Grab your skis! Free entry for Manitoba provincial parks in February

Grab your skis or snow shoes, but leave the provincial park tag at home.

Entry is free into any Manitoba provincial park for the month of February, the province's department of Conservation and Climate announced in a news release on Monday.

That means Manitobans can freely use ofgroomed trails for cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, fat biking, snowshoeing and hiking over the next 28 days.

Paint Lake, Spruce Woods and Turtle Mountain provincial parks also offer outdoor skating areas, hockey rinks and toboggan hills.

Snopasses are still required for people on snowmobiles using groomed trails in the parks. Entrance fees are still in effect in national parkslike Riding Mountain and Wapuskunless otherwise stated.

The province says people who visit the parks should remember to abide by COVID-19 public health orders, especially because theparks arebusier than usualthis winter.

Sloan Cathcart, the head of interpretation for Manitoba Parks says the numberof people hiking this winter alone isunprecedented.

Crowds and busy trails can be avoided by visiting parks during less busytimes, likeearly weekend mornings and weekdays, the province says.