Turtle mtn Park, Boissevain,Cr-wikipedia
Boissevain, located in southwest Manitoba and reached by way of the #10 highway, is only a fifteen minute drive north of the Canada / US border, near North Dakota. Its main attractions include the International Peace Garden, Turtle Mountain Provincial Park, and Whitewater Lake. It is a popular Canadian prairie vacation destination, characterized by its street lined floral displays, arts park, outdoor art gallery, and provides an excellent starting point for great golfing, hunting, birdwatching, camping, snowmobiling and outdoor adventures.
This is a small town of just over 1500 people. They have beautiful gardens, and a mascot of a 28 foot tall western painted turtle. From 1987 – 2001, they hosted an annual Turtle Derby. The town has a couple of inns where visitors may stay and also a number of bed and breakfasts along with two campgrounds. Farms and farming is this town’s main focus. Through activities like farmer’s markets and a unique event known as farm focus, different businesses and organizations showcase their products and services including cooking demonstrations.
The International Peace Garden is a visual symbol of peace between the United States and Canada. Each year exhibits, containing over 150,000 flowers, display the flags of Canada and the United States, the Floral Clock which is eighteen feet in diameter and shows a different design every year. The best time to view the Floral Clock is mid-July through August. A memorial to the 9/11 disaster also appears in the Peace Garden.
Turtle Mountain Provincial Park is mainly a summer destination with camping amenities. The Park has many lakes in which the visitor many enjoy swimming, boating, fishing, and wildlife viewing. The Park also has several hiking and biking trails for adventurers at different levels. This is a popular winter area for snowmobiling, tobogganing, skating, curling, snowshoeing, and curling as well as cross-country skiing.
The Boissevain Campground has RV sites, electrical, firewood, washrooms and showers. Next to the campground is the Boissevain Swimming Pool.
Whitewater Lake offers excellent birdwatching opportunities. During the fall migrations, thousands of geese, ducks, shorebirds, and swans come to this protected lake. In 1989 Ducks Unlimited and other organizations in Manitoba invested over two million dollars to enhance the failing lake. Today, it is a thriving area for birds and other wildlife. Located about six miles west of Boissevain, it offers a viewing area complete with observation tower and other facilities. Along the periphery, hunting takes place as well as in the Turtle Mountain area.
The town has three museums. Gordon Wildlife Museum has many spectacular wildlife displays. Beckoning Hills Museum has historical information from pioneer days that reveals life in the early days of the town. Find railroad memorabilia at Chokeycherry Junction. At Moncrury Gallery, view over a thousand artifacts from Aboriginal times.
