The Mattaponi River is one of the most pristine waterways of the Chesapeake Bay river system. Mattaponi is a Native American term for the river and is the name of the Native American tribe that lives nearby. The river begins in Spotsylvania County as the Mat and the Ta Rivers join to form the Matta River. The Po and Ni Rivers join in Caroline County to form the Poni River. The four streams merge in Caroline County to form the Mattaponi. The Mattaponi joins the Pamunkey River and forms the confluence known as the York River at the old Indian town of Cinquoteck known today as West Point. The river has three distinct characters. The 85 mile river begins as a small non-tidal stream in Caroline County and snakes toward the Chesapeake Bay as the border of King William and King and Queen Counties. The second part of the river that spans from the Zoar State Park to Aylett is a meandering stream allowing for canoeing and kayaking. Black crappie, catfish, largemouth bass, redbreast sunfish, and striped bass thrive in this part of the river. The lower part of the river is a large tidal river lined by vast expanses of marshes. This section of the York River estuary provides a habitat for migratory fish including alewife and blueback herring, catfish, striped bass, and American and hickory shad and is home to a variety of plants and bird species. Within  its freshwater tidal wetland are the homes to ducks, geese, herons, osprey, and bald eagles.

Native Americans
The Mattaponi River is the cultural lifeblood of the Native American tribes, the Mattaponi and the Upper Mattaponi. The people of the tribes consider the river as sacred believing that the river “gave rise to life itself.” The Mattaponi tribe has lived on this river for thousands of years. Captain John Smith was the first Englishman to see the river. The Mattaponi Indian reservation along the banks of the river in King William County was created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1658. The tribe traces its heritage back to Chief Powhatan, the father of Pocahontas. The reservation has dwindled to 150 acres and 60 -75 persons who now live on the reservation. The tribe itself has 450 members. It is recognized as a sovereign government and is led by Chief Webster “Little Eagle” Custalow. The tribe maintains a hatchery and marine science center, has a small museum, a church and a community Tribal center. The Mattaponi continues to live in harmony with the land and the river in its traditional work with the American shad. There is a Pamunkey reservation on the twin river with a lifestyle centered on pottery making, hunting and fishing.

 The members of the Upper Mattaponi Tribe also live in King William County. The Upper Mattaponi own 32 acres of land. The tribe was officially recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1983. Chief Kenneth Adams leads this small tribe that has strong ties with Christianity. Tribal life centers on the Indian View Baptist Church built in 1942 and the Sharon Indian School. The ancestors of this tribe spoke an Algonquian language and harvested corn, beans and squash and hunted deer. When the English came in 1607, these persons were members of the Powhatan Chiefdom and lived in an Indian town called Passaukack. Their reservation was established in 1677 near Passaunkack and near the Chickahominy Tribe. In the 18^th and 19^th century, these families were referred to as the Adamstown Band. In 1882, they received federal funds for education of their children. In 1919, the tribe built a small one-room schoolhouse, known as the Sharon Indian School which closed in 1965. The School is now on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Buildings. During the 20^th century, this band of families changed their name to the Upper Mattaponi Tribe.