Riding Mountain National Park

Riding Mountain National Park is located about  270 km west of Winnipeg, in Manitoba. The park covers a total area of about 2968 square kilometres.

Riding Mountain is a Canadian National Park. It was established in 1929. This was during a time when recreation and public enjoyment of nature were the prime reason for park development. This is, in contrast, to park development for the sole reason of protecting land with minimal invasion of natural integrity. As a result, Riding Mountain incorporates an entire village within the park with a variety of amenities.

It is 1 of only 5 national parks that has a resort townsite. The others in the Parks  Canada system include Banff National Park in Alberta. As well as Jasper National Park, Yoho National Park, and Waterton Lakes National Park.

Wasagaming:

Wasagaming is the name of the townsite. The population is seasonal and fluctuates drastically throughout the year. The only permanent year-round residents are mostly Parks Canada employees and their family members. It is located on the shore of Clear Lake near the southern entrance of the park.

On the fringe of the town within easy walking/biking distance is the main campground area where you will find over 700 sites.

and even Pontoon motor boats

I would suggest checking out clearlakemarina.ca  to get current rates for rentals and to make reservations.

There is also a boat cruise available that you can reserve for an hour ride, or as a 2 hour dining cruise.

In the village there are other places to rent equipment for recreation use on the water as well. 

Activities in Wasagaming:

When visiting the village you can also enjoy:

Miniture GolfTennis

A Playground

As well as Lawn Bowling and a Movie Theatre.

The park area adjacent to the beach is suitable for setting up personal picnic areas to enjoy a day at the water. There is ample free parking if you are visiting Wasagaming for the day. Lot P1 has room for big rigs. 

Biking:

You can bike around the campground- the internal roads are paved. You can bike in town on the roads. There are hiking trails you can bike as well. I had read reviews prior to our trip to Riding Mountain National Park that detailed what sounded like exceptional biking opportunities including a trail around Clear Lake. Unfortunately, I ended up being disappointed. The trails outside of the campground/ village are better suited to mountain biking. My bike is more set up for road biking and not particularly equipped to maneuver tree roots and dodge rocks. The trails are not very wide in spots and some trails get congested with slower family groups, people with dogs and even horses.

Hiking:

There are a couple of short hikes that start and end at the edge of the townsite.

Ominnik Marsh Boardwalk:

An easy walk through a marsh located about 5 minutes from the the Visitor Centre in town.For longer hikes consult the Canada Parks website. There are 370 km of trails in all areas of the park that range from easy to difficult.

The Parkway:

Highway 10 runs between the north and south entrances and essentially bisects the park. This is a picturesque drive with multiple trailheads and points of interest along the way. This is a 100 km round trip from the Wasagaming campground.

The route along The Parkway is your best chance to see wildlife. A large population of black bears call Riding Mountain National Park home so the chances are good that you might spot one along the drive.

Also along the drive is the intersection with Highway 19. Take Highway 19 if you want to access the East Gate. You will also find trailheads along this highway as well. The East Gate itself was built in 1933 and is a prime example of the 1930s rustic design style.I had to borrow this pic since Highway 19 is 30 km of dirt road that has signs posted restricting use to cars, trucks and SUVs only. Motorhomes or vehicles towing a trailer are not allowed. Since we travel in a motorhome I can only assume that the road is pretty rough. We were going to exit the park via the East Gate but had to re-direct ourselves once we saw the signs.

Boating:

You can bring your own boat for use on the lake and launch at the boat cove on the western edge of town. This is a large area and there is parking available for trucks and boat trailers. At peak times though you may have to park along the road. There is even a launch for canoes and kayaks.No personal watercraft like jet skis are allowed on any of the lakes at Riding Mountain National Park.

Fishing:

Recreational fishing opportunities exist within the bounds of the park. Walleye, Pike, Whitefish and Perch are available.

There are rules and regulations pertaining to catch limits and approved bait etc. You must have a Riding Mountain National Park Fishing Permit in your possession to fish and possess fish. Daily permits can be obtained at the Visitor Centre.

Elkhorn Resort:

The Elkhorn Resort is slightly past the south park entrance close to the campgrounds. Here you can find a full-service spa should that be something you would like to incorporate into your RV vacay.

Bison Range:

Riding Mountain National Park has a special area called the Lake Audy Bison Enclosure, which holds a captive herd of approximately 40 Plains bison. The enclosure is located kind of off the beaten path about 40km from the Wasagaming campground. The bison herd roams a 500-hectare enclosure. You drive on a dirt road through the enclosure and are required to stay in your vehicle. You may or may not see the bison. They are not necessarily standing on the side of the road waiting to be observed. I have seen bison at Custer State Park in South Dakota as well as at Yellowstone, so we didn’t make the 45-minute trek along a dirt and gravel road to see them here.

Golf:

There are a variety of opportunities to enjoy golf when visiting Riding Mountain National Park. Click here.

Things To Know:

1. Leashed pets are permitted.
2. Camping supplies and some basic groceries are available in town.
3.  I did not see a beer or liquor store. The consumption of alcohol or the use of cannabis is not permitted after 11 pm.
4. All grills and other cooking and food prep equipment need to be stowed away properly when not in use- not just at night. This applies to the middle of the day as well. The ranger drives around the campground regularly and checks to remind people as these items attract bears.
5. There is a gas station in town.
6. The bakery in town is known for its cinnamon rolls. You need to get there early though as there is always a line.
   
7.  There is a park entrance fee.

IMO:

Riding Mountain National Park is nice. The campsites at the Wasagaming campground are laid out efficiently and overall I found the campground to be quiet considering the number of sites compacted into the area.

There are a lot of activities in the area you can partake in. I did find the prices rather high. I think $40 is a bit steep to rent a kayak and paddle around a rather uninteresting lake. It is a tourist area though and as such the prices are expected to be inflated.

The village of Wasagaming caters to the high-end tourist with a few shops and some expensive rental cottages. It is a nice place for young families and older folks. There are none of the amenities like noisy kitschy restaurants and rowdy bars that you typically find for the beach crowd. 

I would recommend Riding Mountain National Park as an RV Place to Go because there is lots to do. I just don’t know why you would come all this way to do it, overall it is a bit boring.