Road Trip Winnipeg to Spruce Woods – Spirit Sands Desert

Winnipeg Spruce Woods Provincial Park
220
km
2h30
drive
Summer
season

The Itinerary

Spruce Woods Provincial Park hosts the Spirit Sands, a 4-km² sand desert in the middle of the Prairies — remnant of an ancient glacial Lake Agassiz beach.

The Devil's Punchbowl, a 45-m depression formed by underground collapse, is the other attraction. The Assiniboine River crosses the park. The equestrian trail crosses the sands (wagon tours available). Garter snakes migrate here in spring. Camping and cabins available.

Points of Interest

  • ✦
    Spirit Sands
    4 km² de désert de sable en plein cœur des Prairies.
  • ✦
    Devil's Punchbowl
    Dépression 45 m formée par effondrement souterrain.
  • ✦
    Excursion en chariot
    Wagon traîné par chevaux à travers les sables.
  • ✦
    Rivière Assiniboine
    Canot et baignade dans le parc.

Fishing Spots Along the Route

🎣
Agarands Lake
Lake
🎣
Alkali Lake
Lake
🎣
Assiniboine River
River
🎣
Bagot Creek
Stream
🎣
Baldry Creek
Stream
🎣
Barkers Lake
Lake
🎣
Bear Cat Creek
Stream
🎣
Bear Creek
Stream

Protected areas along the route

🌿
Upper Fort Garry Heritage Provincial Park
manitoba_parks
🌿
Memorial Provincial Park
manitoba_parks
🌿
Spruce Woods Provincial Park
manitoba_parks
🌿
Assiniboine Corridor Wildlife Management Area
manitoba_wmas
🌿
Spruce Woods Wildlife Management Area
manitoba_wmas
🌿
Hyland Provincial Park
manitoba_parks
🌿
Spruce Woods Provincial Forest
manitoba_provincial_forests
🌿
Trappist Monastery Provincial Park
manitoba_parks
🌿
St. Norbert Provincial Park
manitoba_parks
🌿
Duff Roblin Provincial Park
manitoba_parks
🌿
Birds Hill
manitoba_wildlife_refuges
🌿
River Road Provincial Park
manitoba_parks

Take this route offline

Cell coverage thins out fast once you leave Winnipeg. 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 work
Practical info
  • Departure Winnipeg
  • Destination Spruce Woods Provincial Park
  • Distance 220 km
  • Duration 2h30
  • Category Medium (100–250 km)
  • Best season Summer
Themes
park desert Prairie Family Summer horse unique

Plan your adventure with our interactive map

Open the map
All road trips