Welcome to the Grand Rapids
on the Athabasca River



In a very remote and untouched area of northern Alberta, lie the historic Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids Island; where some of the world's largest concretions have formed a natural damn, that has withstood the forces of nature for centuries, in order to create these Class VI rapids and a truly unique and mystifying wonder for one to behold.

Your adventure begins in the town of Athabasca when you board one of our specifically designed jet boats for a 5 hour, 200 km journey down the majestic Athabasca River; where every bend offers you some amazing sites of untouched wilderness, that hold an abundance of wildlife in its natural habitat, including elk, moose, deer, bears, and Timber wolves, as well as numerous species of waterfowl and birds of prey.

Along the route there are also a number of historical sites that dot the banks of the river; remnants of days gone by, when the mighty Athabasca was a major trade route for  First Nations people, and later for trappers, settlers, gold miners and explorers alike. Many of these ruins and artifacts still remain for those who wish to discover.

Situated just a fifteen minute boat ride above the Grand Rapids, our back country lodge (accessible only by water or air), with its rustic well maintained log cabins, awaits you and takes you back to the days of a less hurried time and away from the worries of the modern world.




Grand Rapids Wilderness Adventures - your history in the making...
GRAND
WILDERNESS ADVENTURES
RAPIDS
Your history in
the making....
A large multiple concretion that has just recently come out of the bank, showing little erosion
These concretions have been weathered by the forces of nature.
Concretions were formed millons of years ago, and have their beginnings from a piece of carbon such as plants, fish, etc. This one was formed by a log in the middle and the rock grew around it. Pretty cool... eh?
Here is a picture of the Grand Rapids from the west bank looking down. Note the thousands of concretions littered about that form these rapids. In the far right you can just see the bottom end of the island that splits these rapids.
Shown in this picture is the first of many ledges that make up the rapids. The ledge is formed by one massive concretion, and probably encases one huge log.
This picture shows concretions that have not yet fallen out of the sandstone banks in which they were formed. These are on the island that seperates the river into the two channels known simply as the East and West.
click on images below