Road Trip Brandon to Virden – Prairie Oil, Souris Swinging Bridge
Brandon
Virden
85
km
1h18
drive
All seasons
season
The Itinerary
West of Brandon, Manitoba's second city, the Trans-Canada crosses the "Manitoba oil belt" — small compared to Alberta but conventionally productive since 1951. Virden, Souris and Cromer are pivot communities of this discreet industry.
From Brandon (50,800 inhabitants, Brandon University, Keystone Centre hosting the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair in late March — the prairie equivalent of Toronto's Royal Agricultural Winter Fair), Highway 1 heads west. At Souris (25 km south of the TC), the Souris Swinging Bridge (1904) is Canada's longest pedestrian suspension bridge (177 m) — it sways delightfully underfoot. The Hillcrest Museum of Souris, in a former school, displays Prairie history.
Virden (3,000 inhabitants), Manitoba's oil capital, exhibits a pump-jack ("nodding donkey") downtown and the Virden Pioneer Home Museum. The TransCanada has a notable heritage rest area here. 45 minutes south, Carberry and Spruce Woods PP (existing road trip) with Spirit Sands (mini-desert). Don't miss: Daly House Museum in Brandon, 1882 heritage manor.
From Brandon (50,800 inhabitants, Brandon University, Keystone Centre hosting the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair in late March — the prairie equivalent of Toronto's Royal Agricultural Winter Fair), Highway 1 heads west. At Souris (25 km south of the TC), the Souris Swinging Bridge (1904) is Canada's longest pedestrian suspension bridge (177 m) — it sways delightfully underfoot. The Hillcrest Museum of Souris, in a former school, displays Prairie history.
Virden (3,000 inhabitants), Manitoba's oil capital, exhibits a pump-jack ("nodding donkey") downtown and the Virden Pioneer Home Museum. The TransCanada has a notable heritage rest area here. 45 minutes south, Carberry and Spruce Woods PP (existing road trip) with Spirit Sands (mini-desert). Don't miss: Daly House Museum in Brandon, 1882 heritage manor.
Points of Interest
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Souris Swinging BridgeCanada's longest pedestrian suspension bridge, 177 m.
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Royal Manitoba Winter FairMarch agricultural fair Brandon, Royal Toronto equivalent.
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Virden Oil HeritageDowntown pump-jack, Manitoba's oil capital.
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Daly House Museum1882 heritage manor, Brandon.
Protected areas along the route
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Grand Valley Provincial Park
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Brandon Hills Wildlife Management Area
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Riverside Wildlife Management Area
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Oak Lake Provincial Park
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Rivers Provincial Park
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Upper Assiniboine Wildlife Management Area
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Oak Lake
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Spruce Woods
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Criddle/Vane Homestead Provincial Park
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Ebor Wildlife Management Area
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Souris River Bend Wildlife Management Area
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Lauder Sandhills Wildlife Management Area
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Take this route offline
Cell coverage thins out fast once you leave Brandon. Export the map as a geo-referenced PDF before you go and open it in BorealMaps — your GPS position shows on the map with no signal at all.
Try PDF Export How geo-referenced PDF maps workPractical info
- Departure Brandon
- Destination Virden
- Distance 85 km
- Duration 1h18
- Category Short (< 100 km)
- Best season All seasons
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