The Famous Margaree River

Place Names Margaree River North East Margaree River South West Margaree River Lake Ainslie Margaree Forks Margaree Harbour Gulf of St. Lawrence North East Margaree

The Margaree River looks like an old-fashioned painting in many ways. Green fields and clumps of graceful trees slope down to the water’s edge. It seems like a gentle, peaceful place. In the distance, the Cape Breton Highlands rise up to remind us that most of Cape Breton Island is rugged and not so gentle.

But the Margaree River is much more than a pretty place. Over hundreds of years, it has meant different things to different people. Today, we know it as one of the most historic and beautiful rivers in all of Canada.

Where is the Margaree River?

The Margaree River is really two rivers that join to form one. The North East Margaree River starts high in the Cape Breton Highlands. It is there, in clear, cold pools, that the river’s famous Atlantic salmon spawn.