Paddle a fun, 5-mile (8-km) section of the Athabasca River on a 2-hour whitewater rafting adventure from Jasper that's perfect for first-time rafters. You'll ride frothing Class II rapids through 'The Expressway,' a wide stretch of river that combines rapids with calm, flowing water. This 2-hour Jasper whitewater trip includes all equipment, as well as round-trip transport from downtown Jasper.

Make your way to a centrally-located meeting point in Jasper for 5:30pm departure, then travel 15 minutes to a put-in spot by the Athabasca River. Wear a swimsuit under your clothes so you’ll be ready for a quick change into a wetsuit, neoprene booties, and a paddle jacket, and on cooler days, bring a pair of wool socks to wear inside the neoprene booties.

Join the athabasca river guides for a briefing on rafting technique and safety, then board a whitewater raft that accommodates between six and 10 passengers and a river guide. Put your paddle in the water to help propel the boat through five sets of Class II rapids, so you can practice your rafting skills between laid-back stretches of flat water.

Throughout the trip, watch for wildlife at the edge of the river, as elk, deer, coyotes, osprey, and bears thrive in the surrounding mountains. After roughly one hour on the water, you’ll pull to shore at a take out point (it’s a good idea to bring a change of clothes, towel, and a warm jacket for after the river). This 2-hour whitewater rafting trip concludes with transfer back to the original Jasper departure point.