Road Trip Winkler to Altona – Mennonite Pembina Valley & Sunflowers
Winkler
Altona
45
km
0h48
drive
Summer
season
The Itinerary
Southwestern Manitoba, at the North Dakota border, the Pembina River valley holds the largest Mennonite community outside Europe — 25,000 German-speaking (Plautdietsch) Mennonites who shaped Winkler, Altona, Morden and their region since 7,000 Russian Mennonite colonists arrived in 1874-75.
The Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre in Morden (Late Cretaceous mosasaur and plesiosaur collection — Manitoba was an inland sea 80 Ma ago) houses "Bruce," the world's largest publicly displayed mosasaur (Guinness record, 13 m). In Winkler, the Brokenhead microbrewery, Bunker Bunker shop and preserved Mennonite downtown. Altona, self-proclaimed "Canada's Sunflower Capital," celebrates the Sunflower Festival in late July (sunflower fields as far as the eye can see, mid-August).
The Mennonite Heritage Village in Steinbach (existing road trip), 1h east, is complementary. In Reinland, the Reinländer Mennonite Church (1876) is one of the oldest temples. Mennonite ployes (Roggenbrot), Bratwurst sausages and Plautdietsch sermons endure. Tip: farms sell their produce along Highway 14.
The Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre in Morden (Late Cretaceous mosasaur and plesiosaur collection — Manitoba was an inland sea 80 Ma ago) houses "Bruce," the world's largest publicly displayed mosasaur (Guinness record, 13 m). In Winkler, the Brokenhead microbrewery, Bunker Bunker shop and preserved Mennonite downtown. Altona, self-proclaimed "Canada's Sunflower Capital," celebrates the Sunflower Festival in late July (sunflower fields as far as the eye can see, mid-August).
The Mennonite Heritage Village in Steinbach (existing road trip), 1h east, is complementary. In Reinland, the Reinländer Mennonite Church (1876) is one of the oldest temples. Mennonite ployes (Roggenbrot), Bratwurst sausages and Plautdietsch sermons endure. Tip: farms sell their produce along Highway 14.
Points of Interest
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Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre"Bruce" 13 m mosasaur, world Guinness record.
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Sunflower Festival (Altona)Canada's sunflower capital, July festival.
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Reinländer Mennonite Church1876 historic Mennonite church.
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Winkler DowntownPreserved Mennonite downtown, microbreweries.
Practical info
- Departure Winkler
- Destination Altona
- Distance 45 km
- Duration 0h48
- Category Short (< 100 km)
- Best season Summer
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