Magnetawan River Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Magnetawan River
Magnetawan River as seen looking downstream from the Highway 11 bridge at Burk's Falls
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
District	Parry Sound
Physical characteristics
Main source	Magnetawan Lake Algonquin Provincial Park, Nipissing District 45°39′45″N 78°59′12″W / 45.66250°N 78.98667°W / 45.66250; -78.98667
River mouth	Byng Inlet (Georgian Bay) Britt, Parry Sound District 45°46′22″N 80°30′25″W / 45.77278°N 80.50694°W / 45.77278; -80.50694
Length	175 km (109 mi)

The Magnetawan River is a long river in Ontario, Canada. It flows for about 175 kilometers (109 miles). The river starts at Magnetawan Lake inside Algonquin Provincial Park. It then travels all the way to Georgian Bay, emptying into Byng Inlet near the community of Britt.

The name "Magnetawan" comes from the Ojibwe language. It means "swiftly flowing waters." This name perfectly describes parts of the river!

History and Uses of the River
Communities Along the River
- The Town of Magnetawan
- Magnetawan First Nation
Exploring the River by Canoe
See also

History and Uses of the River

For a long time, the Magnetawan River has been important to people.

Logging and Lumber

In the late 1800s, the river was a busy place. Workers used it to float large white pine logs. These logs traveled downstream to sawmills. There, they were cut into lumber for building.

Featured in Film

The river became even more famous when it appeared in a movie. It was shown in the film Waterwalker by Bill Mason. This movie helped many people see the beauty of the Magnetawan River.

River Rapids

The Magnetawan River has many exciting rapids. These are places where the water flows very fast over rocks. Some of the rapids have interesting names, like "The Thirty Dollar Rapids," "The Fourteen," "The Ten," "Potato Rapids," "Poverty Bay Chutes," and "Cody Rapids."

Communities Along the River

Several communities are located along the Magnetawan River.

The Town of Magnetawan

The town of Magnetawan sits right on the river. It is located between two lakes, Lake Cecebe and Ahmic Lake. To help boats travel, special locks were built here. These locks allow steamboats to move past different water levels. This made it easier to travel from the railway station at Burk's Falls further down the river. The locks opened on July 8, 1886, and people still use them today!

Magnetawan First Nation

There is also an Ojibwe community called the Magnetawan First Nation. This community has the same name as the river. Their reserve lands are located along the river, just east of Byng Inlet.