Note: Also see Manitoba Hiking Trails for a map and more comprehensive list.

For some reason my family has something of a reputation for hiking. Many weekends were spent driving to some trail and tramping around. Usually the hikes were good, although we did have our share of disappointments (like that one time we decided to go to 'the beach' in December).

I've decided to make a list and rank my favourite hikes so you can see what hikes and trails I recommend in Manitoba.

Sean's Favourite Manitoba Hiking Trails
in no particular order

1) McGillivray Falls Trail
Beauty ( 4 / 5 ); Difficulty ( 5 / 5 ); Map
I've spent considerable time in the east of the province in the Whiteshell Provincial Park. The park is full of lakes, gentle hills and the boreal forest. This trail manages to capture all of this by winding up a small set of water falls to McGillivray lake crossing over numerous hills and through beautiful forests. It is completely representative of the eastern part of Manitoba. More information and directions are available at the trails website; McGillivray Falls Self-guiding Trail at Manitoba Conservation.

2) Spirit Sands / Devils Punchbowl Trail
Beauty ( 4 / 5 ); Difficulty ( 4 / 5 ); Map
The next trail is in the western portion of Manitoba, but is no less interesting. Just south of Carberry are a large amount of dunes left over from when Manitoba was at the bottom of lake Agassiz. This has left a small corner of Manitoba with a mini-desert complete with cacti. The Spirit Sands trail takes you on a hike through the desert with excellent views of the Assiniboine river. More information and directions are available at the trails website; Spirit Sands Self-guiding Trail at Manitoba Conservation.
Pro Tip: This trail is best experienced with bare feet - its almost all sand which will otherwise collect in your shoes

3) Forester's Footsteps Trail
Beauty ( 2 / 5 ); Difficulty ( 2 / 5 ); Map
Back east to the Whiteshell again, this trail takes you through an old clear cut in the forest that has been replanted. The forest is carefully managed by Manitoba Conservation to ensure that it keeps growing and stays disease free since it once was a logging site. This trail has less of the spectacular views of the others but it is flat and easy to walk compared to McGillivray Falls and the perfect rows of trees are strangely hypnotic. More information and directions are available at the trails website; Forester's Footsteps Self-guiding Trail at Manitoba Conservation.

4) Pembina Valley Trails
Beauty ( 3 / 5 ); Difficulty ( 5 / 5 ); Map
Situated centrally in the province, right on the American border is Pembina Valley Provincial Park. The park has a network of trails extending along and down into the valley terminating at the Pembina river, taking in rolling fields and the forested valley. The trails offer some wonderful views although the trail is quite steep in some places and slippery when wet. More information and directions are available at the parks website; Pembina Valley Provincial Park at Manitoba Conservation.

5) Birds Hill Park Trails
Beauty ( 2 / 5 ); Difficulty ( 2 / 5 ); Map
What it may lack in gorgeous vistas, Birds Hill Park makes up for it in sheer convenience. While it is essentially a stand of trees in the middle of the prairies, it is also just outside of Winnipeg, making it a prime destination for a spur of the moment or time constrained hike. Like Pembina Valley, the park offers a large intertwined network of trails so there are many choices to be made but also a number of chances to end up on the wrong trail. More information and directions are available at the parks website; Birds Hill Provincial Park at Manitoba Conservation.
Pro Tip: If you are hiking the trails in the north west area of the park, don't forget a map