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Denison Falls

Lake Superior's Most Spectacular Waterfalls

FAST FACTS
Description:	Guided six-day sea kayaking trip—five days kayaking, five nights camping, half-day kayak instruction
Skill:	No experience to intermediate. Little sea kayaking experience is required. Some camping experience recommended
Pace:	Moderate, paddling and hiking
Min. Age:	16
Distance:	55 kilometres sea kayaking; six kilometres hiking (average paddling speed is about 3.5 km/hr)
Dates:	Sun July 20, 2 pm - Fri July 25, 3 pm, 2008
Cost:	$980 CDN (including taxes)
Includes:	Full guiding and outfitting, sea kayaks, meals, shuttles and park fees

If you want to combine sea kayaking along some of the most remote sections of Lake Superior’s north shore with an overland trek to the awe-inspiring, 40-metre-high Denison Falls, this is the trip for you!

This trip traces and the Lake Superior coast of the Superior Highlands Conservation Reserve, a large swath of land encompassing unique geological features such as diabase dikes, pillows and kettles, a boreal-mixed forest and wildlife such as moose, beavers, bear and bald eagles. Cultural features include a small collection of First Nation Ojibwa pictographs. At Dog River, we spend a day hiking inland to the spectacular Denison Falls, a favourite of well-known Canadian filmmaker, artist and paddler Bill Mason.

Your trip begins on Sunday afternoon with a half-day group safety and paddling skills workshop at our Rock Island Lodge and Lake Superior Paddling Centre. We end the day with a fresh whitefish dinner. Advanced reservations are required if you’d like to spend Sunday night in our Rock Island Lodge, however we reserve a number of campsites for trip participants on our sandy lakeside beach. On Monday morning, we set off on the crystal clear water of the largest lake in the world.
After two days of moderate paddling (25 kilometres) westward from our Lake Superior paddling centre and lodge, we reach the mouth of the Dog (University) River. The next day we hike 2 kilometres upriver to breathtaking Denison Falls.

Swimming is wonderful at the falls as well and we’ll plan on spending the day there, returning to our base at the river's mouth for relaxation and a hearty meal. On Thursday we begin retracing our paddle strokes back to Rock Island.

This trip is designed for novice through to intermediate paddlers. While no previous sea kayaking experience is required, your enjoyment will be enhanced if you are in good physical condition and comfortable with backcountry camping. The lake is mostly calm in summer, but when it gets rough we enjoy the view from shore, so experience paddling in surf and swells is not necessary. Although each group will travel according to its own pace, we tend to spend most of the day on the water leaving lots of time for “covering the distance” and exploring.

You will be responsible for carrying a portion of the group gear, as well as your tent, sleeping bag and personal gear, in your kayak. Each afternoon as you reach your campsite, our experienced guides can assist you with setting up your tent. And don't worry about cooking or cleanup; all food preparation is taken care of by our wilderness chefs!

On this trip we typically use singles and at least one double sea kayak. You may be asked on-trip to paddle a double or share some paddling time in one. Because they are longer and wider, doubles are more stable and faster, making them excellent for those who wish to take photographs, or who feel a bit physically challenged on a particular day.

The trail up to Denison Falls is rugged with some slippery sections. Bring proper shoes with grippy soles! Some climbing is involved if you wish to explore the upper falls. If you aren’t into climbing, there are lots of opportunities to enjoy them from lower vantage points or to relax and enjoy Lake Superior from the long sandy beach at the Dog River mouth.

Equipment and Services

We Provide: Professional instruction and guiding; dinner on Friday evening, all meals on Saturday and Sunday; breakfast, lunch and snack on Monday; four-season dome tents; foamie sleeping pads; group safety, camping, cooking, eating and sanitation gear; shuttles; park fees; dry bags; fully outfitted expedition sea kayaks; farmer John/Jane wetsuits and paddling jackets.

You Provide: Personal gear, sleeping bag and a sense of adventure. A more detailed list provided on registration.

This is a wonderful trip for people wanting a combination sea kayaking/hiking experience that includes some of Lake Superior’s most beautiful scenery. The route follows the wilderness Great Lakes Heritage Coastline, with a tour of Nimoosh Park and Denison Falls. There are no designated campsites and the coast is a mix of sand/gravel beaches interspersed by rocky outcrops. Join us this summer on an out-of-park wilderness experience!

Check out more photos of this trip in our Photo Gallery.

Want more information? Contact us by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 1-800-203-9092.

“We had a terrific guide who was eager to please, accommodating and had a great attitude.”

M. Bennett, London, ON