Are you ready to take your paddling skills to the next level? Whether you are preparing for a remote wilderness expedition or simply want to feel more confident navigating your local rivers, the Smoking Rivers Whitewater Canoe Clinic is the perfect place to build your skills.

Every year, our expert staff of Registered Maine Guides gets together for a few days of dedicated teaching and adventure. We step away from our guided expeditions to help paddlers of various experience levels learn the proper techniques for safely and effectively guiding a canoe through whitewater.

What You Will Learn

Our hands-on clinics take place in real river conditions, allowing you to practice and perfect your technique with instant feedback from our seasoned guides. During the clinic, we focus on:

• Reading the River: Learn how to identify safe channels, spot the “V’s,” and anticipate obstacles before you reach them.

• Whitewater Paddle Strokes: Master the essential strokes required to steer, power through, and brake in moving water.

• Canoe Control: Understand how to angle your boat, catch eddies, and use the river’s current to your advantage.

• Poling Techniques: Discover the traditional art of using a pole instead of a paddle for shallow or specialized water conditions.

• River Safety: Build confidence in your ability to keep your canoe upright and handle the unexpected.

Learn From the Best

When you attend a Smoking Rivers clinic, you aren’t just getting basic instruction—you are learning from professional, Registered Maine Guides who spend their lives navigating the most remote and challenging waterways in North America. Guides like Jason, Dan, and the rest of our team bring decades of on-river experience, ensuring you receive patient, top-tier instruction in a safe environment.

Clinic Details & Logistics

We understand that everyone’s schedule is different, which is why we’ve designed our clinic to be as flexible as possible.

• Pricing: $185 per person, per day.

• Flexibility: You can choose to immerse yourself and attend all the clinic days, or just join us for a single day to brush up on specific skills.

• What’s Included: Expert instruction, great camaraderie, and the kind of on-the-water education you can only get from practicing in the wild.

Reserve Your Spot

Because we pride ourselves on small group sizes and intimate, personalized instruction, space for these annual clinics is highly limited. If you are interested in joining our next Whitewater & Poling Clinic, please contact us or call us at 207-852-7825 as soon as possible. We will provide you with this year’s dates, exact locations, and everything you need to know to get on the water with us!