MB GeoTour 27 – Spruce Woods Provincial Park, Spirit Sands 2012
The Spirit Sands are located in the Bald Head Hills, within Spruce Woods Provincial Park east of PTH 5 (13-8-14W1, NTS 62G11NW, NAD 83, Zone 14U, 479095E, 5501281N).
Summary
The Spirit Sands of Spruce Woods Provincial Park are a rare, but excellent example of wind-blown geological phenomena that is presently occurring on the upper surface of the Agassiz delta in south-central Manitoba. The ancient delta was deposited by the ancestral Assiniboine River in glacial Lake Agassiz at the end of the last ice age. The desert-like sand dunes are slowly being stabilized by plants thanks to sufficient precipitation and groundwater combined with relatively mild temperatures. More information on the Spirit Sands can be found at:
This video shows the Bald Head Hills, or Carberry Sandhills, that are found along the Spirit Sands self-guiding trail within Spruce Woods Provincial Park in south-central Manitoba. An informative interpretative centre at the trail head, describing the features of the Spirit Sands; and numerous plaques describing aspects along the trail have been constructed by Parks Branch of Manitoba Conservation. A detailed map for Spruce Woods Provincial Park can be found at:
The Recent hills developed as large windblown, or aeolian, dunes on an ancient delta that formed in glacial Lake Agassiz at the end of the Pleistocene (or end of the last ice age). The 6500 km2 Agassiz delta formed at the mouth of the former glacial Assiniboine River from sediment carried by the river as the continental ice sheet melted from North America. The sediment was derived from numerous tributaries that fed the glacial Assiniboine River, from as far west as the Rocky Mountains and as far north as Nunavut and Northwest Territories. The sediment that dropped out to form the delta in glacial Lake Agassiz was mainly fine to coarse sand and silt. Coarser rock particles, such as boulders and cobbles, were mainly deposited much further upstream, nearer to the Manitoba-Saskatchewan boundary, and even still farther to the west and north.
As the ice receded from North America, newly exposed outlets from glacial Lake Agassiz allowed drainage from the lake to change from southward into the Mississippi River, to eastward into Lake Superior, and finally northward into the Hayes and Nelson rivers. Accompanying this change in flow direction was a reduction of water levels in the lake, marked by a series of steps forming a succession of beach ridges that developed on the upper surface of the delta. Gradually, the delta became high and dry enough to allow the prevailing winds to move the sand and silt into large migrating sand dunes that form the Spirit Sands.
Over the past 200 years the climate has moderated from the previous Little Ice Age, with increasing moisture (averaging 300-400 mm) and relatively mild temperatures. This has allowed vegetation (aspen, oak and white spruce (the arboreal emblem of Manitoba) to gradually become more and more established, stabilizing much of the delta surface from wind-blown erosion. Now, only small portions of the original unstabilized (desert-like) surface of the delta remain, which can be seen in the Bald Head Hills, and at a few other localities.
The result of the relatively continuous movement of sand and silt particles can be seen in the video, where the trunks of fully developed trees have been buried by the migrating dunes. Also shown, is an example of the relentless wind that can catch the unwary by surprise, demonstrating that the “Spirits are at always at work”, when you least expect them.
Reference:
Huck, B. and Whiteway, D. 2015: In search of Canada’s Heartland; Heartland Associates Ltd., Winnipeg, 320 p.
39 - Canada Travel, Spruce Woods Provincial Park, sand dunes, Manitoba. поездка в Канадe
Sprache: Deutsch
Teil 39, Kanada Reise, Fichtenwälder Provinzpark, Manitoba, sandige Hügel, Auto, Motorrad, spass, schöne Orte, land, strasse, kultur, natur, menschen, Sehenswürdigkeiten.
Language: English
sandy hills, car, motorcycle, fun, beautiful places, country, street, culture, nature, people, sights.
Язык: Русский
Часть 39, Канада Путешествия, Еловые леса Провинциальный парк, Манитоба, песчаные холмы, автомобиль, мотоцикл, весело, красивые места, город, страна, улица, культура, природа, люди, аттракционы.
Spruce Woods Provincial Park
October 25, 2014
SPRUCE WOODS
We went to Spruce Woods Provincial Park in Manitoba for the Canada Day long weekend! Drank some drinks, saw some things, had some fun.
twitter: @andreamaynaz
Instagram: @andreanazeravich
blog: thejourneyyear.wordpress.com
38 - Canada Travel, Spruce Woods Provincial Park, Manitoba, fun with friends. поездка в Канадe
Sprache: Deutsch
Teil 37, Kanada Reise, Fichtenwälder Provinzpark, Manitoba, Grill, Schaschlik, Zelt, Freunde, Picknick, Strand, sandige Hügel, Auto, Motorrad, spass, schöne Orte, land, strasse, kultur, natur, menschen, Sehenswürdigkeiten.
