Introducing the 3rd Edition Manitoba Backroad Mapbook!
Get ready to explore Manitoba’s great outdoors like never before – the latest edition of our Manitoba Backroad Mapbook is about to hit stores. Featuring numerous updates and expansions from our previous edition, this is your ultimate guide to the best outdoor adventures across the province.
Nestled in the geographic centre of Canada, Manitoba is home to an expansive wilderness and just a few major cities, leaving the province wide open for outdoor recreation of all kinds. In fact, outside of the provincial capital of Winnipeg, there are just a handful of cities with a population over 10,000.
Paddlers, hunters, hikers and ATVers can explore a sprawling landscape rich with wildlife and beautiful scenery. From the grasslands, rolling hills and pine forest of the south to the rugged Canadian shield of the north and even Arctic tundra, there is lots to discover. And with over 110,000 lakes found throughout the province, this is truly a sportfisher’s paradise.
To help you navigate this diverse landscape with confidence, the Backroad Mapbooks team has worked tirelessly to bring you the most comprehensive and up-to-date maps and recreation information for Manitoba available on the market. This latest edition includes countless new roads, trails and campsites, along with a refreshed map design and added Crown land coverage.
All of our Adventure sections have been expanded and updated, including a complete reworking of the snowmobiling section. We have also added charts for multi-use trails and fish stocking. With this Mapbook in hand, you can explore Manitoba with the confidence of a seasoned local, even if it is your first time visiting the province..
To give you a better idea of all the adventure information we have packed into this Mapbook, here is a brief overview:
Backroad Adventures
Manitoba has no shortage of manmade and natural attractions that are easily accessed along the province’s highways, secondary roads and backroads, from charming small-town museums to mountaintop lookouts. In your 3rd Edition Manitoba Backroad Mapbook you will find close to 70 detailed listings for the best places to stop while exploring the province by car. Here are a couple of our favourites:
Gardenton Ukrainian Museum
The first Ukrainians arrived in the Gardenton area back in 1896, and this museum commemorates the rich heritage of these settler with exhibits of folk art, traditional clothing, a thatched pioneer home and much more.
Excerpt from 3rd Edition Manitoba Mapbook
Wreck of the MV Ithica
In 1960 the MV Ithica was caught in a windstorm and, after suffering a broken rudder, eventually ran aground about 20 km east of Churchill. The ship, which once belonged to the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, can be reached by foot when the tide is low.
Wreck of the MV Ithica. Photo via everythingchurchill.com
Fishing Adventures
Manitoba is known as an angler’s paradise, with over 110,000 lakes to choose from and countless rivers, streams and creeks. While many of the lakes and rivers of the south can be easily reached by car, the northern waterbodies are more remote and often have to be accessed by plane. In total we list close to 400 fishing lakes and over 80 rivers, providing you with tons of information on the best places to catch brook trout, common carp, goldeye, northern pike, walleye and more. Here are a couple of our favourites:
Lake of the Prairies
Known as one of the best pike fishing lakes in the province, this man made lake has produced over 1,550 Master Angler-sized fish of a variety of species, including burbot, carp, goldeye, perch and walleye..
Excerpt from 3rd Edition Manitoba Backroad Mapbook.
Red River
Known as the Catfish Capital of the World, the Red River has produced over 27,000 Master Angler-sized fish and holds the provincial record for largest carp, mooneye and walleye, as well as the aforementioned catfish.
Channel catfish caught on the Red River. Photo via huntfishmanitoba.ca
Hunting Adventures
With habitats ranging from Arctic tundra to rolling sand dunes, your options for hunting in Manitoba are incredibly diverse. Big game such as deer, moose, bear and caribou can be found throughout the province, and large lakes found in Manitoba create large concentrations of migrating waterfowl. In your 3rd Edition Backroad Mapbook you will find detailed descriptions of all the province’s major hunting species along with tips on how to find them. We also provide you with information on regulations and breakdowns of each of Manitoba’s 62 Game Hunting Areas. Here are a couple of our favourite Areas to hunt in:
Game Hunting Area 10
There are thousands of lakes within this Area, making for some of the best moose and caribou hunting in the province (without getting on a plane). You may be competing with bears and wolves for the abundant ungulates, but this creates new hunting opportunities in itself.
