I’ve been meaning to write about Birds Hill for ages, but it literally took me nearly four years just to round up all the photos I needed to do it justice!
As the closest provincial park to Winnipeg, Birds Hill is an absolute staple for locals, yet it manages to keep a wonderfully peaceful vibe all year round. That’s honestly what I love most about Manitoba: there are just as many ways to experience the landscape as there are shifts in the weather.
When the snow hits, Birds Hill undergoes a total transformation. The entire trail network gets split up and dedicated to specific cold-weather activities:
While you won’t find a ton of signage or public awareness campaigns about it, it’s super important to stick to the trail designated for your specific activity. Mixing them up can actually be pretty dangerous for everyone out there.
If you’re looking for the absolute best loop, head straight for the Cedar Bog Trail. It skyrocketed in popularity when the pandemic hit, so I haven’t been back in a while, but it remains the ultimate introduction to Birds Hill because it cuts right through several distinct ecosystems.
And if you can, stick around for the end of the day. Watching the sunset over the frozen lake basin – which is actually drained for the season – is an absolute must.
Let’s be honest: spring is easily the toughest season in Manitoba. It barely even exists, often flashing by in just a matter of days. The landscape turns into a messy slurry of grays and browns as the winter snow melts away. It’s not exactly the most inviting time to head outdoors, unless you have a strange fondness for sloshing through deep puddles. At winter’s end, the woods look almost scorched.
It’s incredibly common for the thermometer to swing from -20°C to +20°C in the span of a single week. Because of that, spring is so incredibly fleeting that catching it on camera is a real challenge. I only managed to snap a few good shots of it in 2020!
In fact, it took me three years of regular visits just to finally see the wetlands on the Nimowin Trail actually filled with water.
Come summer, Birds Hill is completely drences in vibrant greens.
This is also the season when the park plays host to the massive Winnipeg Folk Festival. The campgrounds get packed out, the swimming lake opens up, and the whole place just feels incredibly alive. During my very first summer in Winnipeg, I found myself heading out here at least once a week.
Fun fact: Birds Hill is actually the exact spot where I caught a glimpse of the Northern Lights for the very first time in my life!
Much like spring, autumn in Manitoba doesn’t stick around for long. It’s a real shame because it is absolutely stunning while it lasts. The entire park lights up, though my personal favorite spots are the trails tucked away just behind the polo field. They feature these beautiful, winding paths that are perfect for photography.
I always find myself wishing our fall foliage lasted as long as it does in Eastern Canada, where tourism offices actually set up interactive trackers so people can follow the changing colors. Out here in Manitoba, we don’t really have maple trees, so those brilliant red leaves are hard to come by. Instead, we get a gorgeous contrast of crisp white birches against a deep blue sky.
I hope you enjoyed this little seasonal tour of Birds Hill! If you’re planning a trip out there and need the official maps or trail conditions, definitely check out the official Manitoba Parks website.
Are you a fan of the crisp Manitoba winter hikes, or do you prefer the park when it’s green and lively in the summer? Let me know in the comments below!