Jackpine Paddle is 100% northern-owned. Explore the Canadian North on a guided expedition trip. Rent a canoe or kayak for a trip of your own. We would be happy to assist you in finding the trip of a lifetime whether it be herds of muskox, northern lights, true wilderness, or all of the above. Remember, Life is Better Outside!

Overview

Join us on the Lower Horton River adventure to the most northerly flowing river in mainland Canada. Opportunities to fish for lake trout, arctic grayling and arctic char are plentiful in the cold, clear waters of the Lower Horton River and it’s tributary streams. As you’ll be paddling in the remote Arctic, chances at spotting large animals such as caribou, arctic wolves, grizzly bears and muskoxen are excellent.
The Lower Horton River is beautiful tundra trip in true wilderness. All the way down the river, animal tracks along the riverbanks will remind you that wildlife is never far away. You’ll have a chance to go for evening hikes from most camps. The tundra is filled with flowers such as Labrador Tea, Alphine Phlox, Paintbrush and Mountain Aven. Unique fossils can be found in many of the rocks near our campsites. On the lower Horton River, three limestone canyons offer sections of technical rapids and spectacular rock formations including towers, arches and steep cliffs. Peregrine and Gyrfalcons will often launch from their nests on the cliffs of these canyons as we paddle by. You’ll enjoy scenic tundra views along the river in this unique Arctic environment. From your last camp on the Horton River, we’ll have a chance to hike to the Arctic coast and dip in the Arctic Ocean (optional!).
Starting at
$9804 USD
$11150 CAD
Per Person

Trip Highlights

  • Rare Arctic Wildlife
  • Three Limestone Canyons
  • Smoking Hills and Badlands
  • Swim in the Arctic Ocean
  • Unique Fossils and Rock Formations

Jackpine Paddle is 100% northern-owned. Explore the Canadian North on a guided expedition trip. Rent a canoe or kayak for a trip of your own. We would be happy to assist you in finding the trip of a lifetime whether it be herds of muskox, northern lights, true wilderness, or all of the above. Remember, Life is Better Outside!

Quick Facts

Paddlesport

  • Canoeing

Activity

  • Recreation
  • Fishing
  • Whitewater
  • Expedition
  • Canoe Tripping

Experience/Service

  • Paddling Trip

Waterway

  • Whitewater Class I
  • Whitewater Class II
  • Whitewater Class III

Destination

  • North America

Length

  • 13 Days

Accomodation

  • Wilderness Camping

Guided

  • Yes

Outfitted

  • Fully

Special Interest

  • Family
  • Youth
  • Photography
  • Wildlife Viewing
  • Wilderness Gourmet

Adventure Level

Easier Challenging

Itinerary

Meeting Place

Jackpine Paddle Base

Inuvik, Northwest Territories

The Lower Horton River is beautiful tundra trip in true wilderness.

Day 1:

Departing from Inuvik, our float plane air charter will take up a good amount of our first day. We will not likely travel far, if at all, on the Horton River during the first day of this trip. We'll set up camp near the confluence with the Whaleman River and take in our beautiful wilderness camp.

Day 2:

The first part of our trip takes us through three canyons on the Horton River, downstream of our landing spot at the Whaleman River confluence.

Day 3:

We'll have a chance to scout and run rapids in first and second canyons, and roll up our sleeves for a short 200m portage in the third canyon (the only one of the trip). The canyons offer a spectacular landscape featuring hawks and falcons nesting on the limestone rock cliffs.

Day 4:

Unique pillars and interesting rock formations are common in this part of the trip.

Day 5:

As you’ll be paddling in the remote Arctic, chances at spotting large animals such as caribou, arctic wolves, grizzly bears and muskoxen are excellent.

Day 6:

As your 300km trip progresses, we’ll exit the canyons and enter immense serpentine oxbows as the river winds through an open plain.

Day 7:

Stopping at creeks for a chance to fish for arctic grayling, lake trout or arctic char in the cold, clear water of canyons, we paddle our way into the Badland Region of the Smoking Hills.

Day 8:

With trees left behind us for good, you’ll paddle through the Horton Badlands and Smoking Hills area. There are dramatic colours in the hills.

