Missinaibi River
Information for planning a canoe trip down the Missinaibi River in Northern Ontario.
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The Missinaibi represents the best of what Ontario has to offer for whitewater canoeing adventures. It has incredible sights, excellent whitewater, that feeling of being very remote yet still with nice campsites, and all with easy access to the river (though the car shuttle is a bit tougher). This is the river worth having on your bucket list. If you paddle the lower section, you'll see the spectacular end of the Canadian Shield as it drops off at Thunderhouse Falls and into the James Bay Lowlands, which starts a remarkably different paddling experience.
The Missinaibi headwaters start oddly close to Lake Superior, but because of the height of land at that point, water takes the long journey northwards to James Bay instead.
The river is nicely divided into two sections by Highway 11. The first, Lake Missinaibi to the town of Mattice, is considered the "Upper Missinaibi," and the section from Mattice to Moosonee is the "Lower Missinaibi." Technically, the last few days of the lower are on the Moose River.
Depending on water levels, this is an intermediate-class river. Since it's northern Ontario, you'll need to be ready for the bugs.
Split Rock attempted this river in 2017, but we only made it as far as the Peterbell train bridge. It was a bonkers year for high water, and without covered boats, we didn't stand a chance. We had to stop at the train bridge and hop on one of Ontario's three remaining flagstop trains.
Missinaibi Lake to Mattice (upper)
This is the section to do if you're chasing the whitewater. The river is smaller, with plenty of technical rapids that require at least intermediate skill with whitewater. The entire route is Canadian Shield paddling.
Nights: 9-12 nights
Distance: 236 km total
Site booking
The entire length of the Missinaibi River is part of Missinaibi Provincial Park. Sites can be booked at Ontario Parks Reservations. If your first night is on Missinaibi Lake, you'll need to book that under the "Backcountry" tab. The rest of the river is listed under the "Backcountry Registration" tab.
Portages:
Location pins
Mattice to Moosonee (lower)
This is the route to take if you're looking for an expedition-style trip in Ontario with less emphasis on whitewater (though it still includes some.) You'll paddle to the end of the Canadian Shield and see it drop off into the James Bay Lowlands at the spectacular Thunderhouse Falls. Paddling through the muskeg lowlands is something to experience, albeit not necessarily as exciting as the rapids in the upper section. This section also ends in tidewater, as the Moose River reverses course and flows upstream as the tide from James Bay comes in—a rare experience for Ontario paddling.
Since this section doesn't require the same level of paddling skill as the upper, is a very popular route, especially with summer camps.
Nights: 9-10 nights
Site booking:
The entire length of the Missinaibi River is part of Missinaibi Provincial Park. Sites can be booked at Ontario Parks Reservations. If your first night is on Missinaibi Lake, you'll need to book that under the "Backcountry" tab. The rest of the river is listed under the "Backcountry Registration" tab.
Paddling distance: 322 km
Portages: 4; total distance: 5370 m (Source)
Location pins
Resources
Moosonee Tidal Chart - You're in tidal water when you reach the mouth of the Moose River. Bring a copy of the tide chart for your expected arrival and try to time your paddle down the Moose River to Moosonee. If the tide is coming in, the whole river flows backwards, and you won't be able to paddle against it. You'll need to wait it out. The most you'd ever have to wait for the tide to turn around is about six hours.
Resources
Blogs and trip reports
7 Reasons to Canoe the Missinaibi River - By Voyager Tripper
Maps
The Adventure Map - Missinaibi 1 - Lakes area (not required if you're just doing the river).
The Adventure Map - Missinaibi 2 - Missinaibi Lake to Mattice
Missinaibi: Journey to the Northern Sky - Lake Superior to James Bay by Canoe (book) - By Hap Wilson
Missinaibi River Canoe Route - Upper Missinaibi - Ministry of Natural Resources canoeing map
Missinaibi River Canoe Route - Lower Missinaibi - Ministry of Natural Resources canoeing map
Shuttle services
If you're paddling the lower end, most of your shuttle back is the Polar Bear Express train. You'll just need to arrange for someone to drop your car off at the train station.
Brian Porter (705-272-8268) may be available to shuttle your car(s) for you—assuming he still does this sort of thing.
Missinaibi Outfitters (Recommended based on their price)
Custom Maps
Upper Missinaibi
Lower Missinaibi
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