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Grand Marais -
Dubbed "big marsh" by the eldest
son of western explorer La Vérendrye,
the resort town of Grand Marais is a popular
destination for cottagers and tourists visiting
the Grand Beach area.
Two
Lake Winnipeg Heritage Drives
Two self-guided driving trails
follow the shores of Lake Winnipeg's
southern basin. On the Chief Peguis
Trail, named after the legendary
Saulteux chief who helped found
the Red River Colony, travels
north from the Red River through
the Icelandic community of Gimli,
to Hecla Village in Hecla/Grindstone
Provincial Park. The route can
be covered in a day. The La Verendrye
Trail traces the route of the
fur traders along the Red River
to the southern and eastern beaches
of Lake Winnipeg, then heads inland
through the rugged Whiteshell
Corridor.
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Patricia Beach and
Beaconia Beach - Pristine, secluded,
stunningly beautiful- the beaches of Patricia
and Beaconia, at the south end of Lake Winnipeg,
have been left in a near-natural and unspoiled
state. For families seeking nothing more
than sun and sand, windsurfers seeking elbow
room, and nature lovers seeking a tranquil
refuge, the beaches offer a peaceful alternative
to the Grand Beach bustle.
Patricia Beach is situated on a sandy peninsula
that extends into Lake Winnipeg, while Beaconia
lines a sandy island, joined to the mainland
by a causeway. Sitting side by side, the
beaches are separated by a channel which
joins a marshy lagoon to the Lake. Patricia
Beach offers washrooms and change rooms,
and a food concession. Beaconia Beach, however,
is completely secluded, with no man-made
structures at all. Nests of the rare Piping
Plover can sometimes be found here: be sure
to leave them undisturbed.
Winnipeg Beach -
Just 50 minutes (76 kilometres) by car from
the city of Winnipeg, Winnipeg Beach has
been a magnet for day-trippers and cottagers
since its beginnings as a Canadian Pacific
Railway resort destination in 1901.
Gimli Beach - Situated
on the historic harbour that sheltered the
area's first Icelandic pioneers, the 1.5
kilometre main beach of the town of Gimli
attracts sunbathers by the thousands. In
the larger Gimli area, from Sandy Hook to
Silver Harbour, beachcombers can follow
almost 34 kilometres of scenic, sandy shoreline.
Victoria Beach -
On the eastern side of Lake Winnipeg's
southern basin, Victoria Beach, and its
nearby communities of Lester Beach, Belair,
Hillside Beach, Albert Beach and Traverse
Bay, lie in the heart of Manitoba's cottage
country. Serene and sedate, these beaches
serve a string of popular lakeside vacation
communities.
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