Paint Lake Provincial Park
Paint Lake Provincial Park
3.8
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
3.8
26 reviews
Excellent
11
Very good
7
Average
4
Poor
1
Terrible
3
Leigh B
Alberta, Canada41 contributions
Aug 2021 • Friends
Stay at Paint Lake Provincial Park campground in the yurts. We rented three yurts for 5 days, 4 nights. We had yurts 1, 2, & 4. All yurts have the basic same footprint and same set up inside. The only difference with the three we rented was 1 & 2 had wheelchair access so they had a ramp and wrap around deck. Yurt 1 was extremely close to the parking lot and outhouse. Yurt 2 was also close to the outhouse and this was a major drawback because if the smell that was present in the campsite most of the time. Sitting around the fire at night you would get whiffs of the smell. Yurt 4 was a little further away and could be cold when there was a breeze off the lake (would be great in the high heat of the summer). The yurts also had heaters and fans. Due to the coolness and rain during our stay we used both! The yurt got super warm.
There are modern bathrooms with pay showers in the main campground. They were really new and well maintained. $1 for 3 minutes. Beach was ok but we didn’t swim. There was algae on one beach and the other seemed ok.
Nice little walk off the beach. Campground office provides life jackets free of charge. There is a lodge close by too where you can purchase ice, wood, rent canoes and kayaks. There is also a licensed restaurant.
There are modern bathrooms with pay showers in the main campground. They were really new and well maintained. $1 for 3 minutes. Beach was ok but we didn’t swim. There was algae on one beach and the other seemed ok.
Nice little walk off the beach. Campground office provides life jackets free of charge. There is a lodge close by too where you can purchase ice, wood, rent canoes and kayaks. There is also a licensed restaurant.
Written August 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ChefD86
Winnipeg, Canada6 contributions
Jun 2016 • Family
Having camped throughout Canada, I am always looking for a new campground adventure. Paint Lake provided this in spades. On the advice of the campground office, I chose a bigger and quieter electrical site in Bay 5....a little further from the main beach....but this is a park you can find your own beach.
The campgrounds are on a large island that is attached to the mainland via a large causeway that doubles as a parking lot. Therefore, there is water on 3 sides of this campground. Pristine walking trails through ancient boreal forest find one discovering several unmarked and beautiful beaches scattered throughout where one could spend the day without seeing another human being.
The mycologist in me was shocked at the beauty and the vast array of prized edible mushrooms the park held, and watching bald eagles and geese and ducks fly overhead was beautiful.
The main beach and picnic area were a little overcrowded on the weekend but were desolate during the week. Excellent swimming for young children, and a wide array of playgrounds exist for the young ones while the adults lounged under the majestic 70 foot pines.
We did not come here with our boat because rentals were available from the marina for an extremely reasonable rate. We booked a boat for a week and discovered many beautiful areas of Paint Lake. However, we only kept the boat for a couple days as we found out, through trial and error, that fishing for walleye was extremely productive from shore in the campground area. We ate several meals of fresh walleye and enjoyed solitude while we fished for them...even from shore.
The showers are a reasonable price at one dollar for 10 minutes...although at times the hot water was hard to come by. Shower in the evening and there was always ample hot water, but in the morning...not so much. One of the few parks around that still provide free firewood was a welcome reprieve from rationing a bundle of sticks. Nice roaring fires that made the evenings a joy were in full supply,
Lets talk about the bugs. I was quite pleasantly surprised by the lack of mosquitoes when we went in early June, but have been told they are murderous in July and early August, Bug spray is a must apparently. Early in the season it wasn't bad at all.
The campsites in Bay 5 were huge and private. The drawback was that there are no sites with water service hookups. 30 AMP electrical is available on a number of sites, however, these sites in bay 5 are hard to get without a prior reservation. I would recommend booking online as early as possible. The rate per night was less than $20, so it is pretty cheap considering.
The marina provided us with an excellent meal the evening we decided we just didn't feel like cooking after a long day of hiking. They also provide a convenience store, lounge, and cabin rentals. WARNING: THEY DO NOT SELL LIQUOR OR BEER FOR YOUR SITE, and the nearest place to buy is Thompson which is one half hour away. Bring your own beer, wine, liquor or you will be driving for an hour to get it.
All in all...an excellent and beautiful campground and park with lots to discover. I would rate it as my favorite in Manitoba and top 5 in Canada so far, if they would get into the new millennium and provide water hookups and wi fi.
The campgrounds are on a large island that is attached to the mainland via a large causeway that doubles as a parking lot. Therefore, there is water on 3 sides of this campground. Pristine walking trails through ancient boreal forest find one discovering several unmarked and beautiful beaches scattered throughout where one could spend the day without seeing another human being.
The mycologist in me was shocked at the beauty and the vast array of prized edible mushrooms the park held, and watching bald eagles and geese and ducks fly overhead was beautiful.
