SwanValleyTourism-communitymobil
SwanValleyTourism-community

Treasures are always found in small country towns

The Swan Valley stretches from Benito on the south west side of the famous Duck Mountain Provincial Park to Pine River in the south east side of the Duck Mountains and continues on east until you reach Lake Winnipegosis.


Heading north, one may pass Cowan, Minitonas and the largest centre, Swan River and go as far north as Dawson Bay where you travel alongside the Porcupine Mountain Provincial Forest. Alternatively, one may carry on west to the Manitoba/Saskatchewan border.

SwanValleyTourism-infocentreThe Hub To Adventure

Incorporated in 1908 Swan River acts as the hub to the surrounding communities in Swan Valley. 

There is a reason for every season.

With a multitude of outdoor activities to enjoy all year round, our beautiful region is a paradise for the outdoor enthusiasts. The Duck and Porcupine Mountains offer a network of well marked snowmobile trails for the avid snowmobiler, numerous lakes for ice fishing with a variety of fish species for the avid angler, beautiful cross country ski trails, and a first-class ski hill at Thunder Hill await. For the outdoor events, Billy Beal Ice Fishing Derby is the winter event of the year. In summer the Ducks and Porcupine Mountains provide beautiful scenic trails for the hiking enthusiast, camping and fishing opportunities, quad and horse trails, and for the nature lover’s enjoyment, bird watching and wildlife viewing.
The Swan Valley and surrounding area is a friendly and welcoming atmosphere boasting many cultures and traditions. Manitoba boasts a wealth of tourism opportunities and I invite you, your family and friends to explore the many possibilities our beautiful Valley and surrounding area has to offer. When in our area for a visit don’t forget to stop by and say “hi” at our office 3 – 900 Main Street, Swan River. 

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The Municipality of Swan Valley

The Municipality of Swan Valley West was incorporated in January 2015 as a result of the province wide amalgamation initiative. The former Village of Benito and the former Rural Municipality of Swan River amalgamated to form the new municipality. As you travel north up highway 83 past the Duck Mountains you will find yourself in the LUD of Benito, The Gateway to the Valley.

Benito was born in 1905, incorporated in 1941, and amalgamated into the Municipality of Swan Valley West in 2015. Benito is home to many businesses where you will be treated to personal, friendly service for refreshments, groceries, home cooked meals and shop for many of your every, holiday, building or camping needs. Service and fuel is also available for your vehicles.

Durban, once a busy town is now a quiet hamlet with strong community spirit filling their Durban Hall with activities. The Durban Demolition Derby is a fan favorite. Kenville is in the centre of the municipality with a very active Kenville Memorial Hall. The hall was established on November 20,1946 to serve as a memorial to honor those who served or were lost in war. Today the facility is run by a group of dedicated volunteers and supported by various communities within the Swan Valley. The municipality is home to some of the largest economic drivers in the area; agriculture, forestry and tourism. We are known for excellent opportunities to enjoy hunting, trapping, fishing, hiking, kayaking, canoeing, camping, disc golf, skiing, curling, skating and hockey. The greatest asset of any community is the people and the Municipality of Swan Valley West is no different … come on over and enjoy the many sights, participate in your choice of activities and meet some of the wonderful people who call this place home!

EXPLORE THE MUNICIPALITY OF MINITONAS-BOWSMAN

Minitonas

Minitonas was the first settlement in the Valley and was known as “Tent Town”. If you’re out driving the back roads, you’ll see many yellow century farm signs, a testament to the pioneers who settled here and to the generations that continue to live the dream of their ancestors. Minitonas is an attractive, vibrant rural community located 15 kms from the Duck Mountains. The Duck Mountain Provincial Park offers excellent summer and winter recreational opportunities such as camping, fishing, mountain biking, hiking, swimming, canoeing and snowmobiling. Ours is a friendly community, rich in history and culture. In the centre of town, you’ll find a beautiful garden planted and tended by our very active Garden Club. We invite you to tour the garden. 

 

Throughout the town you will find many lovely homes, yards and gardens. Check out our green space with the beautiful sunflower at the corner of Learners Street and Second Avenue, welcoming visitors and residents. Our local business community has much to offer and looks forward to serving you. Located in the Municipality of Minitonas­Bowsman is Louisiana Pacific, siding plant located on Highway No. l 0. Tours of the mill can be arranged by calling 204-525-2479. To the west of the town is a great picnic area known as the Wayside Park. Take some time to relax and enjoy the rural setting of this park. www.minitonas-bowsman.com 

The Village of Bowsman

Just 13 kilometres north of Swan River on Highway No. l 0, lies the Village of Bowsman. Surrounded by fields, with a magnificent view of the Porcupine Mountain to the northwest, it is a picturesque place. A small creek flows through the south end of the village, a part of the geological structure that forms the natural amphitheatre ball diamond. Once home to the Bowsman Marroons baseball team that was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001, this is one of the busy centers of activity for families. 

