camping
Riding Mountain National Park
Journey to the centre of North America
©Outdoor Adventure Canada
Take a journey to the center of North
America, geographically speaking that is. Established in 1929, Riding
Mountain National Park (RMNP) is located in the southwestern part of
Manitoba and is surrounded by farmland.
There are several environmental regions contained within
the park; the Manitoba Escarpment, the Northern Boreal Forest; Southern
Boreal Plains; Western Highlands and the Plateaux Natural Region. RMNP
is 2973 sq kms in size and offers several car camping areas and backcountry
camping opportunities.
 Wasagaming
Campground has a beautiful beach on Lake Wasagaming, also known as Clear
Lake. The campground is conveniently located within walking distance
of the town. Facilities include full service washrooms with flush toilets
and hot showers. Kitchen shelters are provided within a short distance
of each campsite and there are sites for the physically challenged.
Site types include ones with full service, electrical and water, electrical
only and sites with no service. The park staff provides interpretative
programs during the summer months.
Moon Lake Campground is about 20 minutes north of Wasagaming
and you must self-register. Moon Lake also has a very pretty hiking
trail that takes you 9.2 km around the lake. Facilities include washrooms
with flush toilets and running water. Moon Lake has wheelchair accessible
sites and the washrooms have facilities for the physically challenged.
Like Wasagaming there are kitchen shelters, a picnic area and a small
beach. Please note that you cannot access the beach with a vehicle therefore
you will have to carry your boat about 100 metres.
Lake Audy Campground is located near the park's Bison
Enclosure and is about 41 km from Wasgaming. This campground has less
service than Wasagaming and Moon Lake campgrounds but you can enjoy
horseback riding trails, mountain biking and hiking trails. There is
well water and the privies are also wheelchair accessible. This is a
small campground and once again you must self register. Lake Audy has
a small beach where swimming is allowed. If you travel from one of the
other campgrounds to see the Bison enclosure, Lake Audy would be a beautiful
stop for a picnic.
Deep Lake Campground is further away from Wasagaming
and more remote than the other campgrounds. This campground has similar
services to Lake Audy campground.
For those of you with RVs there is Shawenequanape Kipichewin,
Southquill camp. This used to be called Lake Katherine. The unique feature
of this camground is, beyond tent camping and RVing, you may also rent
one of 40 teepees.
Whirpool Lake Campground is a tenting only area and you
must walk in to your site. There is a kitchen shelter, well water and
privies in this small campground. Motorized boating is not permitted.
There are many activities for visitors to Riding Mountain
National Park. Activities include hiking, mountain biking, horseback
riding, canoeing, sailing, swimming, scuba diving, tennis and golfing.
Clear Lake (Wasagaming) is said to have one of the nicest 18-hole golf
courses on the continent. You may also wish to join a guided car caravan
in the summer to visit other areas of the park. For a unique experience
you can take a pioneer wagon on some trails to backcountry campsites.
 There
are excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing, moose and elk are
among the animal inhabitants of the park. You may also see animals such
as bison, wolves and cougars. Riding Mountain National Park boasts the
largest population of black bears in North America therefore you must
be extremely cautious and hang your food. RMNP is also well known for
its wildflowers. You might also find it interesting to know that a species
of waterfowl that was nearing extinction, the Trumpeter
Swan, has made its summer home in the park.
Riding Mountain National Park is a diverse region that
provides something for every member of the family. From the luxury of
camping in a RV to roughing it on a walk-in campsite, there is an experience
to suit every lifestyle.
For more information please visit the
Riding Mountain National Park website.
Written by Laurie March
Photos courtesy Riding Mountain National Park
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Backpacking