Language: English
grill, shashlik, tent, friends, picnic, beach, sandy hills, car, motorcycle, fun, beautiful places, country, street, culture, nature, people, sights.
Язык: Русский
Часть 37, Канада Путешествия, Еловые леса Провинциальный парк, Манитоба, гриль, шашлык, палатка, друзья, пикник, пляж, песчаные холмы, автомобиль, мотоцикл, весело, красивые места, город, страна, улица, культура, природа, люди, аттракционы.
Spirit Sands Dunes and Devil's Punch Bowl, Spruce Woods Provincial Park, Manitoba
Spirit Sands Dunes and Devils Punch Bowl, Manitoba
Spruce Woods
Images of Spruce Woods Provincial Park
Spruce Woods Park Update July 24, 2014
The little park suffered some flood damage and some parts of it are closed. Spirit Sands and other hiking trails are open, wagon rides available, upper campground and yurts open. readreidread.com
加拿大骑马山国家公园自驾游 | Ridding Mountain National Park + Spruce Woods Provincial Park
Manitobaville, Carberry Manitoba
MB GeoTour 28 – Spruce Woods Provincial Park, Devils Punch Bowl 2012
The Devils Punch Bowl is located within Spruce Woods Provincial Park, north of a west-trending meander of the Assiniboine River and east of PTH 5 (3-13-8W1, NTS 62G11NW, NAD 83, Zone 14U, 478141E, 5499888N).
Summary
The Devils Punch Bowl, within Spruce Woods Provincial Park was formed by underground springs flowing through sand and silt. The fine sediment collapsed into a natural bowl-shaped depression. The process of collapse began closest to the bank of the Assiniboine River, and was then repeated up-stream towards the base of the Bald Sand Hills lying to the north.
This video shows the Devils Punch Bowl, which is located along a hiking trail in Spruce Woods Provincial Park (a detailed map available at: The “punch bowl” is a natural bowl-shaped depression in a sand and silt area that was undercut by groundwater percolating downward from the Bald Sand Hills (check out MB GeoTour 27), situated to the north. The punch bowl is actually the uppermost of a series of similar depressions that trend southward towards the Assiniboine River.
Reference:
Huck, B. and Whiteway, D. 2015: In search of Canada’s Heartland; Heartland Associates Ltd., Winnipeg, 320 p.
Spruce Woods
camping trip
Carberry, Manitoba 2017
Driving around Carberry, Manitoba in 2017.
Exploring the Strathclair Trail (Riding Mountain National Park) Manitoba Canada
Hiking and bicycling the historic Strathclair Trail in Riding Mountain National Park (RNMP), Manitoba, Canada. First used by the Indigenous peoples, this trail played an important role in Manitoba's settlement history. Today it can be enjoyed by non motorized travel, one of the system of trails in the back country of the park.
Canada Camping Road Trip - Day 4 - Manitoba!
Join my husband, my dog and I as we camp from southern Ontario to western British Columbia! Today is day 4, where we drive from Sandbar Lake Provincial Park in Ignace, Ontario to Spruce Woods Provincial Park in Manitoba!
WANT MORE?
Road Trip Playlist:
Disney Series Playlist:
Book Playlist:
Vegan Meals of the Day:
Blog:
Goodreads:
My Instagram:
Twitter:
Youtube:
Sand Dunes and the Devil's Punch Bowl
During our stay in Spruce Woods Provincial Park, we took a guided hike on the Spirit Sands Trails. We saw some sand dunes, talked glaciers, and a had a picnic.
The whole area is said to have a long time significance to the indigenous peoples who have gone there for centuries. But when european settles found the aquifer unfrozen in the winter, they apparently referred to it as the Devil's Punch Bowl. After having our picnic there though we must say it was really quite lovely and hellish is not a word we would use to describe it :)
Spruce Woods Park July 9, 2014
The park is almost closed with just access to upper campground and yurts via detour from the south. Join me behind the barricades at the bridge as the Assiniboine ravishes little Spruce Woods Park. Plus footage of Portage Diversion today. It's full!! More flood stuff at readreidread.com
spruce woods day three
If you haven't watched the first two days go do that first! but anyways here's day three of our adventure to spruce woods provincial park.
Randomly exploring Manitoba | J3PPIN
July 1 2016 - Canada Day ????????... The besties decided to randomly explore Manitoba and we ended up in Carberry, MB at Sandhills Casino... Finished off Canada's birthday with a bonfire.
Thanks for watching.. Don't forget to like and subscribe for future random adventures!
Royalty Free Music by: