Whiteshell Provincial Park is a 2,729 km
2 park centrally located in Canada in the province of
ManitobaManitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
. It can be found in the southeast of the province along the Manitoba-Ontario border, approximately 130 km east of
WinnipegWinnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
. The park is located in the
Canadian ShieldThe Canadian Shield, also called the Laurentian Plateau, or Bouclier Canadien , is a vast geological shield covered by a thin layer of soil that forms the nucleus of the North American or Laurentia craton. It is an area mostly composed of igneous rock which relates to its long volcanic history...
region and has many rivers, remote lakes, boreal forest and bare granite ridges. It provides a variety of recreational opportunities as well as cottaging, camping and boating. The park has rare and interesting archeological sites of petroforms on flat granite ridges.
History
The Ojibway people and various other groups before them initially populated the area. The Ojibway, or
AnishinaabeAnishinaabe or Anishinabe—or more properly Anishinaabeg or Anishinabek, which is the plural form of the word—is the autonym often used by the Odawa, Ojibwe, and Algonquin peoples. They all speak closely related Anishinaabemowin/Anishinaabe languages, of the Algonquian language family.The meaning...
, first mapped some of the area on birch bark. The name of the park is derived from the cowrie shells that were used in ceremonies by the Ojibway,
AnishinaabeAnishinaabe or Anishinabe—or more properly Anishinaabeg or Anishinabek, which is the plural form of the word—is the autonym often used by the Odawa, Ojibwe, and Algonquin peoples. They all speak closely related Anishinaabemowin/Anishinaabe languages, of the Algonquian language family.The meaning...
, and
MidewiwinThe Midewiwin or the Grand Medicine Society is a secretive religion of the aboriginal groups of the Maritimes, New England and Great Lakes regions in North America. Its practitioners are called Midew and the practices of Midewiwin referred to as Mide...
. The historic
Winnipeg RiverThe Winnipeg River is a Canadian river which flows from Lake of the Woods in the province of Ontario to Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba. This river is long from the Norman Dam in Kenora to its mouth at Lake Winnipeg. Its watershed is in area, mainly in Canada. About of this area is in northern...
and the
Whiteshell RiverWhiteshell River is one of the major rivers in Whiteshell Provincial Park, located in southeastern Manitoba, Canada, near the Ontario border. This river is close to some petroform sites that are about 2000 years old or older...
are the main rivers that run through this remote park and wilderness area. For thousands of years aboriginal peoples used the area for harvesting wild rice, hunting, fishing, trade, and dwelling. In 1734, Louis-Joseph Gaultier de La Verendrye was the first European to explore the area during his quest for a route to the
Western SeaThe Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. Natives, fur traders, and trappers used the Winnipeg River as the main travel route across Canada, along with the
Whiteshell RiverWhiteshell River is one of the major rivers in Whiteshell Provincial Park, located in southeastern Manitoba, Canada, near the Ontario border. This river is close to some petroform sites that are about 2000 years old or older...
.
Whiteshell Park has many pink
graniteGranite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
ridges, cliffs, and flat granite areas used for
petroformPetroforms, also known as boulder outlines or boulder mosaics, are human-made shapes and patterns made by lining up large rocks on the open ground, often on quite level areas. Petroforms in North America were originally made by Indigenous Peoples, who used various terms to describe them...
making by First Nation peoples. There is also archaeological evidence of ancient copper trading, prehistoric quartz mining, and stone tool making in the area. The copper trade, going east to
Lake SuperiorLake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
, began approximately 6000 years ago. Many artifacts and prehistoric camps were discovered in the Whiteshell Park and are protected under the Heritage Act of
ManitobaManitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
.
Around 1920, the development of roads brought vacationers into the Whiteshell area. The first summer cottages were close to the
Canadian Pacific RailwayThe Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
and the
Canadian National RailwayThe Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
. A decade later, the province of
ManitobaManitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
established the Whiteshell Forest Reserve. Further roadwork continued, linking the reserve to
OntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
in the east and campgrounds and picnic sites further north. In 1961, Whiteshell was given
Provincial ParkA provincial park is a park under the management of a provincial or territorial government in Canada.While provincial parks are not the same as national parks, their workings are very similar...
status and was set aside for future generations to enjoy. A Manitoba Historical Plaque was erected at the Whiteshell Provincial Park by the province to commemorate Dawson Road's role in Manitoba's heritage.
