The drive from Stewart, B.C., to Excel, Alabama, takes at least eight days and seven nights. This is too far to attempt straight through – too many back-to-back nights in hotels would not suit us or the pups. So, after our first three nights, including a quick drive through Jasper and Banff, we stopped in Ochre River, Manitoba, for four nights.
Ochre River, a quaint town with a population of about 1000, is strategically located just 20 minutes from the north entrance to Riding Mountain National Park, one of two national parks in Manitoba. We chose to stay at Lois’s Airbnb, a charming old farmhouse on the outskirts of town that offered a peaceful retreat and a convenient base for our adventures.
You can find her listing here:
Mountain view – Houses for Rent in Ochre River, Manitoba, Canada – Airbnb
Riding Mountain National Park consistently makes the Top Ten list of things to do in Manitoba, and it’s easy to see why – the sheer beauty of the over 1,100 square miles makes it a perfect destination for nature lovers. Plus, it’s three overnights from Casa-Bama, making it a convenient place to stop for R&R while on road trips. This brief “layover” was a chance to check it out for future visits, either as a stand-alone destination or as a place to catch our breath on longer trips.
Most of Riding Mountain’s visitors are there to hike, bike, or horseback ride on the 250 miles of trails. But since our visit was so short, and at the end of a two-month road trip, we chose to drive along the scenic roads.
The Visitor’s Center, all the shops, and most campsites (hence most people) are in the park’s southern end, in Wasagaming. Once we were north of the hustle and bustle, the park was quieter, with more wildlife activity.
On our first morning, we drove into Dauphin, about 20 minutes away, to stock up on the few groceries we would need for our stay. That afternoon, we checked out Riding Mountain. A considerable amount of rain had fallen in the past few weeks, and the unpaved roads were muddy. We drove the Lake Audy Road to the bison enclosure, splashing through puddles and potholes the 15 miles each way. We did not see much on the drive, and by the time we were back on 10 – the main road that runs through the center of the park – our poor car was covered in mud!
Opting for paved roads for the rest of our stay, we headed to Wasagaming and saw several deer.
We stopped at the Visitors Center, and as we started our journey back north, we were graced by the sight of a beautiful cinnamon morph black bear. After experiencing the chaos of Yellowstone bear jams, it was refreshing to witness such a calm encounter. She was happily grazing along the side of the road, unfazed by the few cars that had stopped to watch her. No one blocked traffic, and no one got out of their vehicle. It was a serene moment, a stark contrast to the frenetic energy of Yellowstone.
Thrilled with such a magnificent sighting on our first visit to the park, we headed home, our hearts racing with excitement, to plan the remainder of our stay.
We were at the park by 6:50 the following day, and within two hours, we saw four black bears—one a cinnamon morph—and several deer.
Multiple cars drove by as we watched alongside the road, but no one stopped. We once again marveled at how “chill” Riding Mountain wildlife sightings were compared to the frenzy of Yellowstone.
However, the recent rains had made the mosquitoes relentless. The moment we lowered the windows, they swarmed the car. Merely an annoyance to me, TG was instantly covered in painful bites, making photography almost insufferable. Pack your insect repellent if you plan a trip to Riding Mountain in July!
We went back for a late afternoon drive through the park. During this visit, we spied three more bears, all in the park’s northern half. In our limited experience, we had already concluded that there were two types of bear sightings: if the bear was on the move, running across the road, there was no point in stopping. That bear wanted nothing to do with us.
But if she were going about the business of grazing, paying us no attention, we could stop for photos and sooner or later get the “full face” shot we hoped for.
We stopped at a quiet spot for a picnic supper and watched a pine marten run across the road. Our bear count was up to eight for our three visits, and although we did not see another on this trip, we were thrilled with the sightings we had and the photos we took.
If I’ve piqued your interest in Riding Mountain and you would like to plan a trip, here is an excellent article by Road Trip Manitoba. It covers everything from the park’s history to places to stay to the best hiking trails.
The COMPLETE Guide for Visiting Riding Mountain National Park (roadtripmanitoba.com)
To view our joint photo set from Riding Mountain, click below:
Happy planning and stay tuned for more from On the Road with Tall Guy & JET!
On The Road with Tall Guy & JET 