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The Mattawa River is a river in central Ontario, Canada. It flows east from Trout Lake east of North Bay and enters the Ottawa River at the town of Mattawa. Counting from the head of Trout Lake, it is long. The river's name comes from the Algonquin word for "meeting of waterways".
Two provincial parks are located along it: the Mattawa River Provincial Park stretches along both sides of the river's banks for almost its full length; and Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park, located about from the river's end.
Tributaries include the:
The Porte de l'enfer (Hell's Gate) is a peculiar cave in the river's bank speculated to be a native ochre mine. In 1761, Alexander Henry the elder reported on this cave and the myths surrounding it. It was said to be inhabited by an evil and fierce demon, hence its name. (1993). 9781895465051, The Association. ISBN 9781895465051
Evidence of a post-glacial spillway which drained the Great Lakes into the Ottawa River until about 4000 years ago can be seen at several sites along the river. There are at Portage de Talon and numerous cataracts and former river channels, such as the boulder pavement between Pine Lake and McCool Bay, 12–15 metres (39–49 ft) above the river's present-day waterline.
Other notable travellers on the Mattawa included Jean Nicolet in 1620, Jean de Brébeuf in 1626, Gabriel Lallemant in 1648, Pierre-Esprit Radisson and Médard des Groseilliers in 1658, La Verendrye in 1731, Alexander MacKenzie in 1794, and David Thompson in 1812.
In the 19th century, the river provided access to large untouched stands of white pine. The river was also used to transport logs to sawmills. The value of the Mattawa River as a transportation link ended in 1881 when the railroad was built to Mattawa.
Almost the full length of the river was protected as a provincial park in 1970 and has been designated as a Canadian Heritage River in January 1988. While logging is still an important industry in this region, its shores are now protected from further development and logging.
Today, the river and lakes are mainly used for recreation.
It is a non-operating park, meaning there are no visitor services. Permitted activities are mountain biking, boating, canoeing, fishing, hiking, hunting, snowmobiling, and swimming. There are 20 backcountry campsites provided and the portage trails are marked with signs and historic plaques. However most are in various stages of neglect.
Public access is on Trout Lake. Continue east on the river. Some older maps may still show the Tortue Rapids but these were blasted and no longer present. Turtle Lake follows.
From here the river goes north through several sets of small lakes (requiring a lift-over or short portage between each), before looping back and flowing into the north end of Lake Talon. But the historic canoe route bypasses this section by going to Lake Talon through Pine Lake, via Portage de la Mauvaise Musique and Portage Pin de Musique.
At the end of Lake Talon, portage around the dam. After Pimisi Lake, there are a few Class 1 rapids until the Paresseux Falls. Shortly after follows the Porte de l'Enfer (Hell's Gate) on the north bank.
There are two short whitewater sections inside Champlain Park but which become shallow and a rock garden in low water. The last portage before Mattawa and the Ottawa River is around the Hurdman Dam.
The race record was set in 1995 at 5 hours, 27 minutes and 53 seconds.
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