A Guide to Selkirk's Natural Escapes 🌿

Perched on the banks of the mighty Red River just 20 km north of Winnipeg, Selkirk is the gateway to the stunning Lower Red River Valley and the vast shores of Lake Winnipeg. From wild riverbank trails and migratory bird sanctuaries to world-class catfish fishing and sweeping boreal parklands, this historic town punches far above its weight for natural beauty.

🌊 Red River Waterfront Trail – Selkirk's Riverside Walk

Selkirk's scenic waterfront along the Red River offers a spectacular natural corridor for walking, cycling, and wildlife viewing. The trail follows the wide, powerful Red River past the historic Marine Museum of Manitoba, offering views of massive channel catfish — for which the Red River is world-famous — swimming in the clear shallows. Great blue herons, bald eagles, and white pelicans are commonly spotted soaring above the river throughout the warmer months.

• Red River Views
• Bald Eagle Sightings
• Historic Waterfront
• Cycling & Walking

Source: Tourism Selkirk

🐦 Lower Red River Valley – Migratory Bird Corridor

The Red River floodplain north of Selkirk is one of Manitoba's most important migratory bird corridors, where the river's oxbow lakes, backwater marshes, and riparian forest host thousands of waterfowl and shorebirds each spring and fall. The area around St. Andrews and Lockport offers quiet gravel roads and informal trails through cottonwood forest where birders regularly spot tundra swans, sandhill cranes, and dozens of warbler species on their epic northern journeys.

• Migratory Bird Corridor
• Oxbow Lakes & Marshes
• Tundra Swans & Cranes
• Cottonwood Forests

Source: Nature Manitoba

🏖️ Patricia Beach Provincial Park – Lake Winnipeg's Sandy Shore

About 30 km northeast of Selkirk, Patricia Beach Provincial Park sits on the western shore of Lake Winnipeg — one of the world's largest freshwater lakes. A long sandy beach stretches along warm, shallow waters perfect for summer swimming, while the nearby forest trails offer quiet walks through boreal vegetation. The sunsets over Lake Winnipeg from Patricia Beach are legendary among Manitobans — all soft light on water stretching to the horizon.

• Lake Winnipeg Beach
• Warm Shallow Waters
• Boreal Forest Trails
• Legendary Sunsets

Source: Manitoba Parks

🌲 Birds Hill Provincial Park – Boreal Forest & Cedar Bog

Just 15 km south of Selkirk, Birds Hill Provincial Park is one of the finest natural areas in all of southern Manitoba. The Cedar Bog Trail's boardwalk winds through a rare tamarack bog, the Bluestem Trail covers 14 km of lush mixed forest, and a sandy swimming beach on one of the park's serene lakes rounds out the experience. In summer it hosts the Winnipeg Folk Festival; in winter it becomes a premier cross-country skiing destination.

• Cedar Bog Boardwalk
• 14 km Forest Trail
• Lake Swimming Beach
• Cross-Country Skiing

Source: Manitoba Parks

💧 Lockport & St. Andrews Lock – Riverside Heritage & Nature

Just 10 km south of Selkirk, the historic Lockport dam creates a remarkable wildlife spectacle each spring when enormous numbers of channel catfish, goldeye, and carp gather below the spillway. Bald eagles, osprey, and pelicans converge to feast in one of Manitoba's most dramatic natural gatherings. Riverside walking paths connect the area to the heritage St. Andrews Rectory National Historic Site, combining natural wonder with rich cultural history.

• Bald Eagles & Osprey
• Spring Fish Migration
• Riverside Heritage Trail
• White Pelicans

Source: Travel Manitoba

Discover why Selkirk is Manitoba's Catfish Capital and one of the finest natural gateways to Lake Winnipeg!