A two-hour drive northeast of Winnipeg, the lower Bird River is a popular draw for whitewater enthusiasts.
The water moves fast and the hazards — rapids, rocks and technical drops — are challenging.
This is not a beginner-friendly run. Paddlers need to keep their wits about them as they roll through Class 1 to 4 rapids.
The Bird River, flowing through the traditional territory of the Sagkeeng First Nation, stretches from the Ontario border, through Nopiming Provincial Park, before reaching the Winnipeg River, east of Lac du Bonnet.
A stretch called the lower Bird River outside the park is what draws whitewater paddlers, particularly in spring and early summer, when water levels are often at the highest and, at a speed of roughly 10 metres per second, the fastest.
Photographer Mikaela MacKenzie recently joined Lori Neufeld and other kayakers for a weeknight excursion.
The area along the river was devastated in 2025 in one of Manitoba’s most severe wildfire seasons in history. About 95 per cent of the vegetation was destroyed, with signs of fire still burning in September and October. Backcountry travel bans restricted access to the river for most of last summer.
Tegan Stoesz (left) and Lori Neufeld walk through charred remains from the 2025 wildfire season to get to a launch site.
Despite the loss of habitat, Neufeld was moved by how quickly regeneration was taking place, saying she’s seen more bears, moose and other animals this spring than ever before. She also thought the river would be full of dead trees, which is extremely hazardous to paddlers, but that hasn’t been the case.
“The Bird is so special because it’s super accessible, it’s got rapids for intermediate and advanced paddlers, it’s close enough to the city for evening laps, and the rapids are so condensed,” Neufeld said. “You can run that section in an hour if you’re in a hurry. It’s also just so beautiful.”
Most importantly, Neufeld stressed, is the river deserves respect and that paddlers must possess the necessary skills before tackling it.
Mikaela MacKenzie
Photojournalist
Mikaela MacKenzie loves meeting people, experiencing new things, and learning something every day. That’s what drove her to pursue a career as a visual journalist — photographers get a hands-on, boots-on-the-ground look at the world.
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