Zec Maganasipi
Zec Maganasipi is a large, publicly managed area in Quebec where people can camp, fish, hunt, bike, and hike, while protecting the plants and animals that live there. It is a zone d'exploitation contrôlée (ZEC), located in the unorganized Rivière-Kipawa area in the Témiscamingue region of Abitibi-Témiscamingue, on Algonquin Nation land. The ZEC covers about 1,012 square kilometers and was created in 1978. The nearest town is Rivière-Kipawa.
From May to October, visitors enjoy camping, mountain biking, hunting, fishing, and forest trails. Holden Lake lies to the south, formed by a widening of the Ottawa River, which also marks part of the border with Algonquin Nation lands in Ontario. The ZEC has many lakes and rivers; the main lakes are Allouez and McCracken. Maganasipi Lake lies just north of the ZEC. Water in the area is drained by the Maganasipi River (about 30 km long) and by the Maganasipi East and West rivers, which feed into the Maganasipi River and then into the Ottawa River. The entrance station is at Lake Garcin.
The region is rich in fish—brook trout, lake trout, and northern pike—and wildlife, including moose and black bears. Lakes with fishing quotas include Boivie, Forgie, The Vernède, McArthur, Percival, and Slide.
The name Zec Maganasipi comes from the area’s water features. The Algonquin name Maingan Sipi means “river of wolves.” The name appears on maps from 1906 as Maganasibi or Maganasippi. The River Maganasipi name was formalized in 1916. Another Algonquin name, Nimakin Sipi, means “two rivers coming out of the lake.” A former Maganasipi area had a post office from 1923 to 1945. The name Zec Maganasipi was officially adopted on August 5, 1982.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 06:34 (CET).