Clear Lake Weekend Itinerary
After a long winter, a Clear Lake Weekend Itinerary is the pick-me-up we all need ahead of summer. It’s almost lake season, but until then, there are still so many fun activities to do in Clear Lake (Wasagaming), Manitoba if you’re visiting for a weekend during the late winter or early spring!
If you’re coming from Winnipeg, Clear Lake or Riding Mountain National Park is about 2.5-3 hours from the city, so it’s best to leave in the afternoon to really maximize your weekend trip.
DAY 1:
Check-in to Lakehouse
While there are many different accommodations to explore in the Wasagaming townsite of Clear Lake in Riding Mountain National Park (RMNP), during the winter and spring, one of my favourite options is Lakehouse due to all the amenities! Check in to your cozy, buffalo plaid-clad bedroom suite or studio room and you’ll instantly feel all the cottage vibes in a chic, modern space! We opted for the one-bedroom suite featuring a cozy living room with sofa, tv, and kitchenette stocked with a Nespresso machine (my personal must-have), a bathroom with a spacious shower and a separate bedroom with a big comfy duvet for chilly nights!
Explore Wasagaming
Once you settle in, get a lay of the land! While Wasagaming is pretty quaint, it’s nice to know your surroundings before you start your adventures, so walk just a few meters over to the RMNP Visitor Centre. The centre features a museum and exhibits on RMNP’s history along with ecosystems, which was super cool to learn! The Parks Canada staff was so helpful, offering tips for what trails to check out and the snow conditions.
Dinner at Elkhorn
After we got acquainted with the townsite, we were ready for some dinner and headed just a few minutes up the road to Elkhorn Resort, where you can dine at the Buffalo Bar & 10 Restaurant. We opted to dine in at the Buffalo Bar, and ordered Chicken Korma and a Chicken Dragon Bowl, both of which were delicious! During the off-season, not a lot of restaurants are open in the Wasagaming area, so the Elkhorn options are great to mix it up a bit!
Walk along the Parks Canada skating trails
After dinner, head towards the water to explore the Parks Canada skating trails! While the ice has melted a bit making for a less than easy skate, it’s still perfect walking conditions. The trails are lined with Christmas lights, making for a beautiful evening stroll. During the cooler months, there’s also a huge warm-up shack where you can put your skates on before taking to the trail or the hockey rink.
DAY 2:
Sauna at Arrowhead
Start the morning off right with a sweat sesh detox in an outdoor barrel sauna! One of my favourite pastimes and just up the road are 2 saunas, hosted by Lakehouse’s sister property, Arrowhead which you can book for an hour-long, private use at an additional fee. It was the perfect way to ease into the day. Pro tip: book the sauna in advance, and they’ll stock bathrobes in your room for use at the sauna, and throughout the rest of your stay. Great for the hot tub too!
Snowshoe or Hike Brûlé Trail
A couple minutes drive from the townsite is the Grey Owl trailhead, which features 3 different trails: Grey Owl for cross-country skiing, Brûlé for snowshoeing, and Kinasao for hiking! We opted for Brûlé, deciding to go for the long loop of 4.2 km vs. the short loop option of 2.6 km. It was an easy trail through the forest to Kinasao Lake, which offered a perfect rest stop with a beautiful view of the lake. No matter the weather, wear layers because even in cooler temps, the sunshine was strong!
Spruce Hut Dining Experience
To make your stay even more special, book the private and cozy Spruce Hut for a meal at Lakehouse! It’s a unique way to dine outdoors, while sheltered from the elements in a spruce hut, equipped with a beautiful tablescape and a heater to keep you cozy in your own private space. We enjoyed some signature margaritas (which were amazing) and delicious flatbread pizzas and salad off the Lakehouse restaurant menu as the sunset through the clear windows. Book soon though, as the hut is only available from fall to March 31st.
Hottub Under the Stars
After filling up, we went back to Lakehouse, changed into our swimsuits, and opened our doors to the courtyard which features a hot tub for guest use! It was so nice to warm up and relax with a drink in hand before heading to bed for a busy day to come. Having it so conveniently located to the rooms makes it so easy to use no matter what time of day! We had the tub to ourselves every time we used it, which was really surprising given how most rooms were booked up.
DAY 3:
Walk along the lake
Make yourself a Nespresso coffee or stop at the Lakehouse coffee bar to grab a latte on your way out, and head out to the lake for a nice, calm morning walk. During the high season, there are tons of shops and restaurants to explore along the way, but at this time of year, most things are still closed. We stopped by Friends of Riding Mountain, a local non-profit dedicated to increasing awareness and appreciation of the natural and cultural heritage of RMNP to rent some kicksleds, but unfortunately, they’ve stopped renting them for the season. You can however, still rent other equipment including fat bikes and sleds ($10/hr or $25/4 hrs) or snowshoes ($5/day) to take out, and they’re all extremely affordable!
Snowshoe or Hike Arrowhead Trail
Before heading home, check out slightly more challenging trail, the Arrowhead Trail! Also just a few minutes out of town, this 3.2 km loop features some slight inclines, and another beautiful view with a lakeview along the way!
Check-out of Lakehouse
After an amazing adventure-filled weekend, it’s time to pack up and head home. Until next time, Clear Lake!
No matter when you choose to visit, you can easily modify this Clear Lake Itinerary to fit the season! Explore more of Clear Lake on their official website and start planning your next staycation!
Looking for more staycation ideas? Check out these Weekend Itineraries for Morden-Winkler or Gimli!
This trip was done in partnership with Travel Manitoba, but all experiences and opinions are my own.