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'North of 53' (the 53rd parallel), convenience takes a backseat to rugged beauty as lake-filled timberland dissolves into the treeless tundra of the far north. The ample wildlife around Churchill is justifiably the big draw and reason enough to make the journey north, with Thompson now playing 'Wolf Capital' to Churchill's 'Polar Bear Capital.' Around 80km southwest of Thompson along Hwy 6, Pisew Falls Provincial Park is a great place to stop and get drenched by the spray from the waterfall that roars through a gorge.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Northern Manitoba.
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This one-room museum showcases an exceptional collection of Inuit carvings made of whalebone, soapstone and caribou antler, as well as millennia-old harpoon heads and bone carvings of shamans and bears left over from the pre-Inuit Thule and Dorset cultures of the Igloolik region. The place really sucks you in and you can spend hours here.
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It took 40 years to build and its cannons were never used, but the star-shaped, stone Fort Prince of Wales has been standing prominently on rocky Eskimo Point across the Churchill River since the 1770s. As English-French tensions mounted in the 1720s, the HBC selected the site for strategic purposes, but surrendered during the first French attack in 1782, making it an Anglo Maginot Line forerunner. The fort can only be visited on wildlife-watching boat tours (entry fee included).
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Around 80km southwest of Thompson along Hwy 6, Pisew Falls Provincial Park is a must-stop for anyone passing. A short boardwalk runs from the parking area down to lookouts on the surging waters of the 13m falls. Water shoots over the wide precipice and then gushes through a rocky gorge while mist fills the air. A trail from here leads to remote Kwasitchewan Falls. The partial looping route runs 22km there and back and offers prime backcountry hiking and camping.
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Established primarily to protect polar bear maternity denning sites ( wapusk is Cree for 'white bear') and critical habitats for waterfowl and shore birds, this remote park extends along Hudson Bay's shores 45km southeast of Churchill. Its location between boreal forests and Arctic tundra makes it important when monitoring the effects of climate change. Visits center on polar bears and are only possible through licensed operators.
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Located in a former aircraft hangar near the airport, this secure facility serves as holding center for problem polar bears who repeatedly turn up in Churchill and pose a danger to its residents. With the exception of family groups, bears are held for at least 30 days before being released. Repeat offenders may be relocated by helicopter.
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Around 250km southeast of Churchill and impossibly remote, this HBC trading post, near Hayes River, was an important gateway to the interior and active for 273 years until 1957. The stark-white buildings are an amazing sight contrasting with their barren setting. It's accessible only by air or boat.
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A lone cannon behind a crumbling wall is all that's left of the battery built at Cape Merry, 2km northwest of town. It's an incredibly beautiful location in its own right and, during summer, belugas can be seen from the shore. It's included in cultural tours of Churchill.
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Boreal forests surround amazingly clear waters and there's camping (tent sites $12 to $24, RV sites $16 to $29) with pelicans at Clearwater Lake Provincial Park near the airport. The scenic Caves Trail follows deep crevices and eroding cliffs.
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Amid the undulating rocks, late-season ice and scraggy, stunted trees looms a Cold War relic. Just north of the airport, Fort Churchill was Canada's Cape Kennedy. Starting in 1954, over 3500 small rockets were launched from here on military and scientific missions.