The "rivière à Mars North-West" crosses the central-western part of the Laurentides Wildlife Reserve.

Upstream of the port, industrial and urban area, the "rivière à Mars" valley is mainly served by the "Consol Paper road".

The "rivière à Mars North West" is served by a few other secondary forest roads for forestry and recreational tourism activities.

The surface of the "rivière à Mars North-West" is usually frozen from the beginning of December to the end of March, however the safe circulation on the ice is generally made from mid-December to mid-March.

The toponym "Rivière à Mars Nord-Ouest" was formalized on December 5, 1968, at the Place Names Bank of the Commission de toponymie du Québec.