The Toad River is a
river
A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater
Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. Although the ...
in the
Canadian boreal forest, within the borders of the
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outsi ...
of
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include ...
.
The Toad River was named for the numerous large toads seen along its banks by fur traders of the early 19th century.
John McLeod of the
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC; french: Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson) is a Canadian retail business group. A fur trade, fur trading business for much of its existence, HBC now owns and operates retail stores in Canada. The company's namesake b ...
, who traveled up the river in 1831, wrote: "it derives its appellation from the number of Toads seen along its banks and some are of immense size; I have seen some which weighed upwards of a pound, and the Indians inform me there are some to be seen of a much larger size."
The traditional indigenous name for the river is Tsal-eh-chesi.
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]
Course
The Toad River flows generally north and northeast, passing through Muncho Lake Provincial Park, to join the Liard River
The Liard River of the North American boreal forest flows through Yukon, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories, Canada. Rising in the Saint Cyr Range of the Pelly Mountains in southeastern Yukon, it flows southeast through British C ...
. The Liard River is a tributary of the Mackenzie River, which empties into the Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceans. It spans an area of approximately and is known as the coldest of all the oceans. The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) recognizes it as an ocean, ...
. The community of Toad River, British Columbia is located in the lower reaches of the river where it is crossed by the