The gem of all hidden gems, Little Limestone Lake in Manitoba, Canada. I know you’re thinking, ok cool..a lake, big deal.. and its where?…
Little Limestone Lake in Manitoba is a complete unique wonder of its own and is in the most unexpected part of the world! If you didn’t know, Manitoba is in the middle of Canada. There are no mountains, they’re more like hills and for sure no oceans around until you hit the top.
The further north you go though, I’m talking like 6-7 hours from Winnipeg, the less prairie land you’ll see and more forest and rugged Canadian shield rock landscape. Manitoba is typically known as a prairie province but certainly has a lot of beauty and more diverse landscape the further you get from the southern regions. For most, this spot will go unseen because of the long travel time to even get there and the remoteness of the area.
Little Limestone Lake is a 5 hour drive from Winnipeg but certainly worth the time it takes to get there. Having not traveled this area of Manitoba much, my best friend and I decided to load up the truck with our camping gear and kayaks and set out for the totally unexpected. Out of flat prairie land and into pine forest lies what we saw as a beautiful tropical paradise of clear turquoise water. Lying in good old Manitoba. Little Limestone Lake is the world’s largest marl lake and the best example of one at that. And again, in Manitoba! It is 15 km long and about 4 km wide. Despite it’s name its not little at all.
What is a Marl Lake?
So to understand the real uniqueness of Little Limestone Lake, you’ll have to understand what a marl lake is. We had no idea. It sounded cool and of course with the help of google we didn’t think twice about going to check it out. Marl lakes like Little Limestone Lake basically have a white mud bottom because it is rich in lime where as other lakes have a brown mud bottom making the water look dark blue.
Little Limestone or any marl lake get the beautiful turquoise water from the eroding limestone beneath the lake releasing calcium carbonate forming marl, little white coloured crystals. These crystals remain in the water sinking very slowly. When it is really cold, the volume of crystals in the water is low and the water becomes crystal clear. When it’s hot though, that’s when the magic happens! The marl increases and remains in the water transforming the colour to the milky turquoise colour. With this in mind, I highly suggest visiting this area in summertime, July and August being the hottest months.
I’ve been so privileged in a short time to see some really amazing lakes. Mostly in Alberta, the famous Moraine Lake and Lake Louise and also in New Zealand at Lake Tekapo. These lakes have gorgeous turquoise waters as well but its because of rock flour instead of limestone. Rock flour are tiny particles from eroding glaciers. The rock flour moves toward the lake and also gets suspended in the water giving them a milky turquoise colour.
Learned something? Trust me, we did too! It’s actually really fascinating to learn how these beautiful lakes get their colour. We spent more time sitting in our kayaks staring at the water than actually paddling anywhere.
What is it really like there?
The shore is lined with boreal forest of Jack pines, Tamarack, Spruce, Birch and Willow trees. Some wildlife include bear, moose, wolves, lynx and all sorts of birds! We didn’t see anything when I went. Not even a deer but that’s not to say there are no wildlife especially off into the back country. There are a few trails in the bush along the shore. Be sure to be bear smart. Don’t leave food out, make noise and stay alert.
Where to stay?
Little Limestone lake is a provincial park but labelled as a non operational park and used under backcountry rules. You can camp there but need special permission from Mosakahiken Cree Nation. Grand rapids is the nearest own and has three campgrounds/resorts. We stayed at the Cook’s cabins and campground and put our tent up. Luckily they had room as it was quite busy and the night only cost us $20. The campground is situated in a beautiful spot right by Cedar Lake.
What to do?
We chose to get the kayaks in the water which I have to say was amazing! These kayaks were ours though and I don’t believe there is anywhere close to the lake to rent kayaks or canoes. There are a few places in Winnipeg you can rent from like Winnipeg Canoe rentals or Wilderness supply.
Boating is allowed but there is no boat ramp. Despite very little plant life on the bottom of the lake it does have an abundant fish population– perch, pike, walleye, and whitefish. If you are going fishing make sure you have a current fishing license! I would suggest calling Manitoba conservation if you have any questions for fishing on this lake.
How to get there
From Winnipeg:Get on MB-101 W in Rosser from Logan Ave/Route 47 and Route 90 N. Head North on Highway 6 and continue straight through for almost 5 hours. Little Limestone Lake is on the west side of the highway. There is a sign posted.
I get excited talking about this lake because Manitoba is generally a province that gets passed by and not really a known destination for travelers coming to Canada. I know the distance can put a stop to things but just knowing this gem is hidden in the Manitoba wilderness really makes me prairie proud. It is always worth exploring your own home and getting out of the norm.