Whiteshell Natural History Museum
The
Whiteshell Natural History Museum, opened in 1960 and located in a log building, features
mountedTaxidermy is the act of mounting or reproducing dead animals for display or for other sources of study. Taxidermy can be done on all vertebrate species of animals, including mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians...
wildlife displays of local animals. Other displays include the boreal forest,
Canadian Aboriginal peoplesAboriginal peoples in Canada comprise the First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The descriptors "Indian" and "Eskimo" have fallen into disuse in Canada and are commonly considered pejorative....
,
petroformPetroforms, also known as boulder outlines or boulder mosaics, are human-made shapes and patterns made by lining up large rocks on the open ground, often on quite level areas. Petroforms in North America were originally made by Indigenous Peoples, who used various terms to describe them...
s,
sturgeonSturgeon is the common name used for some 26 species of fish in the family Acipenseridae, including the genera Acipenser, Huso, Scaphirhynchus and Pseudoscaphirhynchus. The term includes over 20 species commonly referred to as sturgeon and several closely related species that have distinct common...
and the
Winnipeg RiverThe Winnipeg River is a Canadian river which flows from Lake of the Woods in the province of Ontario to Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba. This river is long from the Norman Dam in Kenora to its mouth at Lake Winnipeg. Its watershed is in area, mainly in Canada. About of this area is in northern...
. The museum is open in the summer season, and is located on PR 307 at Nutimik Lake. Admission is free.
Alf Hole Goose Sanctuary
The
Alf Hole Goose Sanctuary and Interpretive Centre is located at PTH 44, just east of Rennie. The sanctuary protects nesting Canada geese each spring, and the Centre provides information about the biology of the geese and the history of the sanctuary, as well as an observation gallery for the lake and interpretive programs.
Whiteshell Trappers Museum
The
Whiteshell Trappers Museum is located on the grounds of the Alf Hole Goose Sanctuary. Built in 1997, the museum is modeled after a fur trapper's
cabinA log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
. Interpreters discuss the history of fur trapping, trapping techniques, and local wildlife.
West Hawk Museum
Located at West Hawk Lake, the
West Hawk Museum features exhibits about the area's
geologyGeology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
, area gold mining, and the formation of the lake from the impact of
meteoriteA meteorite is a natural object originating in outer space that survives impact with the Earth's surface. Meteorites can be big or small. Most meteorites derive from small astronomical objects called meteoroids, but they are also sometimes produced by impacts of asteroids...
that formed the
West Hawk craterWest Hawk is a meteorite crater in Manitoba, Canada.It is 2.44 km in diameter and the age is estimated to be 351 ± 20 million years . The crater lies beneath the main central portion of West Hawk Lake and is not exposed at the surface....
.
Whiteshell Fish Hatchery Interpretive Centre
The Whiteshell Fish Hatchery Interpretive Centre lets visitors learn about the hatchery's activities in raising
lake sturgeonThe lake sturgeon is a North American temperate freshwater fish, one of about 20 species of sturgeon. Like other sturgeons, this species is an evolutionarily ancient bottomfeeder with a partly cartilaginous skeleton and skin bearing rows of bony plates...
,
troutTrout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
and
walleyeWalleye is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the northern United States. It is a North American close relative of the European pikeperch...
.
Directions
The
Trans-Canada HighwayThe Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins the ten provinces of Canada. It is, along with the Trans-Siberian Highway and Australia's Highway 1, one of the world's longest national highways, with the main route spanning 8,030 km...
(Hwy 1) will take visitors to Falcon Lake and
West Hawk LakeWest Hawk Lake is located in the Whiteshell Provincial Park in southeastern Manitoba, Central Canada. The central portion of the lake is formed by the West Hawk crater, caused by a meteor impact into an ancient rock bed composed of mostly granite. Granite cliffs surround parts of the lake. This...
in Whiteshell Provincial Park. Additional entry points to the park include Provincial Road 307 at Seven Sisters Falls and Provincial Trunk Highway 44 at Rennie.
