Outaouais

Dumoine River

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The map draws the full river. This route covers a section of it; the description says which.

About

The Dumoine River is the crown jewel of Quebec's 'Three Sisters' and Canada's last major free-flowing tributary of the Ottawa River. This 90 km wilderness masterpiece offers 28 rapids from Class I-IV, 13 portages, and 27 excellent campsites through pristine Canadian Shield granite terrain. Regarded as having the best whitewater and scenery of the three sisters, it features spectacular waterfalls like Grande Chute, old-growth white pine forests, and exceptional wildlife viewing. The river provides 5-7 days of world-class paddling from Lac Dumoine with reliable water levels May-September, attracting paddlers globally for its perfect combination of challenging rapids, stunning wilderness, and rich logging history.

Highlights

Last free-flowing tributaryWorld-class whitewaterPristine wildernessGrande Chute canyonFive-star campsites
Best season: May-September

Live water level

This route's document cites a hydrometric station. The links below open the operating agency's current reading.

The rapids this document describes

The document describes 28. The map shows 0, because it only places rapids a national survey publishes a coordinate for. The two counts measure different things.

RapidClassPortageSurveyor's note
R1R1
R1R1yesAt approximately 8 km
R4-5R4-5yes rive droiteP50m cascade possible, à D
R1-2R1-2Near Chute Panet
R3R3Rapides Santineleux
R2R2Rapides du Pin Rouge
R3R3Cordelle facile
R1R1Near Grand Pin
R1-2R1-2Rapides Marcs
R1-2R1-2Near Chutes
R5R5Near Chutes area
Rapides TexforR2-3yes
Rapides R2 1/2R2 1/2 R2.5yes
Rapides Horse RockR2yes
Rapides Big SteelR2-3yes
Rapides Cliff HangerR1, R2 R1-2yes
Rapides Little SteelR1, R2, R3, R2-3, S2-3 R1-3yes
Little SteelR2-1 to R4 R1-4yesMultiple rapids with various classifications
Sault #1 (chute)R1yesDébut sentier A-B: approche avec grande prudence à R1H5, portage 750m, remise à l'eau possible
Sault #2 (R4)R4yesPortage sur sentier, A: accès sentier A-C1: portage 200m
Sault #3 (chute)yesA: accès sentier EH, B: accès sentier B-C: portage 100m
Triple SaultR1-2yesTriple Sault: trois portages séparés (150m, 150m, 100m) ou un seul de 1500m
Rapides du PontR2 to R1-2 R1-2Rapids near pont area
Rapide En MasseR1-2Rapids near S4 area
R1R1yesRapids near 68 km marker
R1R1yes70m
R2R2yes30m
R1R1yesRapids near Chute waterfall at km 88

This table publishes no position for any rapid. Where a surveyor's note mentions a kilometre, those are their words quoted as written, and the figure was read off a scanned map: use it to follow their description, not to navigate. Most of these surveys were written in French.

Surveyed by Charles Leduc, 2026-01. DumoineLeduc2025C.pdf

The portages this document describes

The document describes 13 portage(s).

PortageLengthBankNotes
Grande Chute portage1300 mrive droitePrendre la route à droite en sortant de l'eau puis suivre les pancartes de portage ensuite le sentier qui longe la rivière est bien connu et ne peut pas se perdre, mais trop difficile pour le portage avec un canoe
Cascade portage50 mrive droite
sentier 50m vers une chute50 m
P350m à D350 mdroiteMise à l'eau possible dans le R4, Cordelle possible à D par 5A
P500m à G500 mgaucheMise à l'eau praticable après la chute pour éviter les rapides expérimentés seulement
Portage-vallée difficile à G (ou portage sur sentier à D)not statedgauche or droitedifficile
P100m100 m
Portage site pour une chute de 50m à gauche50 mgauche
Portage marked near R1 rapidsnot stated
R1 portage70 m
R2 portage30 m
182-3 100m100 mrive gauche
Barrage portagenot stated

The campsites this document describes

The document describes 27 campsite(s).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difficulty level of Dumoine River?

Dumoine River is rated Advanced. Whitewater ratings are not exact: grades change with water level and season. Verify current conditions locally before you paddle.

When is the best time to canoe Dumoine River?

The best time is May-September.

Where is Dumoine River located?

Dumoine River is located in the Outaouais region of Canada.

View interactive map View original PDF map

Sources

cartespleinair.org · voyageurtripper.com · blackfeather.com · paddle.ca · globeandmail.com · paddlingmag.com

Conditions change with water level and season. Grades and positions are for planning, not navigation. Verify locally before you paddle. Terms of use

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