Two popular hiking paths at Spruce Woods Provincial Park near Carberry, Manitoba, remain closed for the 2026 season as workers repair infrastructure damaged by past flooding.
According to Manitoba Parks, the Isputinaw Self-guiding Trail is shut down to allow for the installation of a new floating boardwalk. The project will replace the previous walkway, which was heavily damaged by high water, and is designed to modernize the path to make it safer for families and hikers.
The Spring Ridge Self-guiding Trail is also closed for the construction of a new bridge and wider enhancements to the walking path. A previous bridge at this location has been unusable since the major floods that hit the area in 2011 and 2012.
These projects are funded by more than $2 million in spending for park improvements in the Westman region, which was announced by the Manitoba government in July 2025. This investment is being used to modernize older park facilities and trails that have suffered long-term damage from extreme weather events.
While the closures will change plans for people visiting the area this year, the work will eventually reopen parts of the park that have been hard to reach for over a decade. Ann Stout, the president of the Friends of Spruce Woods Provincial Park, said the bridge work is a necessary step to repair long-term damage in the park and preserve it for future visitors.