Park Permits
Park vehicle permits are required year-round in Manitoba Provincial Parks. Permits are available at all campgrounds and district offices, as well as most business locations where fishing and hunting licenses are sold.
Wildlife
Whiteshell Provincial Park is home to a variety of large mammals including
black bearThe American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
,
mooseThe moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
,
white-tailed deerThe white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
, wolves,
lynxA lynx is any of the four Lynx genus species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English via Latin from Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes...
and smaller ones like
otterThe Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
,
martenThe martens constitute the genus Martes within the subfamily Mustelinae, in family Mustelidae.-Description:Martens are slender, agile animals, adapted to living in taigas, and are found in coniferous and northern deciduous forests across the northern hemisphere. They have bushy tails, and large...
,
fisherThe fisher is a medium-size mammal native to North America. It is a member of the mustelid family, commonly referred to as the weasel family. The fisher is closely related to but larger than the American Marten...
,
red foxThe red fox is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia...
,
minkThere are two living species referred to as "mink": the European Mink and the American Mink. The extinct Sea Mink is related to the American Mink, but was much larger. All three species are dark-colored, semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammals of the family Mustelidae, which also includes the weasels and...
, hares, beavers,
batBats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
s, skunks, raccoons, and red squirrels. The birds that can be seen in the park include
owlsOWLS is a mnemonic used by general aviation airplane pilots to assess an unprepared surface for a precautionary landing.Like all mnemonics this check has become part of aviation culture and folklore.OWLS:* Obstacles* Wind direction...
, bald eagles, ruby throated hummingbirds, chickadees, blue jays, grosbeaks, turkey vultures, redpolls, woodpeckers,
ospreyThe Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings...
, loons,
ruffed grouseThe Ruffed Grouse is a medium-sized grouse occurring in forests from the Appalachian Mountains across Canada to Alaska. It is non-migratory.The Ruffed Grouse is frequently referred to as a "partridge"...
, ducks and Canada geese. There are also snakes, muskrats, turtles and a wide variety of insects found in the park. The lakes and rivers within the park are home to
perchPerch is a common name for fish of the genus Perca, freshwater gamefish belonging to the family Percidae. The perch, of which there are three species in different geographical areas, lend their name to a large order of vertebrates: the Perciformes, from the Greek perke meaning spotted, and the...
,
walleyeWalleye is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the northern United States. It is a North American close relative of the European pikeperch...
,
jackfishCarangidae is a family of fish which includes the jacks, pompanos, jack mackerels, and scads.They are marine fish found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans...
,
lake sturgeonThe lake sturgeon is a North American temperate freshwater fish, one of about 20 species of sturgeon. Like other sturgeons, this species is an evolutionarily ancient bottomfeeder with a partly cartilaginous skeleton and skin bearing rows of bony plates...
, black crappie,
burbotThe burbot is the only gadiform fish inhabiting freshwaters. It is also known as mariah, the lawyer, and eelpout. It is closely related to the marine common ling and the cusk...
,
whitefishThe freshwater whitefish are fish of the subfamily Coregoninae in the salmon family Salmonidae. Along with the freshwater whitefish, the Salmonidae includes the freshwater and anadromous trout and salmon species as well as graylings...
,
troutTrout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
,
white bassThe white bass or sand bass The white bass or sand bass The white bass or sand bass (MoroneIt is the state fish of Oklahoma.- Range :White bass are distributed widely across the United States, particularly in the midwest. They are very abundant in Pennsylvania and the area around Lake Erie...
and
smallmouth bassThe smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of the order Perciformes. It is the type species of its genus...
.
Activities
- Boating – Boat launches are accessible at a variety of lakes and many resorts offer boat rentals.
- Canoeing and Kayaking – Up to 325 km of canoe routes are within the park. Paddlers on the Caddy Lake
Caddy Lake is a lake located in Manitoba, Canada. It is located near the eastern border of Manitoba . It is located in the Whiteshell Provincial Park. It has two islands and two campgrounds. The campgrounds are called Caddy Lake Campground and Green Bay Resort and Campground...
