Fort Nelson River

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Fort Nelson River in western Canada

The Fort Nelson River is located in north-eastern British Columbia, Canada. It flows 517 km generally north-westward to the Liard River, a tributary of the Mackenzie River, which empties into the Arctic Ocean. The river drains a watershed of 55,900 square kilometers and is formed by the confluence of the Fontas River flowing from the east, and the Sikanni Chief River flowing from the south. These, along with the Sahtaneh and Muskwa Rivers constitute the major tributaries. The source of the Sekanni Chief, on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains, is ultimately the source of the Fort Nelson River.

The land through which the river flows is generally flat, a mixture of boreal forests and muskeg. The area is rich in wildlife, and forestry and mining (especially oil and gas) are major industries.

The river has a rich history. The Dene and Sekani First Nations used it for food and trade. The river itself is named for the town of Fort Nelson, established in 1805 by the North West Company as a fur trading post near the river's junction with the Muskwa River. With Fort Nelson's relocation to the west following the construction of the Alaska Highway in the 1940s, there are no longer any major communities along this river.