Whiteshell Provincial Park

Whiteshell Provincial Park is a provincial park in southeast Manitoba, approximately  east of the city of Winnipeg. The park is considered to be a Class II protected area under the IUCN protected area management categories. It is  in size. 

The park protects areas representative of the Lake of the Woods Ecoregion within the Boreal Shield ecozone. The park's protection also specifically extends to the Tie Creek basin, an area of great spiritual significance to Indigenous peoples.

History 
Whiteshell Provincial Park was designated a provincial park by the Government of Manitoba in 1961. It was one of the first group of parks established the year following the passage of the Manitoba Provincial Parks Act. Tourism interest in the area had begun shortly after the arrival of railway lines—the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1883 and the Canadian Northern Railway around 1908. In 1927, the area was suggested as the location for Manitoba's first national park, eventually losing out to a competing proposal for Riding Mountain National Park.

The Ojibway people and various other groups before them initially populated the area. The Ojibway, or Anishinaabe, first mapped some of the area on birch bark. The name of the park is derived from the cowrie shells that were used in ceremonies by the Anishinaabe, including the Ojibway, and among them the Midewiwin practitioners.  The historic Winnipeg River and the Whiteshell River are the main rivers that run through the park.  For thousands of years, Indigenous peoples used the area for harvesting wild rice, hunting, fishing, trade, ceremonies, teaching, and dwelling.  In 1734, La Vérendrye was the first European to explore the area during his quest for a route to the Western Sea. First Nations, fur traders, and trappers used the Winnipeg River as the main travel route through this area, as well as the Whiteshell River.

Whiteshell Provincial Park has many pink granite ridges, cliffs, and flat granite areas used for petroform making by First Nation peoples. There is also archaeological evidence of ancient copper trading, prehistoric quartz mining, and stone tool making in the area.  The copper trade, which extended toward Lake Superior, began approximately 6,000 years ago.  Many artifacts and prehistoric camps were discovered in Whiteshell Provincial Park and are protected under the Heritage Act of Manitoba. The park is still used by Indigenous peoples for wild rice harvesting and ceremonies.

Around 1920, the development of roads brought tourists into the Whiteshell area. The first summer cottages were close to the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Canadian National Railway. In 1922 Brereton Lake Dominion Park was created. A decade later and in 1930 the park was transferred to the province of Manitoba and established the Whiteshell Forest Reserve. Further roadwork continued, linking the reserve to Ontario in the east and campgrounds and picnic sites further north.

A Manitoba Historical Plaque was erected in the community of Falcon Lake by the province to commemorate the role of the Dawson Road in Manitoba's heritage.

Geography
Three rivers flow through the park forming strings of lakes. The Winnipeg River defines the northern edge of the park from Eaglenest Lake, straddling the Manitoba-Ontario boundary flowing west through Numao Lake, Nutimik Lake, Dorothy Lake, Margaret Lake to Natalie Lake on the park's northwestern edge. The Whiteshell River enters in the south-eastern corner linking West Hawk Lake, Caddy Lake, South Cross Lake, North Cross Lake, Sailing Lake, Mallard Lake, Lone Island Lake, Jessica Lake, White Lake and Betula Lake before joining the Winnipeg River at Nutimik Lake. The Rennie River forms a third chain of lakes, arising in Shiaro Lake within the park through Jean Lake, Brereton Lake, Rice Lake, Heart Lake before joining the Whiteshell River just below Betula Lake. Falcon Lake lies to the south of the TransCanada Highway. Big Whiteshell Lake is the largest of a number of lakes lying to the north of the Whiteshell River.

Visiting the Park
The park is located along the eastern side of Southern Manitoba, along the Ontario border. It is the first area that is entered when arriving in Manitoba from the east on the Trans-Canada Highway which runs east west through the park. Provincial Trunk Highway 44 joins West Hawk Lake with Rennie. Provincial Road 309 connects Provincial Road 307 at White Lake with Lone Island Lake and Big Whiteshell Lake. 

Park vehicle permits are typically required year-round in Manitoba Provincial Parks. Permits are available at all campgrounds and district offices, or can be purchased online.

The population in the park increases significantly in the summer. Many of these seasonal residents own cottages or cabins built on land leased from the Crown. The word 'cottaging' is used to describe staying at these seasonal residences. Visitors to the park who are not interested in camping can choose to rent a cottage or cabin or stay in a lodge or resort.

The Province operates ten serviced campgrounds in the park May through October. Reservations for these sites must be made through the Manitoba Parks Reservation Service. Fees vary depending on facilities and services provided.

Summer

 Boating – Boat launches are accessible at a variety of lakes and many resorts offer boat rentals. 
 Canoeing and kayaking – Up to 325 km of canoe routes are located within the park. Paddlers on the Caddy Lake Canoe Route pass through tunnels in a wall of rock that were created when the railways came through this area more than a century ago. 
 Sailing and boardsailing – Falcon Lake and West Hawk Lake maintain sailing clubs.
 Fishing – There are a dozen species of fish that will provide fishing enjoyment. 
 Swimming – Numerous public beaches permit swimming and many lakeside cottages allow swimming at the shoreline area.
 Hiking – Trails range from short 1.5 km routes to the more challenging 60 km Mantario Trail, connecting Caddy Lake with Block 2 of Big Whiteshell Lake. Part of the Trans-Canada Trail is contained in the park, although construction is incomplete. 
 Cycling – A 4.2 km loop is available at Betula Lake on Provincial Road 307 and a 9 km trail at Big Whiteshell Lake on Provincial Road 309. The South Whiteshell Trail is a multi-use trail system that accommodates cyclists. The trail connects Falcon Lake to Caddy Lake and will be approximately 29 kilometres in length.