Canoe Route pass through tunnels in a wall of rock that were created when the railways came through this area more than a century ago.
- Camping – Camping is available at multiple sites in the park. Camping fees vary depending on facilities and services provided. Reservations must be made through the Parks Reservation Service. In Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
call 948-3333. Outside WinnipegWinnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
call 1-888-482-2267.
- Cycling – A 4.2-km loop is available at Betula Lake on Provincial Road 307. The South Whiteshell Trail is a multi-use trail system that accommodates cyclists. When completed, the trail will connect Falcon Lake to Caddy Lake
Caddy Lake is a lake located in Manitoba, Canada. It is located near the eastern border of Manitoba . It is located in the Whiteshell Provincial Park. It has two islands and two campgrounds. The campgrounds are called Caddy Lake Campground and Green Bay Resort and Campground...
and will be approximately 29 kilometres in length.
- Fishing & Icefishing – There are nine species of fish that will provide fishing enjoyment.
- Golf – Falcon Lake Golf Course is an 18-hole course and is one of Manitoba's premier courses.
- Hiking – Trails range from short three km routes to the challenging 60 km Mantario Trail
The Mantario Trail is a multipurpose trail in southeastern Manitoba, approximately 150 km east of Winnipeg.This 63 kilometer trail meanders through rugged Canadian Shield...
. Part of the Trans-Canada Trail is contained in the park.
- Horseback riding – The Riding Stables at Falcon Lake provide horseback riding.
- Sailing & Boardsailing – Falcon Lake & West Hawk Lake maintain sailing clubs.
- Scuba Diving – West Hawk Lake
West Hawk Lake is located in the Whiteshell Provincial Park in southeastern Manitoba, Central Canada. The central portion of the lake is formed by the West Hawk crater, caused by a meteor impact into an ancient rock bed composed of mostly granite. Granite cliffs surround parts of the lake. This...
, the deepest lake in the province, was formed by a meteorite, and is a popular spot for scuba diving and ice diving.
- Skiing – Cross-country and downhill skiing are available at Falcon Lake.
- Snowmobiling – Over 200 km of marked and groomed snowmobiling trails offer winter recreation.
- Snowshoeing – In winter, there is usually a thick layer of snow on the ground that allows snowshoeing on the trail systems and on the frozen lakes.
- Swimming – Numerous public beaches permit swimming and all lakeside cottages have swimming off their docks.
Lakes
Whiteshell Provinical Park has thirteen main
freshwaterFresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
lakes that are used for recreation which would include boating, watersports and angling. These lakes are:
- Falcon Lake
- West Hawk Lake
West Hawk Lake is located in the Whiteshell Provincial Park in southeastern Manitoba, Central Canada. The central portion of the lake is formed by the West Hawk crater, caused by a meteor impact into an ancient rock bed composed of mostly granite. Granite cliffs surround parts of the lake. This...
- Caddy Lake
Caddy Lake is a lake located in Manitoba, Canada. It is located near the eastern border of Manitoba . It is located in the Whiteshell Provincial Park. It has two islands and two campgrounds. The campgrounds are called Caddy Lake Campground and Green Bay Resort and Campground...
- Brereton Lake
- War Eagle Lake
- Jessica Lake
- Green Lake
- White Lake
- Big Whiteshell Lake
- Betula Lake
- Nutimik Lake
- Dorothy Lake
- Eleanor Lake
- Star Lake
- Red Rock Lake
In addition there are many more remote lakes throughout the park that are not easy to access, such as George Lake, Crowduck Lake, and Horseshoe Lake.
Today
The park is still used by aboriginal peoples for
wild riceWild rice is four species of grasses forming the genus Zizania, and the grain which can be harvested from them. The grain was historically gathered and eaten in both North America and China...
harvesting and ceremonies. Today the park is popular for swimming, boating, canoeing, hiking, cottagers, camping, fishing, and more. It contains part of the Trans-Canada Trail, although construction is incomplete. The species of fish that this section of the Winnipeg River System is best known for is its lake sturgeon. These gigantic bottom feeders can reach lengths of up to 20 feet long and can be up to 200 years old. Lake sturgeon are an endangered species and have to be released upon catching them.
External links
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