Hayes River

Hayes River
York Factory on the Hayes River, circa 1925
Name origin: Named for Sir James Hayes, a Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) charter member
Country	Canada
Province	Manitoba
Region	Northern Region
Part of	Hudson Bay drainage basin
Tributaries
- left	Fox River
- right	Gods River
Source	Molson Lake
- elevation	221 m (725 ft)
- coordinates	54°18′55″N 96°41′31″W / 54.31528°N 96.69194°W / 54.31528; -96.69194
Mouth	Hudson Bay
- elevation	0 m (0 ft)
- coordinates	57°03′27″N 92°10′45″W / 57.05750°N 92.17917°W / 57.05750; -92.17917Coordinates: 57°03′27″N 92°10′45″W / 57.05750°N 92.17917°W / 57.05750; -92.17917
Length	483 km (300 mi)
Basin	108,000 km2 (41,699 sq mi)
Discharge
- average	590 m3/s (20,836 cu ft/s)
Location of the mouth of the Hayes River in Manitoba.

The Hayes River is a river in Northern Region, Manitoba, Canada that flows from Molson Lake to Hudson Bay at York Factory. It was an historically important river in the development of Canada, and is today a Canadian Heritage River and the longest naturally flowing river in Manitoba.

The river begins at an elevation of 221 metres (725 ft) at Molson Lake which is about 90 kilometres (56 mi) northeast of the northern tip of Lake Winnipeg. A tributary of Molson Lake, Paimusk Creek, begins less than 3 kilometres (2 mi) east of the Nelson River. It leaves Molson Lake and flows north and northeast to Robinson Lake about 16 kilometres (10 mi) northeast. Just before reaching Robinson Lake the Echimamish River comes in from the west. This curious river connects directly to the Nelson River and was used by the voyageurs to travel from York Factory on Hudson Bay, up the Hayes and across to the Nelson and downstream to Norway House, Manitoba, at the north end of Lake Winnipeg.

Northeast of Robinson Lake is Robinson Falls and the mile-long Robinson portage which was the longest portage between Hudson Bay and Edmonton. Somewhere in this area is Hill Gates, a mile-long narrow gorge. Beyond this it cuts across Logan Lake, passes the settlement of Wetikoweskwattam to Opiminegoka Lake, where it takes the northeast-flowing Lawford River, flows through Windy Lake and over Wipanipanis Falls to Oxford Lake at a point about 80 kilometres (50 mi) northeast of its source at Molson Lake.

It flows out of the lake at Oxford House then southeast over Trout Falls to Knee Lake. Exiting Knee Lake, the Hayes passes over a series of rapids and via several channels and widens into Swampy Lake. At the east end of Swampy Lake, about 200 kilometres (120 mi) northeast of Molson Lake and 240 kilometres (150 mi) from Hudson bay is the Dramstone where west-bound travelers took a dram to celebrate leaving the most difficult part of the river. Including the rapids downstream from Knee Lake, in a 80-kilometre (50 mi) stretch the Hayes loses 5/7ths of its elevation in 1/6 of its length. From Swampy Lake it runs through a stretch of constant rapids, past Brassy Hill, rising 140 metres (459 ft) above the river, and takes in the right tributary High Hill River. The river continues northeast through a small canyon for about 100 kilometres (62 mi), therein passing over the Whitemud Falls and Berwick Falls, and takes in the major left tributary Fox River at an elevation of 43 metres (141 ft).