ACTIVE PURSUITS
These sports provide the perfect retreat for nature lovers wanting to catch a glimpse of moose, elk and white-tailed deer, as well as the fun of determining who made all the tracks that intersect your path! Birding is an additional activity that skiers and snowshoers can easily enjoy. Snow-trekking in the Riding Mountain region is a peaceful, scenic and hands-on way to discover wildlife tracks, beaver complexes, bird movement, and the deep peace of a sleeping forest.
SNOWSHOEING
Snowshoe along groomed trails or set out over frozen landscapes that might be inaccessible at any other time of year. With an experienced guide, you will enjoy exploring the countryside, learning about winter ecology, and viewing wildlife. Sunrise, daytime, and moonlight – each hour of the day presents different ways to engage with your surroundings.
Hiking trails are perfect for experienced snowshoers as they can offer both visual and aerobic challenges not found on flat terrain; this is fitness country or slow travel terrain…your choice! Or leave the trail behind and explore places you can’t reach in summer like ponds, marshes, and lakes. Get out your map, stuff your day-pack and enjoy the stories in the snow.
CROSS COUNTRY SKIING
Hearing nothing but the rustle of the wind and the swish of your skis, seeing the sun on snow-covered aspen, pine and spruce, catching a glimpse of wildlife, savouring the opportunity to be outdoors – these are the joys that cross-country skiing has to offer! Cross-country skiing in Riding Mountain allows you to enjoy the haunting serenity of the boreal forest, the silver-barked sentinels guarding the aspen parkland, or the gnarled-limbed grandfather oak of the mixed wood deciduous forests to the east.
In addition, you get the benefit of great aerobic exercise as you put your skis in the groomed tracks and see where they lead you. There are 26 trails in Riding Mountain National Park as well as many wonderful skiing opportunities in surrounding communities, all groomed by dedicated volunteers.
You can choose to visit one of the highest elevation cross-country ski sites in Manitoba at Crawford Creek Trail; or one of the most challenging day skis – Moon Lake Trail; the lovely and gentle Whirlpool Lake Trail; or a night ski under lights in Wasagaming Campground. Riding Mountain provides so many choices that all ages and abilities of skiers will find fitting and memorable experiences.