Peace and Plains Country - The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - page 513

ter, trails lead through the shoreline wetlands and, on July 1, more than 3,000 rubber ducks
take the plunge down the river in the annual Canada Day duck race.
6. Neepawa
A 22-mile jaunt east along the Yellowhead Highway, which connects four of Canada's 10
provinces,bringsdriverstoNeepawa.Inmid-tolatesummerthistiny,bucolictownswells
with more than 10,000 visitors as field after field of lilies come into bloom. More varieties
of lilies are grown here than anywhere else in the world—2,000 at last count.
7. Minnedosa
Heading back to Hwy. 10, the small charming town of Minnedosa sits comfortably in the
longvalleythatstretchesformilesacrosstheprairie.Thetown'snamemeans“flowingwa-
ter,” a designation given by the Sioux aboriginal people, and evidence of the glacial melt-
water that carved the landscape abounds. Water-filled depressions called “potholes” pock
the area and provide nesting ground for an abundance of waterfowl, most notably the can-
vasback duck.
8. Riding Mountain National Park
The flat prairie land begins to roll and buckle along the 30-mile stretch of Hwy. 10 leading
into Riding Mountain National Park. Part of a UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve,
the park extends some 1,158 square miles and encompasses boreal and deciduous forests,
rough fescue prairie, lakes, and marshland. Gravel roads split off the highway as it mean-
ders through the park, offering access to lakes, campgrounds, and more than 250 miles of
trail.
9. Wasagaming and Clear Lake
The town of Wasagaming at the park's southern entrance welcomes visitors to Clear Lake,
one of the park's major attractions and launching point for most visitors. Here, dining,
lodging,andotherservicesroundoutthesmallarea'stourist-centeredofferings.Thepark's
visitor center, located on Wasagaming Drive, overlooks Clear Lake's sandy beach and
provides information on historic sites, guided hikes, boat tours, camping, skiing, and other
activities.
Horses can be taken on most trails, a nod to the park's eponymous mountain, so named
becauseearlytrappersandhunterswouldtraversetheruggedmountainchainonhorseback.