Rivière des Monts facts for kids

The Rivière des Monts (which means River of the Mounts in English) is a river in Quebec, Canada. It flows into a larger river called Le Gros Bras. This river is located in the Charlevoix Regional County Municipality. It passes through an unorganized territory called Lac-Pikauba and the town of Saint-Urbain.

The area around the river is mostly covered by forests. There are some forest roads that help people get around. These roads connect to a main road called Parc-des-Grands-Jardins road. The main activities here are forestry (cutting down trees) and tourism.

During winter, the river usually freezes over. This happens from early December to early April. It's generally safe to walk on the ice from mid-December to the end of March. The river's water level changes with the seasons and how much rain or snow falls. The biggest flood usually happens in April when the snow melts.

Where the River Starts and Flows

The Rivière des Monts begins in a small lake high up in the mountains. This lake is about 796 metres (2,612 ft) (about 2,612 feet) above sea level. It's in a forest area, nestled between two other lakes: Lac Saint-Denys to the north and Thomas-Fortin Lake to the southwest.

The river's source is located:

• About 0.7 kilometres (0.43 mi) (0.4 miles) east of the border between Lac-Pikauba and Saint-Urbain.
• About 18.1 kilometres (11.2 mi) (11.2 miles) northwest of the village of Saint-Urbain.
• About 29.6 kilometres (18.4 mi) (18.4 miles) northwest of the town of Baie-Saint-Paul.

From its source, the Rivière des Monts flows for about 8.6 kilometres (5.3 mi) (5.3 miles). It drops quite a bit in height, about 467 metres (1,532 ft) (1,532 feet), as it travels through a deep valley.

Here's how the river flows:

• It starts by flowing southeast for 3.1 kilometres (1.9 mi) (1.9 miles) through a flat area. Then, it turns northeast and the valley gets deeper. Along this path, it meets water from Lac Michel and Plaisant Pond.
• Next, it flows east for 0.6 kilometres (0.37 mi) (0.4 miles) through a deep valley. Here, it gets water from Lac à Moïse.
• It then goes northeast for 3.0 kilometres (1.9 mi) (1.9 miles) before making a turn. After the turn, it flows southeast through another deep valley, where it meets another small stream.
• Finally, it flows east for 1.9 kilometres (1.2 mi) (1.2 miles), passing north of a hill called Mont du Gros Ruisseau, until it reaches its mouth.

Where the River Ends

The Rivière des Monts empties into the Le Gros Bras river. This meeting point is in the town of Saint-Urbain.

This mouth is located:

• Very close to Route 381, only 0.1 kilometres (0.062 mi) (0.06 miles) southwest of it.
• About 11.6 kilometres (7.2 mi) (7.2 miles) northwest of the center of Saint-Urbain village.
• About 24.3 kilometres (15.1 mi) (15.1 miles) northwest of the town of Baie-Saint-Paul.

After joining Le Gros Bras, the water travels about 9.5 kilometres (5.9 mi) (5.9 miles) southeast. Then, it flows into the rivière du Gouffre for about 25.3 kilometres (15.7 mi) (15.7 miles). The Gouffre River then flows into Baie-Saint-Paul, which is on the big St. Lawrence River.

River Name History

The name "Rivière des Monts" was first seen on a map in 1996. The official name was set on March 25, 1997, by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is like a government group that names places in Quebec.

Related articles

• Charlevoix Regional County Municipality
• Lac-Pikauba, an unorganized territory
• Saint-Urbain, a municipality
• Bras Nord de la rivière des Monts
• Le Gros Bras (Gouffre River tributary)
• Rivière du Gouffre
• St. Lawrence River
• List of rivers of Quebec