Excerpt from 3rd Edition Manitoba Backroad Mapbook.
Game Hunting Areas 25/25A/25B
Bordered by Lake Winnipeg to the east and Lake Manitoba to the west, these Game Hunting Areas have some of the best white-tailed deer hunting in the province. Elk and black bear are abundant as well, and the many lakes are rich with waterfowl.
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Waterfowl hunting in the Interlakes region. Video via Interlake Outdoors
Paddling Adventures
There are countless streams and rivers that connect Manitoba’s lakes, creating an abundance of possible routes for canoers and kayakers. As you move north your options increase, with plenty of big rivers flowing into Hudson’s Bay. In total, this Mapbook contains over 100 paddling routes, ranging from easy afternoon paddles on small lakes to extended wilderness canoe trips on remote river systems, complete with distances, difficulties, portages, camping information and more. Here are a couple of our favourite paddling routes in the province:
Bloodvein River
TThe Bloodvein is one of the Manitoba’s best known rivers and is frequently ranked as one of the best whitewater canoeing rivers in Canada. There are 112 sets of rapids and falls on the river’s Manitoba section, with quiet lakes and wild rice marshes found in between.
Canoeing the Bloodvein River. Photo via chrs.ca
Whiteshell Park
Beginning and ending at Caddy Lake, a 162 km (105 mi) canoe route leads you through this majestic park along a series of other lakes and rivers. Along the way, you can paddle through railway tunnels blasted through solid rock
Excerpt from 3rd Edition Manitoba Backroad Mapbook.
Park Adventures
Manitoba boasts a well-established system of provincial and national parks, home to some of the province’s most spectacular scenery and abundant wildlife habitat. Your 3rd Edition Manitoba Backroad Mapbook contains detailed listings for close to 90 parks across the province, including regional parks, municipal parks and local campsites. Here are a couple of our favourite parks to visit in Manitoba:
Nopiming Provincial Park
Sitting alongside the Ontario border, this park is characterized by a Canadian Shield landscape with rock outcroppings, jackpine forests, scattered marshes and numerous lakes and rivers.
Canoe tripping through Nopiming Provincial Park. Photo via bemytravelmuse.com
Riding Mountain National Park
This is Manitoba’s best-known park and is home to one of the greatest concentrations of wildlife in North America. Hiking trails lead you through a stunning wilderness where you can often spot black bears, beavers, elk, moose, bison and many other species.
Excerpt from 3rd Edition Manitoba Backroad Mapbook.
Trail Adventures
Whether you are hiking, mountain biking, ATVing, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling or snowshoeing, there is the perfect trail for you in Manitoba. From rugged climbs over rock escarpments to relaxing strolls through wildflower-filled meadows, there are plenty of options, and this Backroad Mapbook provides you with over 130 detailed listings for multi-use trails across the province, complete with distance, elevation gain, difficulty, trail access, highlights and more. Here are a couple of our favourite trails to explore in Manitoba:
Baldy Mountain Trail
Baldy Mountain is the highest point in Manitoba, at 831 metres (23,724 ft) above sea level, and you can drive to a picnic site near its top where a pair of easy trails lead you to an old cabin and stable and a viewing tower.
Excerpt from 3rd Edition Manitoba Backroad Mapbook.
Assiniboine Forest Trails
At 280 hectares (691 ac) in size, the Assiniboine Forest is Canada’s largest nature park. There are a number of short, scenic trails to explore here, which also link to the forested Harte Trail, leading you for 15 km (9.3 mi) to Beaudry Park.
