Beaudry Provincial Park

Beaudry Provincial Park is just outside Winnipeg. It is a 950-hectare (2,350-acre) park along the Assiniboine River west of the town of Headingley. It has several trails for hiking and skiing, but no facilities for camping.

Understand

Assiniboine River in Beaudry Provincial Park

History

Land assembly for Beaudry Provincial Park began in 1975 by the Province of Manitoba from several privately owned landholdings along the Assiniboine River west of the Town of Headingley, Manitoba.

The major portion of the park is comprised of a 2,000-acre landholding featuring 5 miles (8 km) of frontage on the south side of the river that had been owned by prominent Winnipeg businessman and mining entrepreneur J. D. Perrin. He had purchased a 1,200-acre farm from England's Pilkington family (of Pilkington Glass fame) in 1944. The Pilkingtons had owned the property since the early 1920s. J. D. Perrin named the property Beaudry Farm, after Canadian National Railway's Beaudry Station, which was located adjacent to the farm on the CN line that had been built by the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway and used from 1894 to 1972. The Beaudry name had derived from a family that had once owned large sections of land in the area in the early years of the 20th century.

After 1950, the property was jointly owned by J.D. Perrin and his son J. D. (Jack) Perrin, Jr. The Perrin property was expanded with the purchase in 1963 of the neighbouring 600-acre farm to the East owned by the Les Fansett family. Around the same time, the Perrins had purchased from CN the abandoned Beaudry Station and relocated it to the bank of the Assiniboine River near the entrance to the present park's riverbottom forest hiking and skiing trails. These trails had been hand cut through the riverbottom forest area for horseback trail riding by Jack Perrin's children, John, Suzanne and Marshall. The station building was fully rehabilitated and used by J.D. Perrin, until his death in 1967, and his wife Ruth as a country retreat until it was destroyed by fire during the winter of 1977. Jack Perrin and his family had constructed a ranch house on the riverbank a short distance south of the station house.

Under the Perrin family's ownership approximately 1,200 acres of the Beaudry property were under cultivation, while the remaining 800 acres of river bottom forest and other natural forested habitats were carefully preserved. The entire holding was made off-limits to hunters. Much of the farming was done by Perrin's Farm Manager, Hildebrand Van Wyk, who with his wife Shirley and children were prominent members of the Headingley and St. Francois Xavier area community.

South of the CN line, along a small chain of "lakes" known locally by some today as Perrin Lakes, a dam had been built by Ducks Unlimited to preserve the wetlands and, while prohibiting hunting, the Perrins permitted the Manitoba Gun Dog Association for many years to operate a seasonal clubhouse for dog training and trials.

In 1975, the Manitoba Government of Premier Edward Schreyer decided to expropriate the Perrin holdings to commence the establishment of the park and over the years other properties on the north side of the river were acquired to create today's Beaudry Provincial Park.

Landscape

River-bottom forest and tall grass prairie.

Flora and fauna

Basswood, cottonwood and maple trees, ferns and grapevines. White-tailed deer, fox, owls, raccoons, beaver and muskrat.

Get in

Leaving Winnipeg, travel west 10 km/6.2 mi. on Roblin Blvd./PR 241. Access is via a short gravel drive off of Provincial Road 241 west of Headingley.

Fees and permits

Vehicle permit is required, though they are not available in the park, and there is no specific direction given on where to obtain one.

Parks Passes are generally available at local hardware stores and gas stations in the city of Winnipeg. Generally at the same locations that sell fishing licences and outdoor supplies, as well as at other provincial parks with camp grounds (and hence on-site staff)

See and do

There are several short hiking trails that double as cross-country ski trails in the winter.

• Oak Trail. This 1-km loop trail has a total elevation gain of 764 feet. The trail starts at the information sign at the southeast corner of the parking lot. The path is wide and grassy. At 0.3 the path descends slightly and begins to follow along the shore of a small stream. Shortly thereafter an unofficial trail goes straight ahead to a nice view of the Assiniboine River. The official trail turns right and crosses the stream at 0.5. Unfortunately, there is no bridge. Low water conditions might allow hikers to cross easily, but if you have no desire to wade in ankle deep water in near freezing weather, consider returning to the parking lot. According to the park map, the trail forms a 1-km loop on the other side of the stream for a total distance of 2 km. 
• Wild Grape Trail. This 2.3-km loop trail has a total elevation gain of 764 feet. The trail surface is grass and packed dirt. Start at the northeast corner of the parking lot and descend to the information sign near the river. From here, the path enters the forest. The path is wide and grassy. At 0.2 a short herd path leads to a nice view of the river. At 0.4 another herd path branches to the right. Eventually, the trail curves to the left. At 0.9 an unmarked post is placed at the eastern-most point on the loop. At 1.2 there is a nice view of the river. At the junction at 1.6 turn left to stay on the Wild Grape Trail. At an un-signed 4-way junction turn left again to return to the parking lot, but be warned, this last section of the trail has the potential to be muddy, or even completely flooded. If this is the case, you may continue ahead and follow the path along the edge of the forest to your left. Take the second path re-entering the forest, and you will quickly return to the parking lot. 

Buy, eat and drink

There are no facilities in the park. It is 10 km west of Winnipeg, which has everything you need.

Sleep

Camping is not permitted. There is no lodging in the park. Look for lodging in Winnipeg.