Riding Mountain National Park

Riding Mountain National Park is a national park in Manitoba, Canada, established in 1933 and centred on a raised, forested highland surrounded by prairie. The park is noted for its mosaic of forest, lakes and grasslands and contains a staffed visitor centre and resort community on Clear Lake.

Clear Lake and the Wasagaming village are the most visited parts of the park, offering beaches, boat launches and campgrounds; trails radiate from the lakeshore into the surrounding highland. The park covers a large area that protects both upland forest and adjoining prairie, making it important for regional biodiversity and outdoor recreation.

The park was created by the Canadian government in 1933 to protect the riding mountainous highland and its lakes; visitor facilities and road access were developed through the 20th century to support camping, boating and hiking. It has since been recognised for its ecological value and forms part of a larger biosphere designation.

Riding Mountain sits in west-central Manitoba; the park’s central facilities are at Clear Lake, located inland from Manitoba’s western plains and reachable by road from regional towns such as Dauphin.

• Visitor hub: Park headquarters, visitor facilities and most accommodation are concentrated at the Wasagaming resort on Clear Lake.
• Conservation status: Designated as a UNESCO biosphere reserve, the park protects a mix of forested highlands and prairie grasslands across several thousand square kilometres.

What to See #

• Wasagaming: The park's main lakeside centre and visitor services are based at Wasagaming, a resort village on Clear Lake that contains campgrounds, shops and the park's visitor information.
• Clear Lake: Clear Lake is the park's largest lake and the focal point for boating, swimming and shoreline recreation during summer months.