Riding Mountain National Park

Riding Mountain National Park rises from the Manitoba plains like a geological surprise. The Riding Mountain Escarpment — an ancient plateau edge that lifts the park’s surface 400–500 metres above the surrounding farmland — creates a ecological island of boreal forest, mixed aspen parkland, and fescue prairie that stands in dramatic contrast to the agricultural fields stretching to every horizon below. From the escarpment rim, on a clear day, you can see 40 kilometres across the plains and understand immediately why the First Nations who used this elevated terrain for thousands of years valued it above all the landscape around it.

The park covers 2,973 square kilometres in west-central Manitoba, roughly 250 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. It is one of the most ecologically diverse parks in the prairie region, sitting at the convergence of three distinct ecosystems: boreal forest dominates the north and east, aspen parkland covers the central areas, and patches of fescue prairie — the rarest grassland type in Canada — survive in the south and west. The wildlife reflects this diversity: black bears, elk, moose, wolves, lynx, and a resident herd of plains bison that has grown from a reintroduction effort to approximately 50 animals, all inhabiting ranges that shift between forest and grassland depending on season and individual preference.

The town of Wasagaming on the south shore of Clear Lake is the park’s service hub and one of Canada’s most pleasant national park communities. The combination of heritage log buildings, a genuine sandy beach, paddleboat rentals, golf course, and a main street of restaurants and ice cream shops gives Wasagaming a warmly nostalgic quality — a place that has been a family summer destination since the 1930s and still functions as one without embarrassment or irony.

Top things to do in Riding Mountain

Watch wild bison at the bison enclosure

The park’s bison herd is maintained partly within a large enclosure in the eastern section of the park, where reliable viewing is available from a dedicated observation platform and a self-guided walking trail. The enclosure is not a zoo display — the bison range over a substantial area of native grassland, and the viewing experience depends on where within the enclosure the animals happen to be. But the probability of seeing bison from reasonably close range is high, and the context — an explanation of the plains bison’s near-extinction in the late 19th century and its gradual recovery through conservation efforts — gives the encounter a weight beyond simple wildlife watching.

The animals are genuinely wild in their behaviour and can be unpredictable. The viewing trail is designed to keep visitors at a safe distance while still providing excellent opportunities for observation and photography. Bull bison during the August rut are particularly active — the vocalizations, the sparring, and the dust-rolling displays are memorable even from a safety distance.

Beyond the enclosure, bison are occasionally sighted throughout the park’s grassland areas. The Bison Trail hiking and mountain biking route passes through habitat where bison are known to roam, and unexpected roadside encounters in the park’s less-traveled western sections are not uncommon.

Swim and paddle at Clear Lake

Clear Lake is Riding Mountain’s defining recreational feature for most summer visitors. The lake earns its name — at the designated beach in Wasagaming, the sandy bottom is clearly visible at depths that would be murky in prairie lakes fed by agricultural runoff. The lake is fed primarily by direct precipitation and the park’s undisturbed forest, giving it an exceptional water quality that has supported the Wasagaming beach resort tradition for nearly a century.

Water temperatures reach 20–22°C in July and August — warm enough for genuine swimming rather than the bracing plunges that characterise most Manitoba lake swimming. The beach at Wasagaming is sandy, well-maintained, supervised by Parks Canada lifeguards during summer operating hours, and backed by the resort town’s amenities.

Paddleboat, kayak, and canoe rentals are available from the Wasagaming marina. The lake is 16 kilometres long, and paddling out from the beach into the open lake — with the boreal forest of the escarpment visible to the north and the clear water below — gives a sense of the park’s scale. Motorboat use is restricted, which keeps the water conditions safe and peaceful for paddlers and swimmers.

Discover Canada’s national parks and wildlife experiences

Hike the park’s trail network

Riding Mountain has approximately 400 kilometres of maintained trails ranging from short interpretive walks near Wasagaming to multi-day backcountry routes that penetrate deep into the boreal forest. The trail system reflects the park’s ecological diversity — different trails access dramatically different landscapes within a relatively compact area.

