The Noire River (also known as the Black River and Rivière Noire in French) is a tributary of the Ottawa River that is named after the dark colour of its water. Once a focal point of the logging industry in the early 20th century, the Noire is now amongst Eastern Canada’s most popular whitewater canoe trip destinations.
Springing from the remote wilderness just south of La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve in Quebec, this classic river flows through the Canadian Shield and is known for its sections of rocky whitewater alternated by meanders that flow through sandy valleys on its way to the mighty Ottawa.
The navigable section starts at the confluence with Coughlin Creek, about 237 kilometers from its end. From there, the rapids that can be run are mostly Class 1 or 2 making the Noire an ideal river for wilderness canoe trips. A total of 27 kilometres are runnable whitewater.
The Noire has multiple access points and as such offers a range of experiences from fly-in 8 day trips to shorter 4 and 3 night adventures.