No pass required to enjoy parks in our province in February

Visitors to a provincial park, this month, will notice the park entrance booth dark and empty. That’s because the Manitoba government is offering free park entry for the entire month of February to encourage Manitobans and visitors to explore the many winter activities available in provincial parks.

Manitoba Environment and Climate Change Minister, Tracy Schmidt made the announcement this week.

“February is a great time to enjoy Manitoba’s provincial parks,” said Schmidt. “We know affordability is top of mind for many families, so I am pleased to announce we are waiving the entry fee to all provincial parks for the month of February. We encourage all Manitobans to get outdoors and enjoy everything our beautiful provincial parks have to offer.”

Though vehicle permits are not required to enter a provincial park in February, Snopasses are still needed for snowmobiles using designated trails, and entrance fees still apply in national parks.

Family enjoy crosscountry ski trails in Manitoba (Photo credit: Pam Little)

The province encourages residents to visit a provincial park this month and check out the many different trail systems with groomed trails across Manitoba.

Paint Lake, Spruce Woods and Turtle Mountain provincial parks also offer outdoor skating areas, hockey rinks and toboggan hills. Hecla/Grindstone Provincial Park has ice-fishing shelters on Lake Winnipeg that are free to use. People looking for downhill skiing and snowboarding experiences can visit the Asessippi Ski Resort in Asessippi Provincial Park or the Falcon Ridge Ski Slopes in Whiteshell Provincial Park.

Park interpreters in Birds Hill, Spruce Woods and Whiteshell provincial parks are offering numerous guided programs that enrich visitor experiences and promote stewardship of Manitoba’s park resources, noted the minister.

Snowshoeing in Sunrise Corner 2024 (Photo credit: Sunrise Corner Tourism) 

Some parks will also host wolf howl hikes, snowshoe treks, ski clinics, quinzhee building and ice fishing.

For teachers wanting to take their students outdoors, they can book free guided field trips to Birds Hill, Spruce Woods and Whiteshell provincial parks along with virtual programs to bring park interpreters into classrooms.

Trail users are encouraged to help keep parks clean and beautiful by only using trails for designated activities, keeping dogs on leashes and practicing the principles of Leave No Trace by removing everything that is brought in.

Manitobans are encouraged to check trail conditions before visiting parks.

Annual park vehicle permits for 2024-25 will be available for purchase beginning on March 1. To buy a permit, visit www.manitobaelicensing.ca.