A voyage down the Clearwater River is a journey through quintessential Canadian wilderness and an important chapter in this country's history. The river's geological features represent every major era in the developmental history of Earth, from Precambrian shield in the upper portion, to the high valley walls of Devonian limestone at its end. The Clearwater anchors one end of the historic Methye Portage, over which passed many of Canada's early explorers and fur traders. The river played a vital role in the development of the Canadian west by providing a major transportation link between Hudson's Bay and the Athabasca district.