The Southwest Margaree begins in Lake Ainslie, the largest natural lake in Nova Scotia. The two branches meet at Margaree Forks. From there, the river flows to Margaree Harbour where it empties into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Together, the rivers are 120 kilometres long. They are the largest river system on Cape Breton Island.

MARGAREE-LAKE AINSLIE RIVER SYSTEM

Big Salmon

Before Europeans came to the island, the Mi’kmaq used the Margaree for fishing, hunting and traveling by canoe. In the 1700s and 1800s, the river formed a line between the Scottish villages on the southern side and the French Acadian communities on the northern side of the river.