 am Breakfast
– 9:00 am Break Camp
– 10:00 am – 4:00 pm Canoeing from Little Thompson rapid to the Natch. Great whitewater instructional day!
– 4:00 pm Make camp at the Natch
– Evening Camp, dinner, relax

Day 3
– 8:00 am Breakfast
– 9:00 am Break Camp
– 10:00 am – 4:00 pm Canoeing from the Natch, through Schnooner and 5 mile rapids
– 4:00 pm Make camp near Smith Lake
– Evening Camp, dinner, relax

Day 4
– 8:00 am Breakfast
– 9:00 am Break Camp
– 9:30 am Paddle to take out on McManus Lake
– 12:00 pm Lunch at take out & load equipment
– 1:00 pm Drive back to Esprit (arrive mid-afternoon ~ 3:00 pm)

Note: Trip timing may vary depending on water levels.

What’s Included

• 4 days of canoeing
• 1 night camping at Esprit’s lodge
• 3 night camping on the river
• 4 breakfasts, 4 riverside lunches, 3 dinner
• All safety and paddling equipment
• Internationally certified guides
• Local transportation
• Complimentary après canoeing beverage

What to Bring

All your mandatory safety equipment is provided for you, therefore, all you need to bring with you are some personal items to help make your day even more enjoyable. We recommend that you bring a pair of shoes or sandals to wear on the river (they will get wet!), your swimsuit and/or shorts, sunscreen, water bottle, towel and a change of clothes.

If you are joining us during the early spring (April & May), we highly recommend that you bring an extra fleece or wool sweater, fleece socks and running shoes (versus sandals) for extra thermal layering under your wetsuit.