The Malbaie River in the Charlevoix region empties into the Saint Lawrence River at La Malbaie. Until 1985 the river was used to transport logs downstream. It flows through a steep valley known as Les Hautes Gorges. A sugar maple and American elm forest grows in the gorge and has remained largely undisturbed for hundreds of years.
Le parc national des Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie is home to Eastern Canada's tallest rock-faced cliffs. Designated a national park (of the province of Québec) in 2000, the 233-km2 Hautes-Gorges is the centrepiece of the UNESCO Charlevoix biosphere reserve.
The Malbaie River in the Gaspé Peninsula empties into the Baie de la Malbaie on the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. A barachois has formed at the mouth of the river, while the salt marshes there are home to yellow rail and Nelson's sharp-tailed sparrow. The river also provides spawning habitat for Atlantic salmon. The Nature Conservancy of Canada has initiated a project to protect the area.
Coordinates: 47°39′18″N 70°08′48″W / 47.6550°N 70.1467°W