A few kilometers from the longitudinal centre of Canada, Winnipeg may be far from the sea, but it has some surprisingly good kayaking. Two major rivers, the Red and the Assiniboine, meander through Winnipeg’s residential and business districts past great views of majestic skyline and stately houses that blend in with the shoreline foliage. There are over 100 kilometres of navigable waterway within the city limits.
Winnipeg, Manitoba: Kayak the city’s Seine and Red rivers
For a great full-day paddle through the heart of historic Winnipeg, you can put in on the smaller Seine River, follow its curves and riverbank forests to the confluence with the Red River, then paddle up the Red to the junction with the Assiniboine and back again. This route is a leisurely 12-kilometre roundtrip that can be paddled in a day with ample time to explore the many historic sites along the way.
To begin the route, drive to the intersection of Provencher and Des Meurons in St. Boniface, Winnipeg’s French Quarter. Park and launch from the Seine River Parkway, then paddle beneath Provencher Boulevard and a pedestrian walking bridge and discover the beauty of Lagimodiere–Gaboury Park.
Lagimodiere was a Hudson’s Bay Company employee who was born in Lower Canada in 1778 and came west in 1800 as a voyageur. His wife, Marie-Anne Gaboury, was the first white woman to settle permanently in the West and was the grandmother of Louis Riel. You will see their homestead area on the left before you arrive at the Red and head upriver.
Paddle past the ruins of the St. Boniface Cathedral, Louis Riel’s final resting place, and on to the junction of the Red and Assiniboine rivers. The land at the confluence, called The Forks, is the city’s past and present-day gathering place. It is where aboriginal ancestors camped, hunted and fished for centuries and where the rival fur trade companies, the Hudson’s Bay Company and North West Company, later built forts.
The Forks today is Winnipeg’s tourist hub. It’s a great place to take out after the first few hours of paddling for a light lunch or to stretch your legs while visiting the Travel Manitoba Explore Centre.
As you retrace your paddle strokes back to the put-in, watch for a glimpse of Fort Gibraltar in Whittier Park on the right bank of the Red River. This is a re-creation of the original North West Company fort built at The Forks in 1810. Fort Gibraltar had a colourful history including its destruction in 1816 by the Hudson’s Bay Company, its rebuilding in 1817, its name change to Fort Garry in 1822 and its ultimate demise by flood in 1826.
In 1978, Fort Gibraltar was re-created on its new site for the Festival du Voyageur, Winnipeg’s annual winter festival. Today, it too is recognized as a National Historic Site and a welcome stop for those interested in lunch or exploring the interpretive trails along the river.
4 things you didn’t know about Winnipeg
- “Winnipeg” is derived from a Cree term meaning “muddy water,” which aptly describes the water at the confluence of the two rivers.
- The Wilderness Supply Company is the largest retailer of kayaks between Lake Superior in Ontario and B.C.’s Okanagan.
- Winnipeg enjoys over 2,300 hours of sunshine per year, more than any other Canadian city.
- Winnipeg is the Slurpee capital of world. Slurpee retailer 7-Eleven reports their highest Slurpee sales here. Locals assure us that this is what the cup holders in touring kayaks are really for.
Other paddling opportunities near Winnipeg
Other great places to paddle in the Winnipeg area include the Assiniboine River and the LaSalle River, the Fort Whyte Centre and the spectacular tunnel system of the Caddy Lake/South Cross Lake Route in Whiteshell Provincial Park, 1.5 hours from Winnipeg.
Winnipeg kayaking outfitters and tours
Heartland Canoe & Kayak Rentals: (204) 661-5670, winnipegcanoerentals.com
Mountain Equipment Co-op: (204) 943-4202, mec.ca
Splash Dash Water Bus Service & Rentals: (204) 783-6633, splashdash.ca
Wilderness Supply Company: (204) 783-9555, wildernesssupply.ca
This article was first published in the Summer 2004 issue of Adventure Kayak Magazine. Kayak through meandering prairie rivers. | Feature photo: Courtesy paddlingmanitoba.com
