Atikaki Provincial Park
Canada › Manitoba

Atikaki Provincial Park

ByWilderness Experts

Fast facts

  • Established: 1985, as a wilderness park
  • Size: about 1,540 square miles (3,980 km²)
  • Rivers: the Bloodvein (a Canadian Heritage River) and the Pigeon
  • World Heritage: part of Pimachiowin Aki, a UNESCO site recognised for its Anishinaabe cultural landscape
  • Gateway: Wallace Lake, or by floatplane
  • Managed by: Manitoba Parks

The landscape

Atikaki lies on the Canadian Shield along Manitoba’s eastern border: bare granite, black spruce and jack pine, and rivers that drop in falls and rapids toward Lake Winnipeg. Pictographs painted on the rock faces record thousands of years of Anishinaabe travel on these waters. Woodland caribou, moose, black bears and wolves live here, and the park is part of a vast protected boreal region shared with Ontario.

Best time to go

Paddling runs from ice-out in late May to September. Early summer brings higher water and more bugs; late summer brings lower water, more rock in the rapids and a higher chance of wildfire and smoke. Fall is cold and short.

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Getting there and around

There are no roads into the park. Many paddlers drive to Wallace Lake, south of the park, and paddle and portage north. Others hire a floatplane to put in on the upper Bloodvein or Pigeon and paddle out. Routes involve many portages around falls and rapids, and some are rarely maintained.

Things to do

Atikaki is for multi-day wilderness canoe trips, from a week to several weeks. The Bloodvein and Pigeon rivers are classics for experienced paddlers with whitewater skills. Pictograph sites, fishing for walleye and northern pike, and wildlife make the trip. Some lodges and outfitters run guided and fly-in trips.

Staying safe

This is remote wilderness with no services and no cell coverage. Carry a satellite messenger, a detailed map and a repair kit. Scout rapids and portage when in doubt: many drops are dangerous or unrunnable. The water is cold, so wear a life jacket at all times on the river. Wildfire is part of this forest, so check fire status before you go and have an exit plan. Store food away from bears and leave a detailed trip plan.

Know before you go

Wildfire can close parts of eastern Manitoba’s parks in summer. This page is a general overview, not a live conditions report, so confirm fire closures, route conditions and any registration requirements with Manitoba Parks before you go.

Navigation
Coordinates
51.5207, -95.8949
Magnetic declination
1.5° E (2026)

Set this declination on your compass, then align it to the map's north lines; it is the angle between true north and magnetic north, refreshed each year.

How declination works, and how to navigate with a map and compass

3 places in Atikaki Provincial Park

A spread of the park’s main places shows straight away, and the rest appear as you zoom in. You can also search above, or pick any place from the lists below, and the map will go to it. Places in bold, marked , have a short description.

On the trail 1

Campground

Sights 2

Waterfall

Point of interest

Map data comes from third-party sources and may be incomplete or out of date, so carry a current official map (terms).

Trip types
Multi-day/expeditionCanoeing & kayakingBackcountryGuided expedition

Looking for one of these closer to home?Destinations near me by trip type →

Terrain
RiversLakesForest
Key hazards
Remote fly-in wildernessRapidsfalls and portagesCold waterBlack bearsWildfire and smokeBiting insects
Best seasons
Summer, Early fall
Difficulty
Strenuous (remote wilderness)
Access / trailheads
No direct road access. The most popular water route starts at Wallace Lake, about 155 miles (250 km) from Winnipeg via PTH 59 and PR 304. Floatplane charters and lodges can fly paddlers in.
Water
Rivers and lakes throughout; filter or treat all water.
Cell / satellite coverage
None. A satellite messenger is essential.
Nearest ranger / SAR / emergency
Emergencies: 911 by satellite device. Manitoba Parks: 1-800-214-6497.
Permits & regulations
No road access and no facilities. Check Manitoba Parks for fire closures and any backcountry registration before your trip.
Leave No Trace
Use existing campsites, keep fires small and in existing rings (respecting fire bans), leave pictographs untouched, and pack out everything.
Conditions by month

October This month

Average high48°F(9°C)9°C(48°F)
Average low30°F(−1°C)−1°C(30°F)
Rainfall1.5 in(37 mm)37 mm(1.5 in)
Daylight, mid-month10 h 46 minSunrise 7:46 a.m., sunset 6:32 p.m.
  • Below-freezing nights

What to bring depends on your trip: how long you’re out, where you sleep, and how far you go from the road. The planner builds the list for yours.

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Averages for 1981–2010 from Environment Canada climate normals, measured at the Arborg station, 37 miles (60 km)60 km (37 miles) away at 735 feet (224 m)224 m (735 feet). Higher trails run colder, by about 3.5°F for every 1,000 ft (2°C per 300 m)2°C for every 300 m (3.5°F per 1,000 ft) of climb. Daylight runs from sunrise to sunset on the 15th, on the park’s own clock, for a level horizon. Valleys and slopes facing away from the sun are in shade earlier.

Before you go Conditions, permits, fire bans and closures change constantly — we summarise and link out, but always confirm with the managing agency first.
Official park website → Last verified 2026-09-21

Nearby parks

Straight-line distance between park centres. Road distance is usually longer.

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See every park and monument within a day’s drive of where you are.

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