The Musquodoboit River is a Canadian river located in central
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland".
Most of the population are native Eng ...
in the northeastern part of
Halifax Regional Municipality
Halifax is the capital and largest municipality of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the largest municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of the 2021 Census, the municipal population was 439,819, with 348 ...
. The river is approximately in length with roughly being traversable by paddle. It has a watershed area of
The name "Musquodoboit" is
Mi'kmaq
The Mi'kmaq (also ''Mi'gmaq'', ''Lnu'', ''Miꞌkmaw'' or ''Miꞌgmaw''; ; ) are a First Nations people of the Northeastern Woodlands, indigenous to the areas of Canada's Atlantic Provinces and the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec as well as the northe ...
, roughly translated to "beautiful water". It rises in the extreme northeastern part of the county near the boundary with
Pictou
Pictou ( ; Canadian Gaelic: ''Baile Phiogto'') is a town in Pictou County, in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. Located on the north shore of Pictou Harbour, the town is approximately 10 km (6 miles) north of the larger town of New Gla ...
and
Guysborough
Guysborough (population: 397) is an unincorporated Canadian community in Guysborough County, Nova Scotia.
Located on the western shore of Chedabucto Bay, fronting Guysborough Harbour, it is the administrative seat of the Guysborough municip ...
counties. Rising in the
Cobequid Mountains
The Cobequid Mountains, also sometimes referred to as the Cobequid Hills, is a Canadian mountain range located in Nova Scotia in the mainland portion of the province.
Geologic history
Geologically, the Cobequid Mountains are considered part of th ...
, the river runs in a southwesterly direction along the Halifax-Colchester county line through the fertile
Musquodoboit Valley
The Musquodoboit Valley ( ) is a valley and region in the Halifax Regional Municipality of Nova Scotia, Canada. It is administratively located in the municipality's Musquodoboit Valley & Dutch Settlement planning area and the western edge of the ...
; Glenmore Mountain is on the north and a series of low hills are on the south. Near the halfway point, the river changes course at a right angle, running toward the southeast where it empties into a bay on the Atlantic Ocean called
Musquodoboit Harbour
Musquodoboit Harbour is a natural harbour in Canada on the Eastern Shore (Nova Scotia), Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia.
Physical harbour
Located east of Petpeswick Inlet and west of Jeddore Harbour, Musquodoboit Harbour is a 10 km long estuar ...
. other communities along its length include Middle Musquodoboit,
Moose River,
Elderbank,
Meaghers Grant and
Upper Musquodoboit.
Dollar Lake flows into the Musquodoboit River.
The river is a popular recreational destination in central Nova Scotia, as its calm and lack of rapids or waterfalls makes it ideal for paddling sports like
canoe
A canoe is a lightweight narrow water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using a single-bladed paddle.
In British English, the term ...
ing and
kayak
A kayak is a small, narrow watercraft which is typically propelled by means of a double-bladed paddle. The word kayak originates from the Greenlandic word ''qajaq'' ().
The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each se ...
ing. According to estimates by the Province of Nova Scotia, there were 27,846 people residing within the Musquodoboit River watershed in 2011.
See also
*
List of rivers of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia's rivers all flow into the Atlantic Ocean through four unique watersheds: the Gulf of Maine, the Northumberland Strait, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and into the Atlantic Ocean itself.
Gulf of Maine
The Gulf of Maine system includes ...
References
External links
Musquodoboit Harbour headwater lakes - watershed flow charts
Musquodoboit Valley Tourism Association
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Rivers of Nova Scotia
Landforms of Halifax, Nova Scotia
Landforms of Halifax County, Nova Scotia