Easy hikes and walks around Macdonald

There are a few nice paved trails to explore in the park, and the north side has some fairy houses and a cenotaph (empty burial memorial) to veterans of the first world war. You cross the creek via a pretty pedestrian bridge as it winds into the Assiniboine River.

Two long benches have been built by a clearing on the riverbank and offer a tranquil view of the Assiniboine. You can walk over via the singletrack Monkey Trail or the paved Wellington Crescent Trail. The path down to the lookout is accessible, well-maintained crushed gravel.

Camp Amisk is used by Scouts Canada, and the trail is shared by all manner of hikers, mountain bikers, snowshoers, and runners. The path is a grassy singletrack that cuts through the underbrush near the river bank as it winds through the forest's edge.

You can park at Camp Amisk or across the road at La Barriere Park, where there are restrooms available. The trail is a pretty singletrack route, but it can get muddy and overtaken by the river when it has rained recently or water levels are high. In the winter, or in dry conditions, you can easily explore for many kilometres along the riverside.

The La Salle River flows gently through southern Manitoba, winding past farmland, forest, and prairie before joining the Red River near St. Norbert. Its slow-moving waters support a rich wetland ecosystem, with spawning fish, waterfowl, and songbirds common in spring and early summer. The river is a popular spot for paddling and birdwatching, and is the perfect place for a scenic riverside walk.

This 1,070-kilometer river flows across the Canadian prairies before joining the Red River in Winnipeg. The river was named in honour of the Assiniboine First Nations people who have lived along its route for millennia.

The Journey to Churchill exhibit, one of the most popular in the zoo, is an immersive Arctic-themed habitat where visitors can explore tundra and coastal landscapes to learn about northern species like polar bears, muskoxen, snowy owls, caribou, and seals. In the “Sea Ice Passage,” tunnels let you watch polar bears and seals, separated only by a transparent barrier. The exhibit also features the Leatherdale International Polar Bear Conservation Centre, with interpretive displays on climate change, conservation research, and the rescue and rehabilitation of polar bears.

Assiniboine Park Zoo covers about 32 hectares of walkable space, with long, well-maintained paths that let you move easily between its naturalized habitats. For hikers, a high point of the zoo is Journey to Churchill, where viewing tunnels and outdoor walkways bring you close to polar bears, muskoxen, and other northern wildlife in spacious, open-air settings. The mix of forested routes, boardwalk sections, and quieter back paths makes it a surprisingly rewarding place for a slow, scenic wander within the city.