The Magnetawan River is a long
river
A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...
in
Parry Sound District
Parry Sound District is a census division of the Canadian province of Ontario. Its boundaries are District of Muskoka to the south, the Sudbury District to the north-northwest, the French River and Lake Nipissing in the north, Nipissing Distri ...
,
Ontario
Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
, Canada. The river flows 175 km from its source of
Magnetawan Lake inside
Algonquin Provincial Park
Algonquin Provincial Park is an Ontario Ontario Parks, provincial park located between Georgian Bay and the Ottawa River, mostly within the Nipissing, Unorganized, South Part, Ontario, Unorganized South Part of Nipissing District. Established i ...
to empty into
Georgian Bay
The Georgian Bay () is a large bay of Lake Huron, in the Laurentia bioregion. It is located entirely within the borders of Ontario, Canada. The main body of the bay lies east of the Bruce Peninsula and Manitoulin Island. To its northwest is t ...
at the community of
Britt
Britt may refer to:
Places
* Britt, Iowa, United States
* Britt, Minnesota, United States
* Britt, Ontario, Canada
* Britt Peak, Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica
* Britt Township, Hancock County, Iowa, United States
Other uses
* Britt (actress), Swedi ...
on
Byng Inlet.
The name of the river means "swiftly flowing waters" in the
Ojibwa language
Ojibwe ( ), also known as Ojibwa ( ), Ojibway, Otchipwe,R. R. Bishop Baraga, 1878''A Theoretical and Practical Grammar of the Otchipwe Language''/ref> Ojibwemowin, or Anishinaabemowin, is an indigenous language of North America of the Algon ...
.
At the end of the 19th century, the river was used to float
white pine
''Pinus'', the pines, is a genus of approximately 111 extant tree and shrub species. The genus is currently split into two subgenera: subgenus ''Pinus'' (hard pines), and subgenus ''Strobus'' (soft pines). Each of the subgenera have been further ...
logs to
sawmill
A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logging, logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes ...
s
downstream. The river gained recent renown when it was featured in
Bill Mason
Bill Mason (1929–1988) was a Canadians, Canadian naturalist, author, artist, filmmaker, and conservation movement, conservationist, noted primarily for his popular canoeing books, films, and art as well as his Documentary film, documentaries on ...
's film
Waterwalker.
The river has numerous rapids, such as, "The Thirty Dollar Rapids", "The Fourteen", "The Ten", the "Potato Rapids", "Poverty Bay Chutes", and "Cody Rapids".
The town of
Magnetawan
Magnetawan is a township in the Almaguin Highlands region of the Parry Sound District in the Canadian province of Ontario. The Township of Magnetawan was formed in 1998 through the amalgamation of the former Township of Chapman and the former V ...
is located on the river between
Lake Cecebe
Lake Cecebe is a lake
A lake is often a naturally occurring, relatively large and fixed body of water on or near the Earth's surface. It is localized in a basin or interconnected basins surrounded by dry land. Lakes lie completely on lan ...
and
Ahmic Lake
Ahmic Lake is a lake in Parry Sound District, Ontario, Canada, part of the Magnetawan River waterway in the Almaguin Highlands region. Ahmic Lake is approximately 19 km long and connects to two smaller lakes, Neighick (nicknamed Beaver Lak ...
.
Lock
Lock(s) or Locked may refer to:
Common meanings
*Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance
*Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal
Arts and entertainme ...
s were built here on the river to allow
steamboat
A steamboat is a boat that is marine propulsion, propelled primarily by marine steam engine, steam power, typically driving propellers or Paddle steamer, paddlewheels. The term ''steamboat'' is used to refer to small steam-powered vessels worki ...
s to travel further down the river from the
railway
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...
station at
Burk's Falls
Burk's Falls is an incorporated village in the Almaguin Highlands region of Parry Sound District, Ontario, Canada, located north of Toronto and south of North Bay, Ontario. The village, and the waterfall on the site, were named (for himself) by ...
. The locks officially opened on July 8, 1886 and are still in use today.
Municipality of Magnetawan
There is an Ojibwe community with the name Magnetawan First Nation
The Magnetawan First Nation () is an Ojibwe First Nation community in Ontario, Canada. The community is situated on reserve lands in Britt, Ontario.
Magnetawan Indian Reserve No. 1
Magnetawan No. 1 is a First Nation reserve 6 km east of ...
, the same name as the river. The community is on reserve lands on the river just east of Byng Inlet.
Canoe routes
The Magnetawan River also provides great canoe
A canoe is a lightweight, narrow watercraft, water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using paddles.
In British English, the term ' ...
routes for novice and more experienced canoe tripping
Canoe camping, also known as touring, tripping or expedition canoeing, is a combination of canoeing and camping. Canoe campers typically carry enough supplies with them to travel and camp for several days via a canoe.
Description
A canoeist ...
. Canadian Canoe Routes lists three Magnetawan River Canoe Routes:
Magnetawan River South Branch (35 km)
Magnetawan River North Branch (43 km)
Magnetawan River Loop No.2 (80 km)
Image:Upper_Magnetawan_River.jpg, Upper Magnetawan
Image:Upper Magnetawan River, canoers.jpg, Canoers on Upper Magnetawan River
Image:Magnetawan ON 2.JPG, Magnetawan River flowing through Magnetawan
See also
*List of rivers of Ontario
This is the list of rivers which are in and flow through Ontario. The watershed list includes tributaries as well.
Dee River, flows between Three Mile Lake and Lake Rosseau.
List of rivers arranged by watershed Hudson Bay
Atlantic Ocean
...
References
{{reflist
External links
Canadian Canoe Routes
Rivers of Parry Sound District
Tributaries of Georgian Bay