The skating arena tops one hill and the Kindergarten – Grade 8 school graces the level side of the other. It is a great place to play ball or soccer in summer or go tobogganing in winter. Only two blocks away is the Curling Rink; another site of many fun activities such as curling, bingo, socials and weddings. The Legion Hall is another venue for many of these activities as well. to gather, from Spring Teas to Fall Suppers. There are annual events such as the the Halloween Party, the Christmas Party that features horse-drawn sleigh rides as well as Santa and the Family Fun Day in summer. 

RENWER

RENWER is a very small village ten miles east of Minitonas or ten miles west of Cowan on #10 Highway. It once was a bustling community with numerous businesses and many families. In 2002 a committee put up a cairn and had a homecoming. Every year in July they hold an old fashion picnic and potluck supper on the Sunday before Swan River Rodeo weekend. They have all ages participate in the old fashion school games such as the three legged race, wheel barrel race, gunny sack race, pyjama race, water balloon toss and baseball. 

It’s a great afternoon and evening of entertainment and socializing. The delicious supper consists of many varieties of potluck salads and desserts, while the committee supplies the burgers, wieners and condiments. You can purchase tickets on the “Old Biffy Raffle” and following supper enjoy listening to music or dance to the music of the talented local guests. So now that you’ve been formally invited, grab your lawn chair and head out on an experience that will make you laugh and bring back memories of the good old days at an old fashion country school picnic.

The Rural Municipality of Mountain

The Rural Municipality of Mountain is located in the western portion of Central Manitoba, with the Porcupine and Duck Mountains bordering to the west and along the east side Swan Lake and Lake Winnipegosis. The municipality is 2607 square kilometers and geographically is the fourth largest municipality in Manitoba. The R.M. is unique in the fact it is split geographically but governed as one. PTH 1 0 & PTH 83 provides direct access to the United States, making the R.M. of Mountain easily connected to markets in the southern portion of Manitoba and United States. The RM is comprised of small towns and villages that are listed below, starting in the south and travelling north:

Pine River – Pine River Memorial Park & Veterans Garden; June Town Wide Summer Start Yard Sale; Lions Mother’s Day Pancake Breakfast; “Trout Capital” –

Pulp River – Old Fashioned Country School Christmas Party – Sdater – has a Highway sign indicating its historical existence

Cowan – Cowan Trail Day (Horse & ATV); Spring & Fall Suppers; Father’s Day Breakfast; Christmas Lighting Party; “Blue Berry Capital”

Lenswood – Mother’s Day Dance; Harvest Dance; – Birch River – Legion Poker Derby (ATV); Riding Club Trail Ride (Horse); Craft Sale; Northern Neighbors Jamboree; – Navra – has a Highway sign indicating its whereabouts – Bellsite – Poker Derby (Snowmobile); Coffee house – Mafeking – Duck Races & BBQ; Ice Fishing Derby; Pickerel Supper.

The RM of Mountain’s population is 978 and our sustainable economics are agriculture, tourism and logging. There’s an assortment of other businesses and services available with plenty of room for new business and industry to develop. Recreational activities are enjoyed year round, in winter you can explore hundreds of miles of groomed snowmobile trails and ice fishing. In summer experience bird watching, camping, hiking, quadding, geocaching, canoeing and fishing. This is home to many species of birds, wildlife and furbearing animals, thus offering numerous opportunities for hunting and trapping. Outdoor enthusiasts can explore the beautiful landscape in search of many types of native plants, berries, mushrooms, nuts and herbs. The RM of Mountain is a great place to visit, live and develop a prosperous future with very reasonable tax rates and numerous properties available for purchase. To learn more about our extraordinary municipality, contact the R.M. of Mountain office at 204-236-4222 or

DAWSON BAY

Dawson Bay is a small community 42 km north of Mafeking and 5 kms east on the scenic Dawson Bay road. The community has a great commercial fishing industry for both winter and summer. Most of the population within the community, are involved in the fishing industry.
The community is part of Northern Affairs. The community has an excellent maintenance person who keeps grass cut in the summer and snow plowed in the winter.

Summer fun activities include the beach which has hosted many families from nearby communities. Sand has been hauled in to give us a nice sand area as well as play structures have been built. There is a nice play structure for kids to play. It’s a great place to set off in kayaks or canoes as well.

The harbor is well looked after. There are several commercial fishing boats that dock here. The boats are anywhere from 40 to 60 feet long with all the necessary 

equipment. Anyone can launch a boat from our harbor to go sight seeing. In the winter, the fishermen use bombardiers to go out to set their nets leaving early morning and returning in the late afternoon. Fish are brought in to Dawson Bay  Fish Packers, repacked and then transported to FFMC in Winnipeg.

In the community there are several small businesses: • Dawson Bay Fresh Fish where you can purchase fresh frozen fish. • Wild Things Jams and Jellies • Dar’s Leatherworks • Pelican River Outfitters Dawson Bay is small with just thirty people but it’s a great place to stop to have a picnic or just admire the view of the lake. 
SwanValleyTourism-mckay