Yellowhead Highway Overview: Minnedosa to Portage la Prairie portion
This 130 km (1:20 hours) route goes through the prairies and rolling hills of the region.
To the north of this stretch of the Yellowhead Highway is the Riding Mountain National Park. The park is also home to several important ecological features, including mixed-grass prairies, aspen parkland, and boreal forest. The land is home to a wide variety of plant and animal species, including bison, elk, moose, black bears, and more.
The town of Minnedosa in Manitoba is situated along the Little Saskatchewan River. Minnedosa offers a pleasant stop with parks, historic sites, and cultural attractions. The Minnedosa Museum and Heritage Village is a place to explore the local history. Minnedosa Beach: If you’re traveling in the warmer months, Minnedosa Beach on Lake Minnedosa is a scenic spot to relax, swim, or enjoy water activities.
The first community on the road east is Shoal Lake, known for its fishing and recreational activities.
The route continues eastward through the rural communities of Langruth and Amaranth before reaching Neepawa, home of the Beautiful Plains Museum, which showcases the history of the region. The highway passes through Gladstone, known for its historic buildings, including the 1902 Gladstone Court House.
At the soouthern end of htis segment is the stretch of the main Trans-Canada Highway which carries the #1 and #16 numbering into Winnipeg.
History of the Yellowhead Highway: Minnedosa to Portage la Prairie portion
For over 6,000 years, the junction of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers, called “the Forks”, was a gathering place for Aboriginal peoples. Today, The Forks is considered the birthplace of Winnipeg, and At the Johnston Terminal is officially Mile “0” of the Yellowhead Highway, complete with a commemorative marker. This was the starting point of canoe trips west and wagon trails into the interior of North AMerica.
The Old North-West Trail, which ran from the Upper Fort Garry (now a national historic site) to Edmonton and ooints beyond, can be best described as the forerunner to the present Yellowhead Highway.
The highway first appeared on the 1928 Manitoba Highway Map and was completed, in stages, over the 1950s.The route was known as PTH (Provincial Trunk Highway) 4 until 1977, when it was renumbered to allow the entire length of the Yellowhead Highway to be HIhgway 16 across all four western provinces.
