Group Hike through Assiniboine Forest
September 24 2022
About this event
Join us for a group hike through the Assiniboine Forest and escape the city without having to leave the perimeter.
We’ll be hiking the Sagimay Trail, a 2.8 km out-and-back with a loop that should take about an hour to complete. It starts at the same trailhead as the Oak Ridge Trail in the main parking lot on Grant Avenue.
The wide paved path heads southeast, then south before making a loop around the Eve Werier Memorial Pond where the path is primarily made up of wood chips. A small section of the trail includes a boardwalk through a wetlands area.
With nearly 300 hectares of land, the Assiniboine Forest has a lot to explore. The trail system is very interconnected and makes it easy to extend your hike afterwards.
Ron Thiessen, Executive Director of CPAWS Manitoba, will kick the hike off with a talk about the importance of the forest, and what we can do to protect it for the future.
We have invited all mayoral candidates to join us, as the future of the forest will be decided in the coming years. The treasured forest is one of the largest urban natural spaces in North America, yet it is unprotected and at risk from development.
With an agreement already in place between the city and the federal government to explore establishing a National Urban Park in the city limits, the solution for protecting this land could be at hand. The national park designation could bring with it significant federal investment and new jobs in tourism and park management.
How To Get There
Type in ‘Assiniboine Forest Parking Lot’ into a GPS or smartphone.
Or find the parking lot located in Winnipeg at the crossroads of Grant Avenue and Chalfont Road.
Amenities
There are outhouses a short distance down the trail.
The trail is inside the city of Winnipeg and near all amenities.
What to Bring on Your Hike/Activity
- Bring at least two bottles of water: you can leave one in your vehicle on a short hike; you’ll want both on a long hike.
- Snacks are a great way to keep your energy up along the trail. Many trails don’t have restaurants or stores nearby so you may also want to pack a picnic lunch.
- Hand sanitizer (Most trails have outhouses, not modern toilets.)
- Any medication you may need (like antihistamines, your asthma inhaler, or an EpiPen)
- A safety whistle, pocket flashlight, and a basic first-aid kit (not required, but a good idea any time you’re in the wilderness)
Outdoor Fun: What to Expect on Your Group Hike/Activity
Sometimes we just want to have some fun and enjoy a friendly chat with a stranger.
Our group hikes and activities are an easy way to get outside and explore Manitoba’s beautiful parks with other people.
CPAWS staff will share their love of nature on a relaxing hike along our favourite trails.
There won’t be any lectures along the way: when we stop for water and snack breaks we’ll keep the conversation casual and light.
If you’ve got questions we’ll do our best to answer them. However, we are not formally trained park interpreters. We encourage people seeking learning opportunities to check out our outdoor learning programming or try an interpretive event offered by Manitoba Parks.
Weather & Cancellation Policy
We try not to let the weather stop us from getting outside. With the right gear you can have a great time in most weather conditions.
That being said, safety must always be our top priority. We can’t be outside in a thunderstorm and may need to cancel if roads are hazardous.
Weather forecasts are notoriously unreliable. While we will do our best to monitor and make good judgment calls, there will be times when we decide to cancel and the skies clear and other days when a storm or high winds pop up unexpectedly.
We’ll send out an e-mail alert the day before an event letting registrants know if there’s a good chance we need to cancel. We will check the forecast again a few hours before the event to determine if we can try to go ahead.
How can we help?
If you have any questions or require any additional accommodations to participate, please email us at [email protected].
About CPAWS Manitoba:
CPAWS Manitoba has been instrumental in establishing 22 new parks and protected areas in our province. That’s an area larger than Lake Winnipeg at nearly 26,000 square kilometres. Our goal is to protect half of Manitoba’s lands and waters.
About the CPAWS Manitoba Nature Club
CPAWS Manitoba’s Nature Club is designed to help Manitobans get outside, make new friends and learn about the wonders of nature.
We’ve developed a wide range of programming and activities to help Manitobans of all ages and abilities enjoy the health and wellness benefits of nature.
Find out more at our website – www.cpawsmb.org – and be sure to subscribe to our events newsletter and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter so you don’t miss out on upcoming events.
Safety Protocols
CPAWS Manitoba takes the safety of all program participants seriously.
All CPAWS Manitoba staff members have cleared a criminal record and vulnerable sector background check with the Winnipeg Police Department.
All CPAWS Manitoba staff members voluntarily disclose that they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. We adhere to all public health recommendations and guidelines.
CPAWS policy requires that at least one person leading programming that may involve children must be certified in first aid. This applies to staff or to volunteers.
This program is possible thanks to the generous support of The Winnipeg Foundation.