Glacial turquoise water of Kicking Horse River, Yoho National Park, B.C.

© Oleg Charykov/Getty Imgae

A spectacular landscape

In the heart of the Canadian Rockies flows the 53-kilometre-long Kicking Horse River. It gets its unusual name from an incident dating to 1858, when James Hector, a geologist and member of the Palliser Expedition, was kicked by his horse when attempting to explore the river. The starting point is the Wapta Icefield, where the glacial meltwater goes on to flow through the canyons, cliffs, avalanche slopes and gorges. The Kicking Horse River encompasses some of Canada’s largest waterfalls – the Wapta Falls and Takakkaw Falls to name a few. These days, the river is highly regarded for white water rafting, kayaking and canoeing.