The Manitoba (Canada) government is encouraging citizens to grab the opportunity to gain free access to provincial parks this weekend while advising them to make sure their destination isn’t flooded out.
According to a report, from June 10 to 12, permits for vehicles won’t be required to access provincial parks, but the regular campground fees will apply.
The province has also continued its annual free family fishing week, which began in 1992. This weekend, June 11 and 12, people will be allowed to fish without a license except in national parks.
Sloan Cathcart, head of interpretation at Manitoba Parks, said some areas of the province remain affected by flooding, specifically in the southeast, in Whiteshell, and Nopiming province parks.
“The northern area of Whiteshell has been closed along the Winnipeg River system for a few weeks now, and the closure will probably stay on for a little bit here as the Winnipeg River has been in flood stage and is just cresting here this week,” Cathcart said in an interview.
On Tuesday, the Lake of the Woods Control Board announced that the Winnipeg River had crested from the Ontario border to Seven Sisters Falls just west of Whiteshell Provincial Park.
The river’s peak flow at Seven Sisters Falls was approximately 125,000 cubic feet per second, which is about 3.5 times more than the usual volume for this year.
Highway 307 remains shut at the entrance of Whiteshell Provincial Park to everyone except for property owners affected by the flooding.
In Nopiming, Provincial Road 314 is still closed. Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation are trying to repair the damage from the spring melt in April, which caused a number of washouts, Cathcart said.
In the west, Rainbow Beach Provincial Park, situated on the shores of Dauphin Lake, is completely closed because of flooding that occurred in the past week following an extreme storm that hit the area.
“We’re cleaning that up and hope to have Rainbow Beach open next week,” Cathcart said.
It is advised to check the Manitoba Parks website and Manitoba 511 before planning to visit.
This story originally appeared on CBC.
How cool is this? Manitoba’s parks are free to visit this weekend! Don’t stress about permits, just enjoy nature. Fishing without a license? Yes, please! Watch out for flooding in some areas though.