Settled along the eastern shore of Lake Winnipeg, with beautiful scenery, 12-meter (39-foot )sand dunes and a wide expanse of inviting sandy beach, Grand Beach Provincial Park is one of North America's best relaxation destinations. The park is known for its large sand dunes and natural resources which are supported by Lake Winnipeg, Canada's sixth largest lake and the largest within the borders of southern Canada.
The almost 6,000-acre park was established in 1961 by the Government of Manitoba and has been a tourist hotspot ever since, attracting thousands of visitors annually. Visitors will love relaxing on the wide beach as well as swimming and participating in other water sports in the warm lake waters. The region is a sanctuary for the rare piping plover as well as bald eagles and seagulls which offer excellent birding opportunities.
The park offer numerous family-friendly hiking trails. There is a boardwalk available as well as the historic La Verendrye Trail, with the Spirit Rock Trail and Ancient Beach Trail all offering visitors unique views of the park and the surrounding nature. Grand Beach is also a wonderful destination for RV campers. The resort has 353 campsites available to visitors with amenities to make your stay as comfortable as possible, making this park one of Canada's gems and must-visit for outdoor lovers.
Grand Beach Provincial Park is easily accessible by vehicle. The park can be accessed in about an hour and a half's drive north from Winnipeg through Highway 59 to the Grand Beach Turnoff. The roads in the region are mostly paved and should allow for easy transportation.
A park pass is required to enter the gates of the park. The drive from the gates to the campground is easiest if you use the east gate of the park. The beach area is pretty easy to access from all entrances and signposts give directions within the park making transportation very simple for visitors.
There is a very large parking lot accessed via Piping Plover Way. It's a short walk from here to the beach.
Grand Beach has a huge campground at the eastern end of the provincial park featuring 353 campsites. The campground has hot showers, flush toilets, and picnic tables. There's even a store where campers can purchase provisions.
The beach is within an easy walking distance from the campground, with hiking trails and the boat launch also within walking distance. There is a golf course, amphitheater, and medical facility all within 24 km (15 miles) of the campground. Reservations can be made through the park website.
Bring your hiking boots to Grand Beach as the park offers visitors some of Canada's best hiking opportunities. The park's Boardwalk Trail is the perfect introduction to hiking during your stay, giving you scenic views of the vast beach and the lake.
Other trails at the park include the Spirit Rock Trail, Ancient Beach Trail, and the Wild Wings Trail. There are also over 30km (18.5 miles) of back country trails where hikers can explore the wilderness regions of the park and experience the area's unique nature and wildlife.
The large lake at Grand Beach Provincial Park makes watersports some of the most popular activities here. There is a designated swimming area and the warm lake waters make swimming a favorite for visitors.
Boating is also permitted on the lake beyond the swimming area. There is a boat launch at the park as well as rentals for any equipment you will need at the lake. Kayaking and jet skiing are also permitted in designated areas.
Fishing is another popular sport at Lake Winnipeg. Visitors are allowed to bring their own fishing equipment from home and can also rent from the rental store near the beach.
There are a lot of fishing spots at the resort but the most popular one is the causeway bridge due to the diversity of the catches on offer. Catches include silver bass, walleye, perch, northern pike, and catfish.
Lake Winnipeg, and Manitoba in general, is considered heaven for Canadian bird lovers. The region has three migration corridors where nearly 300 species of bird are known to nest. The Grand Beach Marsh is a hotspot within the park and there are numerous birding and hiking trails within the park where visitors can see the park's diverse bird life.
Grey owl, cardinals, blue heron, and sea gulls, just to name a few, are typically easily spotted, but the park is mostly known for its large concentration of piping plover, the region's most popular endangered bird species.
In winter, most of the trails and grassland at the park become covered by large expanses of snow which makes snow sports a popular activity during winter. There are five designated routes for snow sports which begin and end at the same staging area.
Snowmobiles and cross-country skiing are most common on the trails, as well as, some snow hikers who want to view some of the park's plant and animal life in winter. Ice skating on the frozen lake is also popular among visitors.
Getting up close with Grand Beach's wildlife is a perfect way to spend an off-season day away from the beach. Bring your binoculars along as the park has some spectacular viewing opportunities for visitors.
Small mammals like rabbits, beavers, and squirrels can easily be spotted while hiking, as well as badgers and wild pigs. Hiking the back country deeper into forest areas will bring you closer to black bears, white tailed deer and foxes.
