Riding Mountain National Park is located in Manitoba and covers an area of 2,973 square kilometers. The Canadian National park is located 30 km south of Dauphin. As a visitor, you can visit the park which can be reached quickly and easily, as Highway No. 10 leads directly to the area.
The entire region of the Riding Mountain National Park is mostly covered with forests. The numerous whale areas are particularly suitable for hiking and offer animals living in the forest an optimal habitat.
You quickly notice differences to the rest of the prairie landscape of Manitoba, because the park area has an average of many lakes. People like to talk about the island of wilderness in the ocean from farmland.
Early on, around 1919, people were looking for a suitable area to create a nature reserve in Manitoba. The Riding Mountain Forest Reserve was finally declared a protected area in 1929. Just a few years later, in 1933, the Riding Mountain National Park was opened.
At the same time, the government of Mantisoba decided that there should be only one national park in the region. Riding Mountain National Park won the competition with Whiteshell Park. This was named a provincial park.
In 1986, UNESCO was also impressed by the Riding Mountain National Park and recognized it as a biosphere reserve.
History and Riding Mountain National Park
World War II did not pass the area of Riding Mountain National Park. Between 1943 and 1945, 450 German prisoners of war were used as woodcutters. The prisoners of war from Germany were arrested in North Africa and brought here to do the woodwork. All prisoners were released in November 1945 after the end of the war and sent back to their German homeland.
Animals in Riding Mountain National Park
A large herd of bison is kept in the park. These have their own area in a fenced enclosure. So they have enough space and are protected from predators. Several large mammal species share the habitat of the park area. These include wolves, moose, black bears and the elk.
Surroundings and tourist information in the national park
In Wasagming, which is located on the grounds of the park, visitors will find several shops. These facilities are also the only ones in the entire area. The B esucherzentrum was also built here. If you want to spend the night in the park, you can do so on one of the 6 campsites.
As activities visitors to the national park can choose from various sporting activities. Fishing, horse riding, hiking and cycling are all popular here. There is also the opportunity to play tennis and swim here. In particular, the network of over 40 developed hiking trails with all levels of difficulty is a paradise for everyone who enjoys hiking. Whether for a walk or a hike, everything is possible here.
As a guest of the park you can also experience Indians. These have settled on the southern edge of the park. The Ojibway Indians live in the Wasagamack Indian Reservation.
The town of Wasagaming-Clear Lake is also worth a visit. It is a small place full of romance surrounded by the wild beauty of nature.
Many photographers travel here because of these great views and motifs. Wonderful landscapes in an incomparable atmosphere make the hearts of the photo artists beat faster.
