THELON RIVER - Thelon Wildlife Sanctuary

The Thelon is a long barren lands river best known for its amazing concentration of diverse northern wildlife. The best part for canoeing is the middle section through the famous Thelon Wildlife Sanctuary.

The trip begins with a float plane flight to a lake on the Clarke River, a small tributary of the Thelon. We’ll spend 3 days descending the Clarke to the confluence of the Thelon just below Thelon Canyon. From here it is 10 days to Beverly Lake some 235 km away. The Sanctuary is home to a surprisingly amount of wildlife. The Beverly caribou herd migrates across the river. Other large game include moose, muskox, barren-ground grizzly, wolves and fox. Birds-of-prey are very common with bald and golden eagles, peregrine and gyrfalcon nesting on our route.

The river is rich in human heritage - with archaeological sites of the Dene and the Caribou Inuit alongside evidence of northern explorers and adventurers. The Thelon River trip is an opportunity to explore a remote arctic river with exceptional wildlife.

Unlike many other barrens rivers, paddlers with limited whitewater experience can enjoy this trip.

The Thelon River trip is operated by Bathurst Arctic Services. Black Feather is an agent for the operator, providing logistical and marketing services.