The holiday season is the perfect time to enjoy outdoor winter fun and Manitobans are reminded to take advantage of all the great outdoor opportunities available in provincial parks.
“Spending quality time with family can be as easy as planning a trip to one of the many trails in our provincial parks,” Sustainable Development Minister Rochelle Squires said. “Manitobans don’t have to go far to participate in fun and active winter activities. And if the weather gets too cold, you can always enjoy one of the many available warm-up shelters.”
Provincial parks offer trails for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, tobogganing, fat biking and snowmobiling, along with outdoor skating ponds, hockey rinks and toboggan hills.
Park interpreters have planned several family fun experiences over the holiday break to encourage Manitobans to discover the province’s natural resources and cultural history, such as:
- Friday, Dec. 29 at Spruce Woods Provincial Park – trek along with an authentic fur trader from the Northwest Company to exchange goods, furs and stories;
- Saturday, Dec. 30 at the Spruce Woods Park Centre – meet fur traders at their winter camp and see them fire their muskets and cannons;
- Thursday, Jan. 4 at Birds Hill Provincial Park – snowshoe around the Nimowin Trail, followed by an outdoor fire with hot chocolate and marshmallows; and
- Friday, Jan. 5 at Whiteshell Provincial Park – snowshoe to the scenic Pine Point Rapids, howl for wolves and listen for their return calls with the park interpreter.
Free interpretive programs are planned throughout the winter and are open to everyone. Teachers can also book free guided winter experiences for their students with park interpreters. For more information, visit www.manitobaparks.com or email ParkInterpretation@gov.mb.ca.
Park staff are busy preparing trails for winter use but more snow may be required in some areas before trail grooming can begin. Trail grooming reports are updated online every Thursday, so visitors are encouraged to check trail conditions and weather forecasts before visiting parks to properly plan their outdoor adventure. Maps of winter trails and updated reports can be found at www.manitobaparks.com.
While events may be free, park vehicle permits are required year round in provincial parks. The 2017 provincial park vehicle permit remains valid until Apr. 30, 2018. Next year’s pass is available for purchase in Manitoba Sustainable Development offices and will arrive in retail outlets early in 2018.
