Eel River

The Eel River is a 42 km long right tributary of the Saint John River in the Canadian province of New Brunswick. It originates as the outflow of First Eel Lake at an elevation of about 138 m in the southwest of York County. The river initially flows 9 km north-northwest, then turns north-northeast, forming the boundary with the adjacent Carleton County to the north. Later, it flows eastward. Above the village of Benton, the Eel River is dammed for 7 km, creating a reservoir into which the Pocowogamis Stream flows from the south. In Benton, at river kilometer 20, the 32 m long covered bridge “Eel River No. 3 Covered Bridge,” built in 1927, spans the river. The river then flows 10 km southeast and, for the final 10 km, north-northeast before joining the Saint John River 18 km south of Woodstock.
The river is part of the historic Maliseet Trail, which connects the watersheds of the Saint John, St. Croix, and Penobscot rivers. The section from Benton to the Mactaquac Reservoir of the Saint John River was challenging for traditional birchbark canoes due to its steep gradient and current. Today, this section poses challenges for recreational paddlers with modern kayaks and canoes.