Peace and Plains Country - The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - page 512

succulents. Trails for hikers and drivers lead through Turtle Mountain State Forest, home
to deer, moose, grouse, and beavers.
2. Turtle Mountain Provincial Park
The long, steep slopes of Turtle Mountain, so named by the Plains Cree Indians for its
curved, domed shape, gently rise to the east and has been protected by rangers since the
early 1900s. Today outdoor enthusiasts pull into the 71-square-mile park for camping, hik-
ing, biking, swimming, and skiing. Adam Lake, just beyond the Canadian border on Hwy.
10, offers access to an interpretive trail that winds through a forest of trembling aspen,
chokecherry,andSaskatoonshrubs,alongwithblossomingwildplumtrees.Marshlandand
shallow lakes shelter grebes, loons, and herons, as well as muskrat, beaver, raccoon, and
moose. Stay alert for small painted turtles along the shoreline, identifiable by yellow strip-
ing on their faces and brightly “painted” undershells.
3. Boissevain
Turtle territory continues north to Boissevain, which welcomes visitors with a 28-foot,
10,000-pound statue nicknamed Tommy by locals. The visitor center, located at the statue,
dispenses information on lodging, arts activities, and Turtle Mountain Provincial Park. A
walking tour around the town center showcases 20 large-scale murals, each a snapshot of
the region's heritage—from exploration and discovery to railroad development and agri-
cultural bounty.
4. Whitewater Lake
A detour along Hwy. 3 brings avid bird-watchers to 22,000-acre Whitewater Lake, a mi-
gratory haven for more than 250 bird species, located just six miles west of Boissevain.
Follow the signs from the highway to reach the year-round viewing platform, observation
tower, and boardwalk. The marshes of bulrushes, cattails, and white top grass ebb and rise
with the flow of eight tributaries and, in the fall, provide shelter for hundreds of thousands
of snow geese, ducks, shorebirds, and tundra swans.
5. Brandon
The second largest city in the province, Brandon grew up as a railway town in the late
1880s, and well-preserved historic buildings lend a charming air to downtown and the uni-
versity campus. The visitor center, located at the Riverbank Discovery Center, sits along
the park-lined Assiniboine River, which pumps through the heart of Brandon. At the cen-