The Big Canoe is back on the Mattawa River!
If you haven’t had the opportunity to paddle the 30 foot canoe, this summer might be your chance.
Experience stunning views of the Mattawa River on a guided Big Canoe Tour at Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park.
The Mattawa: a river of experiences
The Mattawa River has been an important travel route for millennia. Archaeological evidence shows Indigenous settlements above Lake Nipissing and the Mattawa River dating back 9,600 years.
At this time, the Mattawa River flowed more than 100 m higher than today, swollen with the glacial melt water of the last ice age.
For the Anishinabek and, later, Europeans like Samuel de Champlain, the Mattawa River facilitated travel and trade by canoe. Without the luxury of modern roads and railways, canoeing was the only option for navigating the rugged geography of the Canadian Shield.
The Mattawa River is infamous for its challenging, but scenic portages. Despite this, the ingenious birch bark canoes of the Anishinabek grew into enormous 11 m (36’) freighter canoes to satisfy the European demand for Canadian furs.
Voyageurs paddled and carried these 600 lb canoes across the Mattawa River, carrying thousands of pounds of trade goods and furs each season.
Paddle back in time
As part of a team, you can paddle a 30’ “Master Canoe” reminiscent of the freighters that French and Métis voyageurs of the North West Company used in the late 1700s.
Together with your fellow paddlers and guide, discover the role of these big canoes: Who built them? Who paddled them? What was life like for people in the fur trade at this crossroads in history? What lessons can we draw from these big canoes in our truth and reconciliation journeys?
Discover the Mattawa River: Big Canoe Tour
The tour is roughly three hours in length. Participants leave from the Big Canoe Boat Launch, paddle about 3.5 km down river (no portaging required), and stop at a hidden waterfall on the return to the launch site.
Although seasoned paddlers are welcome, no canoe experience is required. Just like the voyageurs of the past, the task of moving this canoe is group effort, and everyone will be supported along the journey.
The tour runs rain or shine, so please come prepared with:
- water
- snacks/lunch
- swimsuit (if you wish to swim)
- towel
- sunscreen
- bug spray
- water shoes
- rain gear (if forecasting rain)
Paddles, PFDs (person flotation devices), and optional voyageur sash will be provided.
Tour schedule
Tours will begin Saturday, July 4, 2026, and will run most Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays in July and August.
The Big Canoe Tour runs from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. We recommend guests arrive 10 minutes early.
After September 1, tours will be reduced to weekends throughout September.
A minimum of four adults are required for each tour to run. The tour can accommodate a maximum of ten (10) participants.
How do I register?
Pre-registration is required.
Registration closes at 7:00 p.m. the day before the tour.
In 2026, tours are available at no extra cost for campers and day users (with valid daily vehicle permit).
A $25 deposit per person will be held during registration. Deposits will be automatically refunded to participants following attendance of the program.
Registrants will be notified by phone if the tour is cancelled due to severe weather or low registration.
To pre-register, please visit or call the Park Store (705-200-9509).
To register, guests will require:
- credit card for deposits
- names and ages of participants
- phone number to call in case of cancellation
- email for staff to share tour details
For more information and accessibility inquiries please reach out to Ian Byerley by email or phone (705-491-1287).
We look forward to having you join us on our paddle through time!