Assiniboine Forest trail. Photo via theweathernetwork.com
ATV Adventures
From casual rides along abandoned resource roads to hardcore mud-bogging, long-distance trails through the forest and hill-climbs, Manitoba has it all, and your Backroad Mapbook lists over 30 of the best places to ATV across the province. These listings include information on trail distances, elevation gains, difficulty, staging areas and contact information for local ATV clubs. Here are a couple of our favourite places in Manitoba to ride an ATV or off-highway vehicle:
Duck Mountain Provincial Park and Forest
This is one of the few provincial parks in Manitoba that offers designated ATV trails. Trails weave around the park’s many lakes, leading you through a mixture of grassland, wetland and thick brush, while numerous trails can be found in the forest to the south as well.
Excerpt from 3rd Edition Manitoba Backroad Mapbook.
Woodridge Area Trails
From Woodridge you can take a trail in just about any direction. Head east to Whitemouth Lake, northeast through the Whitemouth River Ecological Reserve and the Sandilands Provincial Forest, west to Sandilands, south to the Spur Woods or north to the North Woodridge and Reynolds Ponds Trails.
ATVing near Woodridge. Photo via Woodridge Sandhogs
Snowmobile Adventures
Winter can last for a long time in Manitoba, meaning there is a long snowmobile season to take advantage of. There is a sprawling trail network that stretches from one corner of Manitoba to the other, maintained by a collection of dedicated snowmobile clubs who groom and sign the trails as well as advocate for the sport. In your 3rd Edition Manitoba Backroad Mapbook you will find close to 70 detailed listings for the best places to snowmobile across the province. Here are a couple of our favourites:
Flin Flon Area Trails
Ranging from flat, wide groomed trails to challenging, narrow and rough trails through forests and rocky ridges, there is something for everyone on the hundreds of kilometers of trails found around Flin Flon
Snowmobiling near Flin Flon. Photo via The Reminder
Gillam Trails
While getting to the remote community of Gillam is an adventure in itself, once you make the 300 km drive there you can explore an extensive network of snowmobile trails that lead you deep into the northern Manitoba wilderness.
Excerpt from 3rd Edition Manitoba Backroad Mapbook.
Wildlife Adventures
From the thousands of migrating birds that pass through the Interlakes region to the polar bears and beluga whales of the far north and everything in between, Manitoba offers a huge diversity of wildlife to see. In the 3rd Edition Manitoba Backroad Mapbook you will find over 90 listings for the best places to view wildlife in the province, including Wildlife Management Areas, Provincial Parks, Nature Preserves, Conservation Areas, Important Bird Areas and Waterfowl Refuges. Here are a couple of our favourite places to whip out the binoculars:
Big Grass Marsh Game Bird Refuge
Encompassing 5,000 hectares (12,355 ac) of marsh and grassland, this game bird refuge protects the province’s most important flyway for sandhill cranes and is also home to one of the largest nesting populations of Franklin’s gulls in Canada, among numerous other species.
Excerpt from 3rd Edition Manitoba Backroad Mapbook.
Churchill Wildlife Management Area
This massive wildlife area is Manitoba’s largest and is found in the province’s far north. Polar bears are the main attraction here but there are numerous other species to see including arctic fox, caribou and over 225 types of birds.
Polar Bear near Churchill. Photo via Wikimedia Commons
Winter Adventures
Winter is inescapable in Manitoba, and outdoor adventurers can make the most of it by exploring the many ski and snowshoe trails found throughout the province. The 3rd Edition Manitoba Backroad Mapbook includes close to 70 listings for the best places to get outdoors in the winter, including downhill ski areas, winter parks, municipal ski trails and more. Here are a couple of our favourites:
Asessippi Ski Area & Winter Park
Located in Asessippi Provincial Park, this is one of Manitoba’s few downhill ski areas and features 26 main runs, a terrain park, snow tubing and more.
Terrain park at the Asessippi Ski Area. Photo via Asessippi Ski Area
Riding Mountain National Park
Offering some of the best ski and snowshoe trails in southern Manitoba, there are 27 official trails in the park, with many offering warming shelters along the way. A backcountry cabin that sleeps eight is a popular winter destination.
Excerpt from 3rd Edition Manitoba Backroad Mapbook.
For more information on these adventures and many more, get your hands on a copy of our latest Manitoba Backroad Mapbook!