Manitobas Parks

Manitobas parks have many different landscapes, activities and opportunities on offer. You can experience beautiful beaches, crystal clear waters, the amazing Northern lights and even Polar Bears! Many of the Provincial & National parks have information centers staffed by knowledgeable parks staff. Some also run educational interpretive programs mainly aimed at the children but good fun for adults too.

The two National Parks are administered and staffed by the Federal Parks Canada.

Riding Mountain National Park is approx 3 hours drive from Winnipeg. It is known for its excellent hiking and mountain biking trails and some of the largest elk, moose and black bears on the continent. You will need a Park pass to enter this park - these passes are valid for any National Park in Canada.

Wapusk National Park, covering 11,475 square kilometers, it is the seventh largest national park in Canada. Located on the edge of Hudson Bay, it is only accessible by plane or a 36 hour train ride from Winnipeg. It has many species of wildlife including beluga whales and polar bears. At present there is no entry fee to this location (subject to change).

The dozens of Provincial parks are administered by Manitobas Parks Conservation. They are continually working to expand the number of parks and protected areas in Manitoba and they say that "Manitobas Parks have everything under the sun!" There are several programs and initiatives to preserve the ecosystem and maintain biodiversity, for more information visit the Parks Planning page on their website.

Manitobas parks are broken down into five regions. The Northern region parks are rugged landscapes and clear water lakes. The Western region parks are amongst wide open prairie, big blue skies and wooded hills. The Interlake region, with its nautical feel is perfect for sunbathers and water lovers. Red River region offers recreational activities, historic sites and natural places. Eastern region is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts. The Manitoba Parks website linked above gives all the information on the Provincial Parks including a detailed breakdown of all the fees payable from day use through to camping.

All offer tremendous adventures, exploring and general vacations in areas of outstanding natural beauty. There is a plentiful and diverse range of wildlife to see and learn about and is a fantastic education for kids and adults alike!

I'll finish this page with the same advice as the other parks pages - Do Not feed the wildlife, take nothing but photo's and leave nothing but footprints. Most of all - have a great time!