Canoeing the Petite Riviere Rouge and Riviere Petite Nation

Petite Riviere Rouge stands for Small Red River (for the other Red river, the raftable one, see blog ''Taking Quebec......''). There is a few Red river in Quebec. Red probably comes from ferric oxides (rust) that can be abundant in several river beds of the Laurentian mountains. Petite Nation stands for Small Nation which was the name of an indian tribe. These two rivers meet downstream of St-André Avelin which keeps the Petite Riviere Rouge name and ends up in the Ottawa river at Plaisance on Quebec side. Plaisance is an 1:30 hr drive west  of montreal toward Ottawa or 30 min drive east of Ottawa toward Montreal.

Someone can unload a canoe at Plaisance National Park. Go to Plaisance than go south and follow the signs for the park. From there someone can go upstream on the river or downstream to hangout on the Ottawa river. Here are some pictures from the river going upstream.

Petite riviere Rouge is a primary tributary of the Ottawa river.

Sorry, I am kind of a train bridge stalker

These pillars in carved stone are just perfect. I cant not take a picture.

Second section we canoed was downstream of St-André Avelin. No obvious parking this time, just pure luck. There are a few farms going north coming from Portage-de-la-Nation. One of the farmer allowed us to cross one of his field to reach the river bank. Its always possible to find people that gives permission to go on their private property when you ask in a friendly way and given that canoes dont pollute and makes no noise. We went upstream the Petite Riviere Rouge and then on the Riviere Petite-Nation on the left. Here are some pictures.

Yes there is a river somewhere.

Maps dont lie. I am confident we will see water soon.

There it is. The ride in the field was kind of surreal.

Canoeing upstream on this part of the river is no challenge.

Stopped here for a brake then came back. Having more time we would have roped our canoe up this rapid. To bad because that seemed a nice rapid to hangout in.