Rushing River Provincial Park is a winter lovers’ paradise, welcoming eager visitors to 18 km of groomed cross-country ski trails. Its snow-covered landscape is one Ontario escape you don’t want to skip.

City life can be chaotic, and sometimes, the best way to reset is to escape into nature. There’s something about winter’s quiet beauty that calls us outside. Crisp air, snow-covered landscapes, and a sense of peace you just can’t find in the city. So, if you’re ready to trade the hustle for stillness, even for a moment, you’re in the right place.

How to get to Rushing River Provincial Park

Home to cascading rivers sculpted by ancient glaciers, Rushing River is an all-season experience, about two and a half hours away from Winnipeg, Manitoba. That means, for us here in southern Ontario, it’s a hefty trip if you were thinking of embarking on that journey.

From Toronto, you’re looking at a 20-hour drive.

Unfortunately, you can’t camp here yet as the season opens in May. But don’t let that deter you from learning more about this wonderful park.

Rushing River in the winter

Fall, summer and spring are great times to visit this park but winter just makes it come alive. According to Ontario Parks, there’s plenty of wildlife in the area. “You might see a squirrel scurrying through the snow foraging for food or a fox digging holes,” shares OP.

“On exceedingly rare occasions, you might even spot a lynx across the lake blending into the snow.”

Now that’s something we’d like to see! You can enjoy these sights along the park’s many trails. In the winter, walkers can take a stroll along the park entrance/exit loop road, down to the boat launch and then back again. Signs are posted at the park to help identify where not to walk, to ensure your safety.

Though you won’t be able to walk along its trails, that’s okay! These trails are actually groomed for cross-country skiers so walkers are asked not to use them at this time.

If cross-country skiing is something you’d like to try, there are a variety of difficulty levels, from novice to intermediate and about one to six kilometres long. More experienced skiers are recommended to try the 4.7 km Trail “G.” It’s one of the longest of the bunch.

“All trails are loops and follow park roads adjacent to Dogtooth Lake. There is also a single-track trail that winds through mature stands of Jack Pine,” shares OP.

For wonderful views and a trip over a bridge, check out Trail “D”, it’s 6 km long.

Day passes at Rushing River

Love what you’re reading? Well, it sounds like a trip is in order! Just be sure to purchase your daily vehicle permit up to five days in advance, for $6.50 after tax. You can also purchase the 2024/25 Winter Day-Use Vehicle Permit, for $67.80 if you plan on visiting more than once. This is valid until March 31, 2025.

Now all you have to do is get your planning in order and grab a pair of skis.

We’ll see you out there!

Rushing River Provincial Park

Where: 1100 Hwy 71, Kenora, ON

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Karen Doradea

Karen Doradea

Managing Editor, Toronto – Karen is a multimedia journalist based in Toronto. With a strong knowledge of reporting and editing through all forms of media, she has a true passion for storytelling. She carries several years of journalistic experience and has covered the Toronto scene from local stories to national news. When Karen isn’t publishing fire content, you can find her binge-watching sitcoms on Crave, at a must-try restaurant, or scrolling endlessly on TikTok looking for the next best thing – News never sleeps.

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