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Hi All,
I am planning a trip down the Petawawa from Lake Travers to McManus in early July, with 2 adults and 2 children. We all have some whitewater canoe experience on the Allagash and Shenandoah rivers, so we think we can probably handle what the Petawawa throws at us. However, since none of us have been on this river before, we could use some advice on how to approach the various rapids sections, and what to watch out for in terms of the possibly more problematic sections. I have heard that there is a Petawawa Whitewater Guidebook, but it seems very difficult to find. Does anyone have a copy they would be willing to sell (or lend) us, or perhaps just take a few photos of the relevant pages, to help assuage our uncertainties?
Martin
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I haven't done this route but this video shows good parts of it. He is doing the route from Cedar to McManus so you might want to fast forward a bit. Video Link
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This place in Ottawa has it:
Petawawa River Whitewater Guide - Shop Online at WorldOfMaps.com
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Staff at the FOAP bookstore told me a while ago that the Petawawa guidebook has been updated and is being reprinted. Theoretically available sometime this month (June). Call the Visitor Centre at 613-637-2828 for an update.
It is a beautiful river but don't underestimate the rapids on that stretch. Big Thomson, Rollway and the Natch rapids in particular are technical and challenging. The last ledge on Rollway has eaten many a canoe. Crooked Chute is a mandatory portage and pay attention to the various landing options.
Last edited by AO_GordB (6/11/2026 9:28 am)
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as an aside, I find that FOAP if anything is usually early to release reprints. several years ago I mentioned that I used to hand out Omer Stringer and Dan Gibson's "The Canoest's Manual" to youth along with their "certificate of completion" (generally 30-50 copies annually) and was told it could take a year or more to reprint them- imagine my surprise when I got a call 4 months early- they'd received their first gross of the new editions...
check often because it seems their reprints are in high demand and sell out fast...
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