The River Dee (Welsh: Afon Dyfrdwy) rises on the slopes of Dduallt above Llanuwchllyn in Snowdonia at approximately 450 metres elevation, flowing northeast through North Wales and into Cheshire, England, before emptying into the Dee Estuary and Liverpool Bay. The section from Bala to Chester spans 113 kilometres (70 miles), and the river drains a basin of roughly 1,817 square kilometres. Average discharge at Chester Weir is approximately 29.71 cubic metres per second.

The river offers a wide range of paddling character across its length. The upper reaches around Llangollen feature whitewater from grade 1 to grade 4, including notable features such as Horseshoe Falls and the Serpent's Tail. A popular upper section runs from Carrog to above Horseshoe Falls, covering approximately 8.5 miles with grade 1 and 2 rapids. Further downstream, between Trevor and Overton Bridge, paddlers encounter easy rapids and two weirs that may require portaging. Below Overton Bridge to the tidal limit at Chester, the river transitions to a calmer touring character, passing through Cheshire countryside. In Chester itself, the river flows past Roman city walls and historic architecture, with the Chester Weir offering an urban whitewater play spot.

There is no confirmed public right of navigation on the non-tidal River Dee, and access arrangements vary significantly by section. On the Llangollen reach, paddling is managed by the Welsh Dee Partnership Ltd on behalf of landowners including the Davies Family, Midland Flyfishers Limited, Llangollen Maelor Angling, and Corwen and District Angling Club. Between 31 August and 19 October, paddling is only permitted when the water level reads at least 3 feet on the Rhewl gauge at 8am, with launching permitted between 10am (9:30am for commercial operators) and 12:30pm, and paddlers must clear Groeslwyd by 1:30pm and vacate the water by 3:00pm. Tubes and rafts are prohibited on this reach except for duckies, with a maximum of two persons per canoe or duckie. Natural Resources Wales operates a temporary fish trap between Worthenbury between March and June, active between dusk and dawn, marked by warning signs and lights.

In Chester, Sandy Lane car park (CH3 5UL) provides a well-established access point with built boat ramps suitable for larger craft and disability-friendly access, free parking for up to four hours, and public toilet facilities open April through October. A Paddle UK waterways licence is required to paddle many sections of the river.