The Gorge Creek Trail (5 km return) follows a stream through a narrow gorge with old-growth forest on both sides — the kind of forest that covered much of Manitoba before widespread logging. The trees here are significantly larger than anywhere on the park’s periphery, and the understory is rich with ferns, wildflowers, and bird life.

The Grey Owl Trail (15 km one way), named for the famous conservationist who lived in the park from 1931 to 1935, follows the north shore of Clear Lake through boreal forest to the restored cabin where Grey Owl (Archibald Belaney, an Englishman who adopted Indigenous identity and became one of Canada’s most important early conservationists) lived and wrote. The cabin is maintained and open for visits.

The Bald Hill Trail (6 km return) climbs to one of the park’s highest points for panoramic views across the treetops to the agricultural plains below. The summit meadow supports a colony of Richardson’s ground squirrels (commonly called gophers in Manitoba) whose alarm calls and burrowing behaviour are a reliably entertaining wildlife sideshow.

For ambitious hikers, the Baldy Mountain Trail (32 km one way, backcountry) traverses the park from south to north and includes camping at several designated backcountry sites. Backcountry permits are required and available from the Wasagaming Visitor Centre.

Wildlife watching beyond bison

Riding Mountain’s wildlife diversity extends well beyond the headline bison herd. The park maintains healthy populations of elk — an estimated 3,000 animals — whose autumn rut in September produces the haunting bugling calls that echo through the forest. Dawn and dusk drives on the Ominnik Marsh Road or the access roads near the park’s eastern entrances frequently produce elk sightings.

Black bears are common throughout the park and are regularly seen from roads, particularly in blueberry-fruiting areas in late summer (August–September). The park’s wildlife management team monitors bear activity and posts alerts when bears are frequently sighted near roads or campgrounds. Bears here are wild animals maintaining a healthy wariness of humans; encounters are typically of the drive-by observation type.

The park’s bird life is exceptional for the prairies region. The boreal forest supports breeding populations of species rarely found on the open plains: great grey owl, American three-toed woodpecker, Connecticut warbler, and various species of flycatchers. The Ominnik Marsh is an outstanding wetland birding site, with nesting American bitterns, black terns, and yellow-headed blackbirds visible from the boardwalk.

Wolves are present in the park — the population is estimated at several packs — but rarely seen. Their presence is documented through tracking and the occasional vocalization that carries through the forest at dawn.

Explore the Wasagaming townsite

The Wasagaming townsite, at the park’s southern entrance on Clear Lake’s shore, is a heritage destination in its own right. The log commercial buildings along Wasagaming Drive date primarily from the 1930s and 1940s, built during the era of national park resort development. The architecture is rustic without being primitive — a conscious aesthetic choice that placed the resort community in harmony with its natural setting.

The Wasagaming Drive commercial strip contains ice cream shops, craft stores, a bakery, several restaurants, a movie theatre (operating since the 1930s), and a golf course clubhouse. The theatre — the Wasagaming Lake Theatre — shows films in summer and is a functioning piece of living resort heritage. The golf course, established in 1931, occupies forested terrain that makes it one of the more scenic nine-hole courses on the prairies.

The Parks Canada Visitor Centre in Wasagaming provides interpretive programming, trail maps, backcountry permits, and the orientation information needed for any length of visit. Interpretive programs for families run daily through July and August and include guided nature walks, campfire programs, and junior naturalist activities.

Book guided wildlife and nature tours across Canada’s national parks

When to visit Riding Mountain

Late May and June: The park opens for the season in late May. The forest undergoes rapid spring green-up, wildflowers are abundant, and bird breeding activity is at its most intense. Waterfowl on the marsh, warblers in the aspen, and woodpeckers throughout the boreal forest make June a birder’s paradise. The beach is not yet warm for swimming, and some services are still opening for the season.

July and August: Peak season with warm water, full services, maximum family activity at Wasagaming, and reliable wildlife sightings throughout the park. The bison enclosure viewing is excellent in August when the rut begins. Accommodation and campsites fill well in advance — booking 3–4 months ahead is important for the most popular options.

September: The park’s finest month for wildlife. The elk rut begins, the bears are intensively feeding on berries before denning, the crowds are dramatically reduced, and the aspen forest turns brilliant gold. Water temperatures are too cool for comfortable swimming but everything else is at its autumn best.