What you need to know
How to get there
– 5 hours north of Winnipeg on Hwy 6
– entrance to the lake is on the south side of the lake (there is a sign in the trees)
– access road is gravel and no regularly maintain (careful with a car)
Camping
– For camping permission: http://www.swampycree.com/fns2.html
– open fires are prohibited, make sure to bring your own BBQ
– the nearest amenities are in Grand rapids, 45 minutes south
– bring your own water!
Fishing
– it’s not entirely clear the regulations on this lake so best to contact Manitoba fisheries! http://www.gov.mb.ca/sd/waterstewardship/misc/contact.html
PS! Want more Manitoba goodness?! Check out which provincial parks you’ll want to put on your list next time you’re exploring in Manitoba.
Little Limestone lake is a true wonder. Leave only footprints and help keep this lake pristine and natural!
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tif
This is going to sound awful of me, but this is in Canada!? This is stunning,the colors!! But what a great thing to do, kayak! my favorite!
Kavita Favelle
How utterly beautiful is Little Limestone Lake? I’d not heard of marl lakes before, but good to understand what makes the lakebed white and the water appear so vividly turquoise. The pine forest around the lake is also beautiful.
Lauren Korstrom
Kavita FavelleYa i hadn’t either but its very cool!
Daniel
Wow I would never expect to find such a place in Cannada! This was an amazing read and certainly gave me a great idea for one of my following trips. Thank you for sharing.
Lauren Korstrom
DanielThank you! Canada is amazingly beautiful,its just so unexpected in Manitoba becuase its pretty much known for being a prairie province lol
eli
I can’t believe the color of those waters! I didn’t expect Canada to have waters like that, aside from the glacial lakes. Definitely going to have to consider going to Manitoba at some point!
Sue Davies
Looks like a lovely place. Might have to add Manitoba to my list. Beautiful colored water. Thanks for explaining why.
Kiley
Such a beautiful lake! I thought it was a tropical beach art first glance. It sounds like a great destination. It would be so much fun to camp here! Thanks for sharing!
Lydia
Limestone Lake seems so picturesque and the whole scenery left me speechless. I’ll have to cross Manitoba off my bucket list soon, Lauren. When’s the best time of the year to explore this place?
Lauren Korstrom
LydiaHi Lydia!
Thank you commenting! Hard to say best time. We went in June, there were no bugs, the water was still very cold but still gleamed with a gorgeous colour. The hot months like August would be great for a refreshing dip in the water… the buys may be a bit worse at that time though, so just bring repellent!
Tatiana Santos
Wow, the water has amazing colours! I am glad you are showing the beauty of Manitoba. Most people underestimate it deeply.
I will be moving to Manitoba from Brazil soon and I really hope explore all of it.
Lauren Korstrom
Tatiana SantosWow what a move! That is amazing! No Manitoba doesn’t have the mountains or ocean but it is beautiful in its own right and lots to explore! All the best!!
Kristine
I’m heading up there this weekend. Did you just call the Mosakahiken Cree Nation for permission to camp? Thanks 🙂
Lauren Korstrom
KristineI didn’t end up camping but I certainly would call them 🙂
Prashan
Wow so spectacular. Planing to go here in August this place was in my bucket list for years finally I’m going yay!! Is there camping site here ? The link is unavailable when I open.Do the have kayak for rent?
Lauren Korstrom
PrashanOh that’s great! There is no kayak rental there. You may be able to find something at Grand Rapids to take up but I’m not totally sure . I’ll look into that link but ya you just have to call and ask for permission to camp. Otherwise there are places to camp and stay in Grand Rapids
Kristine Steckler
PrashanI went up earlier this summer! There is about half a dozen campsite areas, marked by homemade fire pits. Keep in mind it’s unserviced, so there’s no toilet paper, garage cans, etc. I would recommend renting kayaks at MEC! They provide all the supplies to strap them to your vehicle too
William P Patterson
There are marl lakes in the Yukon, NWT, BC, AB, SK, MB, ON, and perhaps in QC. You can spot them using Google Earth. We core them to derive high-resolution records of climate from the carbon and oxygen isotope values of the carbonate sediment.
Lauren Korstrom
William P PattersonWow very interesting! Ya they’re for sure all over the world
Molly
Really wanted to see little limestone but the road leading up to it was treacherous! Like it had rained for days! We were in a Jeep and we would have gotten stuck for sure! Had to turn back and never got far enough to see it. I really wish they would fix the road so that others including my partner and myself can see this absolutely beautiful wonder of Manitoba. Thank you so much for sharing your story and your pictures as it confirmed we were on the right road and that it would have been worth seeing but not worth the risk of getting stuck.
Lauren Korstrom
MollyOh no sorry to hear that. Yea the road was not ideal when I went either. SOOOO many potholes lol If you go again, I think the road in isn’t too long so you could walk in but I don’t know if it’s safe to leave your vehicle by the side of the highway to be honest. Thanks so much for reading! I really appreciate your comments and taking the time to write 🙂