Highway 651 was established on the Centennial anniversary of Confederation, but did not connect to any other roads originally; access to the route was provided from Missanabie.

From there it proceeds north through an isolated region of northern Ontario, passing through the thick forests of the Canadian Shield.

At the midpoint of the route, a short road branches off to the east, connecting with Dalton, a siding on the Canadian Pacific Railway's transcontinental line.

North of Dalton, the railway — which acts as the southwestern boundary of the preserve — and highway travel parallel to one another.

At that point in time, Highway 101 had not yet been completed between Wawa and Chapleau, and so the route was connected to the rest of the province solely by rail.