Athabasca, river, 765 mi (1,231 km) long, rising in the Columbia snowfield of the Canadian Rockies near the Alta.-British Columbia line and flowing N through Jasper National Park, then NE and N across central Alta. to Lake Athabasca. It is the southernmost headstream of the Mackenzie River. Its chief tributaries are the Pembina, Lesser Slave, and Clearwater rivers. The Athabasca River has long been the main route to the Mackenzie valley. There are extensive deposits of oil-bearing sand along the river near Fort McMurray.

Athabasca, Lake, fourth largest lake of Canada, c.3,120 sq mi (8,100 sq km), c.200 mi (320 km) long and from 5 to 35 mi (8-56 km) wide, NE Alta., and SW Sask., at the edge of the Canadian Shield. A part of the Mackenzie River system, the lake receives the Athabasca River from the south and drains N into Great Slave Lake by way of the Slave River. Gold and uranium are found nearby. Fort Chipewyan was built (1788) at the west end of the lake by Roderick McKenzie of the North West Company and has been maintained. Steamers of the Hudson's Bay Company ply the lake in summer between Chipewyan and Fond du Lac, from where the canoe route runs by way of Wollaston and Reindeer lakes to the Churchill River. Philip Turnor, the British surveyor, surveyed and mapped the lake between 1790 and 1792.

Athabasca, Mount, 11,452 ft (3,491 m) high, W Alta., Canada, in the Canadian Rockies at the headwaters of the Athabasca River. It is on the edge of the Columbia snowfield, and the Saskatchewan and Athabasca glaciers flow around it.

Lake, western central Canada. It extends 208 mi (335 km), crossing the Alberta-Saskatchewan boundary. On the southwest it receives the Athabasca River, and on the northwest it discharges into the Slave River. It is important for its commercial fishing.

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Lake, western central Canada. It extends 208 mi (335 km), crossing the Alberta-Saskatchewan boundary. On the southwest it receives the Athabasca River, and on the northwest it discharges into the Slave River. It is important for its commercial fishing.

Learn more about Athabasca, Lake with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Athabasca is an anglicized version of the Cree name for Lake Athabasca in Canada, āthap-āsk-ā-w /a:θapa:ska:w/ “grass or reeds here and there”.

Related to the lake are several other geographical and administrative features called Athabasca. Most places named Athabasca are found in Alberta, Canada:

Geographical features:

• Mount Athabasca (3,491 metres/11,454 feet), a mountain in Jasper National Park, Canada
• Athabasca Glacier, a glacier in Jasper National Park, Canada
• Athabasca River, river in Alberta, Canada
• Athabasca Falls, waterfalls on the Athabasca River
• Peace-Athabasca Delta - Delta of the Peace River, Athabasca River, near Lake Athabasca
• Athabasca Tar Sands - oil producing region in Alberta, Canada
• Lake Athabasca, large lake in Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada
• Athabasca Pass, a mountain pass in Jasper National Park
• Athabasca Valles, a feature on the surface of the planet Mars

Administrative features:

• Athabasca, Alberta, town in Alberta, Canada
• Athabasca Landing, Alberta, former name (1880 to 1914) of the town of Athabasca, Alberta, Canada
• Athabasca County No. 12, Alberta - County of Athabasca in Alberta, Canada
• District of Athabasca, former district of the North-West Territory
• Athabaska (electoral district), (1925-1968) former federal electoral district Alberta
• Athabasca (electoral district), (from 1968) former federal electoral district in the Province of Alberta.
• Athabasca (provincial electoral district), former provincial electoral district in the Province of Alberta.
• Athabasca (former Saskatchewan provincial electoral district), former provincial electoral district in the Province of Saskatchewan.
• Athabasca (Saskatchewan provincial electoral district), current provincial electoral district in the Province of Saskatchewan.
• Athabasca University, distance learning university in Athabasca, Alberta, Canada
• Athabasca University Students' Union

Additional meanings include:

• Athabascan a family of Indigenous languages in North America.
• Athabaska Herald - Athabaska Herald of Arms, one of the officers of arms at the Canadian Heraldic Authority
• Athabasca (novel) - novel by Alistair MacLean
• Athabasca - character in Terry Brooks's Shannara series.

Also associated with the name Athabasca:

• Athabascaville, Quebec