Rivière à Mars North-West facts for kids

The Rivière à Mars Nord-Ouest is a river in Quebec, Canada. It's like a smaller stream that flows into a bigger river called the rivière à Mars. This river runs through a wild area called Lac-Pikauba, which is part of the Charlevoix Regional County Municipality. It also goes through the middle-western part of the Laurentides Wildlife Reserve, a big protected nature area.

The area around the Rivière à Mars Nord-Ouest is mostly covered by forests. People use forest roads for logging (cutting down trees) and for fun activities like hiking or camping. The main road in this area is called the "Consol Paper road."

During winter, the river usually freezes over from early December to late March. It's generally safe to walk or play on the ice from mid-December to mid-March.

River's Journey and Neighbors

The Rivière à Mars Nord-Ouest starts at a lake called Lac à Mars. This lake is quite high up, about 858 m (2,815 ft) above sea level. From there, the river flows for about 26.6 km (16.5 mi), mostly heading north. As it flows, the river drops about 279 m (915 ft) in height.

Here are some of the other rivers and lakes near the Rivière à Mars Nord-Ouest:

• To the north: rivière à Mars, rivière à Pierre, Lake Ha! Ha!
• To the east: rivière à Mars, Goéland lake, Stymphale lake
• To the south: Lac à Mars, "Lac des Bouleaux", "Lac des Pas Perdus"
• To the west: Pikauba Lake, Cyriac River, Marchand lake, rivière du Moulin

The Rivière à Mars Nord-Ouest eventually joins the rivière à Mars. This meeting point is called a confluence. After joining, the water from both rivers flows together for about 66.0 km (41.0 mi) north. Then, it crosses the Baie des Ha! Ha! for about 11.0 km (6.8 mi). Finally, it joins the mighty Saguenay River and flows for another 99.5 km (61.8 mi) east until it reaches Tadoussac. At Tadoussac, the Saguenay River mixes with the huge Saint Lawrence Estuary, which leads to the Atlantic Ocean!

Why the Name "Mars"?

The name "Rivière à Mars Nord-Ouest" is connected to its main river, the rivière à Mars. Both names come from an early settler named Mars Simard. He was one of the first pioneers to live near the rivière à Mars around the 1870s, close to the Baie des Ha! Ha!.

The name "Rivière à Mars Nord-Ouest" first appeared on maps in 1961. It was officially recognized on December 5, 1968, by the Commission de toponymie du Québec. This commission is like a special group in Quebec that makes sure all place names are correct and officially recorded.

Related Places

• Charlevoix Regional County Municipality
• Laurentides Wildlife Reserve
• Lac à Mars
• Rivière à Mars
• Baie des Ha! Ha!
• Saguenay River
• List of rivers of Quebec