How it Began

Friends of Dumoine River began as a loose organization of individuals that were bound by a feeling that they were mutual friends of a landscape they loved, the Rivière du Moine watershed. They first wanted to do something about cleaning up the campsites already in existence along the Dumoine River. What began as a campfire chat has grown into a group of hundreds of virtual friends, several donors, and an active group of hardcore volunteers.

Our efforts

The Friends was formed in 2016 to clean and maintain the campsites along the Dumoine River. We placed 40 thunder boxes on campsites, repaired fireplaces, cut out canoe landings and portages and continue to install good trail etiquette amongst all users. In 2019 the Friends incorporated as a not-for-profit organization to pursue the goal of reopening the 150-year-old Tote Road that existed between the Ottawa River and the Anishnabe Red Pine and Grand Chute portages as well as up the Fildegrand to Six Mile Lake. Over the last four years we have invested thousands of volunteer hours and dollars in materials, transport, research, 'tool blades and worn-out work gloves' to recut the trail and rebuild foot bridges and campsites, as well as interpret our findings through signage, maps and this website.

Thank you to all the volunteers and donors who have gotten us this far. We are at the starting line for public participation and will need more help from donors and volunteers to make this trail into the lasting treasure it will be.