It is a remote, pristine, free-flowing, medium-sized Shield river, with lots of whitewater, best travelled in spring.

The legend is that a native of the area is said to have killed his wife, burned the bones and thrown them into the river.

It was established in 2002 and offers a remote whitewater river experience for persons with advanced canoeing and camping skills.

[2][6] The park features "spectacular scenery" as the Pukaskwa River flows through lakes and small wetlands that are linked by bedrock channels with shallow sandy till rock uplands and sand and gravel deposits.

[6] Canoeing the Pukaskwa River is considered to be challenging due to its remoteness and difficulty, and navigable only during spring run-off, from May to early June.