Day 9:

The smoke is caused by burning shale and mudrock, when iron-sulphide pyrite (fool’s gold) is rapidly exposed to oxygen via coastal erosion. This oxidation of the pyrite creates heat and cooks the organic-rich bedrock, causing it to spontaneously ignite.

Day 10:

The area is believed to have been burning since ice retreated from the area at the end of the last glaciation (12,000 years ago).

Day 11:

During our final days, we paddle through this distinctive geological phenomenon at the end of the Horton River. We are surrounded by tall hills with steeply eroded conical shapes nearly devoid of vegetation.

Day 12:

From your last camp on the Horton River, we’ll have a chance to hike to the Arctic coast and dip in the Arctic Ocean (optional!). You’ll be treated to a sweeping, panoramic vista of Franklin Bay. If you are lucky, a pod of Beluga whales may swim by, as the bay is rich in marine life.

Day 13:

Our float plane arrives around noon to take us back to Inuvik. We say goodbye to this highly unique place of rich wildlife. Back in Inuvik, we meet up for a farewell dinner and cold beers (after hot showers)!

Dates & Packages

Lower Horton River

July 28 - Aug 9, 2023
- Charter flight from Inuvik to the Horton River, return - Two nights of accommodation in Inuvik (double occupancy) - Shuttles from the airport when in Inuvik - Certified guides with a maximum ratio of 5:1 - Royalex expedition canoes with spray decks and knee pads - Werner paddles, PFDs, throw bags, and paddling helmets - Group gear for each expedition (tarp, kitchen equipment, utensils, water filtration, etc) - Personal watertight barrel or drybag - Expedition first aid kit and canoe repair kit - Emergency satellite phone, two-way radios for guide staff - Expedition tents by Mountain Hardware - hearty and nutritious meals including snacks while on trip - Group will be limited to 10 participants + 2 guides

What Guests Are Saying

My wife and I have been doing out door adventures for 56 years and this was our most memorable trip. This was due to the terrific organization and skill of Jackpine Paddle. We would travel anywhere with them.

- Peter G, USA
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Company Overview

By choosing to join a trip with us, you are supporting the local economy of the Northwest Territories. As the only northern-owned paddling outfitter offering arctic wilderness expeditions, we appreciate your support.

Learn More
Company Overview

By choosing to join a trip with us, you are supporting the local economy of the Northwest Territories. As the only northern-owned paddling outfitter offering arctic wilderness expeditions, we appreciate your support.

Learn More
Our Team

The North is a spectacular place to explore, so why not discover it with Northerners? We employ experienced guides who live in the Northwest Territories, with deep roots on our rivers and lakes. Based out of Yellowknife, NT, we know that when it comes to the North, there is no other place like it.

Learn More
Our Team

The North is a spectacular place to explore, so why not discover it with Northerners? We employ experienced guides who live in the Northwest Territories, with deep roots on our rivers and lakes. Based out of Yellowknife, NT, we know that when it comes to the North, there is no other place like it.

Learn More
Our Services

We offer: - Fully Guided Expeditions - Rentals & Shuttles - Paddle Canada Courses - Youth Paddle Camps!

Learn More
Our Services

We offer: - Fully Guided Expeditions - Rentals & Shuttles - Paddle Canada Courses - Youth Paddle Camps!

Learn More
Company History

On March 2, 2019, after an eleven month battle with cancer, Alex Hall passed away peacefully at home in Fort Smith. Before Alex passed away, he handed the reins of Canoe Arctic Inc. to fellow northerner Dan Wong. For 2020 and beyond, Jackpine Paddle will proudly carry on the legacy of Canoe Arctic Inc. on the Thelon River and its major tributaries.

Learn More
Company History

On March 2, 2019, after an eleven month battle with cancer, Alex Hall passed away peacefully at home in Fort Smith. Before Alex passed away, he handed the reins of Canoe Arctic Inc. to fellow northerner Dan Wong. For 2020 and beyond, Jackpine Paddle will proudly carry on the legacy of Canoe Arctic Inc. on the Thelon River and its major tributaries.

Learn More