Welcome to Assiniboine Forest Trails. This web site is devoted to exploring the Assiniboine Forest in south-central Winnipeg. For the best viewing and navigation experience, we recommend use of a PC or tablet rather than a smart phone.
The emphasis is on maps of the minor trails in the forest, scenic photos representative of the forest in all seasons, photos of plants in the forest, and artwork based on Assiniboine Forest scenes as created by current and former members of the Charleswood Art Group. To round it off, there's a little information on the history of the forest and a few wildlife photos. Progressively, I'll be adding material to the site, and you can check out the log of changes in by clicking the What's New tab.
To start with, check out the Maps page, where you can view the major and minor trails in the forest and you can download PDF versions of the maps.
The Assiniboine Forest is a natural wilderness area consisting of 700 acres (287 hectares) of aspen and oak forest, with areas of native grassland, a pond, and a few marsh areas. It is in two sections. The North Forest is situated between Assiniboine Park and Grant Avenue and is the smaller of the two. The South Forest spans an area between Grant Avenue and the railway tracks north of Wilkes. Deer crossing Grant Avenue between the north and south sections are frequently killed by vehicles. Please drive carefully when going through the forest, especially at night.
The forest contains dozens of trails, with only the major ones being marked with trail signs. Hundreds of plant species have been found in the forest - some native, and some introduced. Observant hikers with a bit of luck on their side can spot a variety of wildlife including deer, owls, eagles, blue jays, wild turkeys, colourful insects, squirrels, foxes, and even coyotes.
My intent is more to supplement other internet information resources with some interesting material for the hiker or casual naturalist. There are several sites that describe the Assiniboine Forest well. Here are some links:
Since 1990, the Winnipeg Charleswood Rotary Club has been the custodian of the Forest. Click here to access the Charleswood Rotary Club's web site, The Assiniboine Forest Today. Click here to access Friends of Assiniboine Forest, a Charleswood Rotary Club project, with additional topics on the future of the forest and the 2019 Assiniboine Forest planning study.
Click here to access the City of Winnipeg Natural Services Branch Assiniboine Forest web site, with seasonal videos, history, plant list, and a high-level map of the South Forest.
Click here to access a list of trail maps from the Winnipeg Trails Association, including certain trails in the Assiniboine Forest. Click here for a link to Prairie Pathfinders.
The site is built with blogger, but it is not intended to be interactive. If you have feedback, please email me.
Happy hiking.
All photos by Bill Rayner unless otherwise indicated.