October: The aspen colour is at its peak in early October and the park roads through the forest provide spectacular autumn drives. The park remains open but Wasagaming businesses begin closing for the season after Thanksgiving.

Winter: The park is open year-round but visitor services are minimal. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on designated trails are available from December through March, and the winter forest has a genuine austere beauty. The bison are more concentrated and more visible against the snow background in winter than in summer.

Where to stay in Riding Mountain

Wasagaming campground: The main campground in Wasagaming, operated by Parks Canada, has over 500 sites ranging from unserviced tent sites to full electrical hook-ups for RVs. The location — within walking distance of the beach, the townsite restaurants, and the lakeshore trail — is excellent. Reservation through Parks Canada’s online system is essential for July and August.

Backcountry campsites: The park’s backcountry permit system allows camping at designated sites throughout the interior. Lake Katherine, Moon Lake, and the sites along the Baldy Mountain Trail provide genuine wilderness camping within an accessible national park setting.

Elkhorn Resort: The largest full-service resort in the Wasagaming area, with hotel rooms, chalets, an indoor pool, spa, tennis courts, and a full-service restaurant. The resort is open year-round and provides the most comprehensive non-camping accommodation option in the park area.

Log cabin rentals: Several private operators offer heritage log cabin rentals in and around Wasagaming. These cabins, some dating to the 1930s and 1940s resort era, provide the most characterful accommodation in the park.

Clear Lake Lodge and smaller resorts: Several smaller lodge-format properties operate in and around the townsite with various combinations of cabins, motel rooms, and lodge suites.

Getting there and around

By car from Winnipeg: Highway 1 west from Winnipeg to Highway 16 (the Yellowhead), then north on Highway 10 to the park’s south entrance at Wasagaming. The total distance is approximately 250 kilometres and takes about 2.5 hours. The drive itself is pleasant through agricultural Manitoba with the escarpment visible long before you reach it.

By car from Brandon: Highway 10 north from Brandon to the park’s south entrance. Brandon is 200 kilometres west of Winnipeg on Highway 1. The park is approximately 60 kilometres north of Brandon — about 45 minutes on a good road.

Getting around the park: A car is essentially necessary for exploring the park beyond the immediate Wasagaming area. The park road system covers the major access routes and wildlife-viewing areas, and a full day of scenic driving through the park’s various ecological zones is a rewarding way to cover significant ground. A mountain bike greatly expands access to the trail system for those physically capable.

Practical tips

Bear safety: Black bears are genuinely present throughout the park and bear-safe food storage is not optional. Use the metal bear boxes provided at campgrounds and picnic areas. Do not leave food, coolers, or scented items in vehicles overnight. The park’s bear safety briefing at the visitor centre is worth attending on arrival.

Wasagaming services: The townsite services run from approximately the Victoria Day long weekend in May to Thanksgiving in October. Outside this period, food and supplies are unavailable in the park. Stock up in Erickson or Dauphin (the nearest larger town, 50 km north) if arriving outside the main season.

Trail conditions: The park’s trails can be wet and muddy in spring (May–early June) and after heavy rains. Waterproof footwear is recommended for any hike beyond the beach area. Check trail conditions with the visitor centre on arrival.

Insects: June and early July bring significant mosquito activity in the forest and wetland areas, particularly around dawn and dusk. Long sleeves, insect repellent, and head nets for worst conditions make the experience significantly more comfortable.

Is Riding Mountain worth visiting?

Riding Mountain occupies a unique ecological position — the only substantial forested highland on the Manitoba plains — and the combination of accessible wildlife, a genuine resort tradition, and a trail network that ranges from casual strolls to serious backcountry routes makes it one of the most versatile national parks in the prairie region.

For families, it is close to ideal: the beach at Wasagaming, the bison enclosure, the junior naturalist programs, and the nostalgic townsite all work together to create the kind of summer holiday that children remember. For wildlife enthusiasts, the elk rut in September and the year-round presence of bears, wolves, and bison in a relatively accessible national park setting is exceptional value. For those driving across the prairies between Winnipeg and the Rockies, Riding Mountain is the most rewarding natural detour available.