Elk Island Provincial Park

Elk Island has often felt like another home to me. You can get to it by canoe or by walking through the water - IF you know where the sand bars are. You will be sharing your stay there with Bald Eagles, Wolves and Bears. I have never seen a wolf out there, but I have have certainly seen their tracks - everywhere. The beautiful sand beaches that flow around the southern side of the island have a real tropical feel to them, especially when an old tree is hanging out over the water. And the gravelly beaches on the northern side are exciting and unique.

It is a beautiful place! Walking on a sand along the shore, warm water washing your feet... what can be better? This year we had a daughter so there was a piece of land connecting an island to the mainland. The walk is about 3km (I think) and can be a bit challenging if you are not used to walking on a sand for a long time. The island is covered with pine forest and is truly beautiful in its wilderness. I would highly recommend visiting it. But be prepared for a long journey.Also note, that there is no visitor center (at least we didn't find it) and parking by the entrance to Sandy Bay stairs, where the walk starts, is prohibited and your car can be towed away. Plus you will get a fine.

Always a nice place to check out when I’m staying at the family cabin close by. Water was high this spring when I went but it’s probably cross able without getting drenched by now.

Nice quiet hidden gem in Manitoba love the place

First off...there is nowhere to park. The MB parks website says it can only be accessed by boat. You can walk, but you cannot park your vehicle anywhere, so if you are not a local, you may be out of luck.All Trails app says this is an easy trail. I disagree. While not that difficult, walking for kilometers on sand is tiring. Plus, the trails are not marked at all. If I had not had the trails app, I would have not found the trail in many places. Finally, there is a lot of poison ivy growing on the trail in many areas. Be cautious or you will bring more home than just memories.All that being said, we still had a great hike. Beautiful private beaches and mostly a nice trail to walk.

To access, bike or walk down Olafson Drive and you'll see signs for Lakeview and an archway. Walk straight to the beach and then you'll see Elk Island in the distance to your right. For the last couple years, water has been low enough to walk on sand bars right to Elk Island. The Beach is beautiful sand and nice water.

I was just there July 10, 2018, and with the water being so low this year Elk Island is no longer an island. The sand bars are fully exposed and there is no need to get wet if you don't want to. A down side is without the water flowing, there is a bit of a smell from all the dead fish flies that have piled up. Still a great place to walk or picnic for the day.

One of our favourite places on earth. Hard to access but wonderfully worth the effort. We like to drop our guests at the entrance to the pathway to the beach, park on the highway, then bike in. The hike to Elk Island is sometimes on sandbars but often involves wading in the water. Water shoes are useful. Another option is to park on the highway and canoe/kayak/stand up paddle board to Elk Island from the end of the road.

Nature gets 5 out 5, but only 3 stars to the place in general because it lacks all services and there NO PARKING anywhere except on the main highway. It is almost designed in a way to keep it exclusive to lucky cabin owners who walk over and enjoy this hidden gem.If you plan to go there, and you really should, bring your bike/wagon and take it easy on the luggage for that there's quite a distance between the beach and where you can park. Also, remember there are no washrooms or even an outhouse.This place is must visit.

Beautiful walk to get to the island. There's a long trail that starts along the coast that takes you towards the middle. The hike is incredible