Winter
 Icefishing 
 Snowmobiling – Over 200 km of marked and groomed snowmobiling trails offer winter recreation.
 Snowshoeing – In winter, this snow allows for snowshoeing on the trail systems and on the frozen lakes.

North Whiteshell

The northern portion of the park may be accessed by road from the west via PR 307 at Seven Sisters Falls or Highway 44 at Rennie. Pointe du Bois can be reached by road via PR 313.

Provincial campgrounds located in the North Whiteshell are Otter Falls, Nutimik Lake, Betula Lake, White Lake, Big Whiteshell Lake and Brereton Lake.

Whiteshell Natural History Museum 

The Whiteshell Natural History Museum, opened in 1960 and located in a log building, features mounted wildlife displays of local animals. Other displays include the boreal forest, Canadian Indigenous peoples, petroforms, sturgeon and the Winnipeg River. The museum is located on PR 307 at Nutimik Lake. It has been closed since 2018.

Alfred Hole Goose Sanctuary
The Alfred Hole Goose Sanctuary and Interpretive Centre is located at PTH 44, slightly east of Rennie. The sanctuary protects nesting Canada geese each spring. The interpretive centre provides information about the biology of the geese and the history of the sanctuary, as well as an observation gallery for the lake and interpretive programs.

Whiteshell Trappers Museum
The Whiteshell Trappers Museum is located on the grounds of the Alfred Hole Goose Sanctuary.  Built in 1997, the museum resembles a fur trapper's cabin.  Interpreters discuss the history of fur trapping, trapping techniques, and local wildlife.

South Whiteshell

The park may be accessed from the south side via exits on the Trans-Canada Highway (Hwy 1), where visitors may enter near Falcon Lake on the western side or West Hawk Lake on the east. The main park entrance is located at Falcon Lake, immediately south of the Trans-Canada Highway. Falcon Lake has two provincially operated campgrounds, a beach, golf course, ski resort, riding stables and many other tourist services. It is the west end of Manitoba Provincial Road 301 which runs east through Faloma, Toniata, and Star Lake to the community of West Hawk Lake.

Provincial campgrounds in the southern portion of the park are Caddy Lake, Falcon Beach, Falcon Lakeshore and West Hawk Lake.

West Hawk Lake, the deepest lake in the province, was formed by a meteorite, and is a popular spot for scuba diving and ice diving.

West Hawk Museum
Located at West Hawk Lake, the West Hawk Museum features exhibits about the area's geology, area gold mining, and the formation of the lake from the impact of meteorite that formed the West Hawk crater.

Whiteshell Fish Hatchery Interpretive Centre
The Whiteshell Fish Hatchery Interpretive Centre allows visitors to learn about the hatchery's activities in raising lake sturgeon, trout and walleye. The hatchery is located along the Whiteshell River just north of West Hawk Lake. The fish in the hatchery are used to help stock lakes throughout Manitoba. It is open during the summer months.

Ecology

Fauna 
Whiteshell Provincial Park is home to a variety of large mammals including black bear, moose, white-tailed deer, timber wolf and lynx. Smaller mammals such as river otter, marten, fisher, red fox, mink, hare, beaver, bats, skunk, raccoon, muskrat and red squirrels also inhabit the park. The birds in the park include owls, bald eagles, ruby throated hummingbirds, chickadees, blue jays, grosbeaks, turkey vultures, redpolls, woodpeckers, osprey, loons, ruffed grouse, ducks and Canada geese. Snakes, turtles and a wide variety of insects are found in the park. The lakes and rivers contain perch, walleye, jackfish, lake sturgeon, black crappie, burbot, whitefish, trout, white bass, smallmouth bass and mooneye.  Smoked mooneye meat is highly valued and sold as "Winnipeg goldeye".

Gallery

See also
List of protected areas of Manitoba
List of provincial parks in Manitoba
Park ship

References

External links

Whiteshell Provincial Park - official site
Alfred Hole Goose Sanctuary and Interpretive Centre
West Hawk Museum
Whiteshell Fish Hatchery Interpretive Centre
Travel Manitoba: Whiteshell Provincial Park
 iNaturalist.org:Observations in Whiteshell Provincial Park
 eBird hotspots in the park
Whiteshell PP
Whiteshell PP--Big Whiteshell Lake
Whiteshell PP--White Lake
Whiteshell PP--Jessica Lake
Whiteshell PP--Alfred Hole Goose Sanctuary
Whiteshell PP--Caddy Lake
Whiteshell PP--West Hawk Lake
Whiteshell PP--Falcon Lake
 Whiteshell Cottagers Association a non-profit organization advocating for those who lease or own land in the park

 
Parks in Eastman Region, Manitoba
Provincial parks of Manitoba
Museums in Manitoba
Natural history museums in Manitoba
Protected areas established in 1961
1961 establishments in Manitoba
Protected areas of Manitoba