History:
French River Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada  was designated a Heritage Park in 1985 in recognition of its "historic, natural, and recreational values". The French River Heritage Park follows the waterway route of Indian travel prior to European exploration in the early 1600's, the Voyageurs, and fur traders that followed later.

This magnificent representation of Cambrian Shield is an excellent specimen of glaciated environment, which dates to 900 to 1600 million years ago - some of the oldest rock on Earth. Glacial erosion is noted in the mouth of the French River Delta, Georgian Bay region, leaving behind an extensive exposed bedrock, mostly granite rock.

French River, the waterway,  was an important transportation system for Canada from 1615-1821. Ojibwa Indians named the "French River" because the river brought to their land French missionaries and explorers. Maps were produced for France by Etienne Brulé, in 1610 and Samuel de Champlain in 1615. The missionary Récollet and Jesuit Fathers came to live with the Huron Indians between 1629 and 1649, and then by the explorers Jean Nicollet, Pierre Radisson, des Groseillers and La Verendrye.

European traders transported furs from western and central Canada to the eastern trading centers and continued to develop the French River as a fur trade route throughout the 18th and early 19th centuries. Explorers Alexander Mackenzie, Simon Fraser and David Thompson used this important waterway route of the current Heritage French River Park too.

In 1870, pine logging developed over the next fifty years until the 1930's from the demands of western America. Logging Villages grew up along the area including, the French River Village and the village of Coponaning, a thriving saw mill community near the river’s mouth on Georgian Bay. Logs were floated down river to the mills, but often were blown ashore in calmer areas of the waterway due to westerly winds which caused jams. This brought about the use of the Warping Tug known as the Alligator and some of their remains can be seen today at the Dallas Falls along the French River.

Today, this historical route to the west is know for providing an outstanding recreation area combining tourism, extensive natural resources in Ontario out of door areas, and leaves behind many archeological finds from Indian pictorials painted on the rocks to canoe and shipwreck salvage found in the rapids, bottoms of the numerous falls, and the Georgian Bay. Most importantly, is the amazing fishery this remote, wilderness area produces.

A new visitor center for the French River Provincial Park opened near Highway 69 where it crosses the French River. The new center is part of the Ontario Living Legacy/Great Lakes Heritage Coast plan. Explanative exhibits and educational events related to the cultural and natural resources of the river, including the Georgian Bay coast area will be included in the Visitor center for visitors from around the world to view.
 
Winter sport enthusiasts in Northern Ontario have the added advantage of The French River Bridge, Canada's largest cable supported snowmobile bridge. It has a span of over 300 feet and rises to 50 feet above the French River’s water level. It is constructed of steel coated with acrylic and the surface has a treated wood deck. Structurally, it has interior and exterior spans of cables with concrete pads at each end of the bridge poured on Crown land bedrock. The Pickerel River Snowmobile Bridge completed in 2003 crosses 14 Mile Island at Hwy 69, has a 400 feet span and is 30 feet off the waterway. These bridges link a continuous snowmobile trail of 150 miles in Ontario. This will add to the local tourism opportunities for snowmobile travelers to our area for winter sports and events. Along with snowmobiling, other winter sports include: ice fishing, ice skating, and cross country skiing. Check the French River Resorts Association listing for French River resorts, lodges, hotels, motels, camps, cottages, and cabins open for winter outdoor tourists enthusiasts.

Future plans to increase the size of the French River Waterway Park have been placed under the Ontario Living Legacy Program. This new proposal will add lands along the shore of Lake Nipissing, the Key River, and in addition this will make a waterway link between Restoule and the French River Provincial Parks. In total, an additional 21,000 hectors would be added to the existing French River Park. A future suggestion to the park includes several islands in the Georgian Bay, near the mouth of the French River.