ciao!travels
Hecla/Grindstone Provincial Park
hikes & bikes
By Kathleen Cerrer and Joelle Kidd
Chickadee Trail
Trail Length: 4 km return
Getting There: 35 min from Winnipeg, NE on
Hwy 59
Best for: Geology buffs and amateur hikers
Half an hour from downtown, Birds
Hill Provincial Park is a go to spot for
Winnipeggers looking to escape the city for a
day, with its beach, campgrounds, and nature
trails.
One such pathway is the Chickadee Trail,
the unique terrain of which was formed by
glaciation. These “eskers”, mounds formed
within
ice-walled
tunnels
where
streams
flowed
beneath
glaciers,
were used by
early settlers
to escape
flooding
Riding Mountain National Park
when the Red
10
ciao! / june/july / two thousand sixteen
River overflowed its banks after the spring thaw.
Halfway through the trail, an on-site
viewing tower tops the path’s highest point,
giving hikers a rest top to take in a westward
view of Birds Hill’s greenery.
Reeve’s Ravine
Trail Length: 11.5 km
Getting There: 2 hr 35 min from Winnipeg, W on
Trans-Canada Hwy and Yellowhead Hwy
Best for: Intermediate to expert cyclists and
daredevils
Amid the dense, hilly forest and winding roads
of Riding Mountain National Park are more
than 400 km of trails for challenging hiking,
backpacking, mountain biking and horseback
riding.
The newest trail in the park is Reeve’s
Ravine, built near on the edge of the rugged
Manitoba Escarpment. Built for bikers by Parks
Canada and the Manitoba Escarpment trail
society, this hilly trail gives thrill seekers steep,
quick flowing hills and gorgeous views along
the ravine.
Those not wanting to strap on a helmet can
find nearby fun within the park on many of the
shorter, family friendly trails that range from
1–2.4 km and are easily walk-able for all ages.
Photography: Hecla/Grindstone Provincial Park, Riding Mountain Nat ional Park, Spirit Sands Trail courtesy of Travel Manitoba.
Just a short drive beyond city limits, Manitoba offers a
bounty of beautiful trails that show off the picturesque
prairie land.