The main beach and picnic area were a little overcrowded on the weekend but were desolate during the week. Excellent swimming for young children, and a wide array of playgrounds exist for the young ones while the adults lounged under the majestic 70 foot pines.
We did not come here with our boat because rentals were available from the marina for an extremely reasonable rate. We booked a boat for a week and discovered many beautiful areas of Paint Lake. However, we only kept the boat for a couple days as we found out, through trial and error, that fishing for walleye was extremely productive from shore in the campground area. We ate several meals of fresh walleye and enjoyed solitude while we fished for them...even from shore.
The showers are a reasonable price at one dollar for 10 minutes...although at times the hot water was hard to come by. Shower in the evening and there was always ample hot water, but in the morning...not so much. One of the few parks around that still provide free firewood was a welcome reprieve from rationing a bundle of sticks. Nice roaring fires that made the evenings a joy were in full supply,
Lets talk about the bugs. I was quite pleasantly surprised by the lack of mosquitoes when we went in early June, but have been told they are murderous in July and early August, Bug spray is a must apparently. Early in the season it wasn't bad at all.
The campsites in Bay 5 were huge and private. The drawback was that there are no sites with water service hookups. 30 AMP electrical is available on a number of sites, however, these sites in bay 5 are hard to get without a prior reservation. I would recommend booking online as early as possible. The rate per night was less than $20, so it is pretty cheap considering.
The marina provided us with an excellent meal the evening we decided we just didn't feel like cooking after a long day of hiking. They also provide a convenience store, lounge, and cabin rentals. WARNING: THEY DO NOT SELL LIQUOR OR BEER FOR YOUR SITE, and the nearest place to buy is Thompson which is one half hour away. Bring your own beer, wine, liquor or you will be driving for an hour to get it.
All in all...an excellent and beautiful campground and park with lots to discover. I would rate it as my favorite in Manitoba and top 5 in Canada so far, if they would get into the new millennium and provide water hookups and wi fi.
Written December 7, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tazzwald
Thompson, Canada203 contributions
Aug 2019 • Family
The yurt was very comfortable with enough room for a family of 5 the location was great with great views.
Our check in happened by luck as the website and reservation states you can’t check in till 4 with the yurts so shortly after 4 I showed up at the office with the door closed and stated they will be back at 8:30 the next day I just happen to see a C.O and he let me in to check in. The washroom was a modified outhouse with no lights in the dark and the smell was horrible. I ran over to Bay 1 to use an actual bathroom. With the money they make off these yurts I would have expected better. We stayed at yurt 4 and the lot had a incline toward the lake which made it very uncomfortable to sit around fire. It would have been a lot better if they even tried to level off the lot. The other yurts seemed to be ok. We did have a good time and plan on using them again but try to avoid lot 4.
Our check in happened by luck as the website and reservation states you can’t check in till 4 with the yurts so shortly after 4 I showed up at the office with the door closed and stated they will be back at 8:30 the next day I just happen to see a C.O and he let me in to check in. The washroom was a modified outhouse with no lights in the dark and the smell was horrible. I ran over to Bay 1 to use an actual bathroom. With the money they make off these yurts I would have expected better. We stayed at yurt 4 and the lot had a incline toward the lake which made it very uncomfortable to sit around fire. It would have been a lot better if they even tried to level off the lot. The other yurts seemed to be ok. We did have a good time and plan on using them again but try to avoid lot 4.
Written August 4, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Darcy S
9 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
It was, by far, my favourite place to camp in Manitoba, this far. The views are stunning! It hosts a diverse collection of flora, fauna, and fungi- it is a perfect destination for mushroom hunters. The yurt campground was fantastic and beautiful. The swimming and hiking are fabulous and scenic- be sure to check out Coffee Cove! The showers and toilet facilities were above average and clean. The folks working at the park and at Paint Lake Lodge are some of the nicest and hardworking people whom I have met! They were very kind to me and my family, especially our 6 year old son ❤️ We definitely recommend visiting here! I hope to be back one day soon.
Written August 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lisa_sim888
Winnipeg, Canada20 contributions
Sept 2016 • Family
Our recent experience at Paint Lake was demoralizing and disconcerting.
Park officer Joseph Wieser faultily issued our vehicle a ticket for not having a park pass just inches away from where the park pass was clearly displayed. Joseph Wieser is as inept as they come as far as park officers. Under no circumstances should he be employed with the power to administer the law. He furthermore failed to communicate any sort of apology thereafter, even when photos and receipts evidencing the contrary were shared. His superiors Nicole Houle and Brock Houndle similarly absconded themselves of any wrongdoing and claimed they were powerless to rectify the situation.
Accordingly, it costed our family half a day of personal salary to get the offence waived at the court house in Winnipeg. Manitoba Conservation should get a better handle on their ability to remedy erroneous tickets and charges that their inferiors assign.
In any case, it certainly made for a miserable day at the beach. Beware in dealing with park personnel here. They are arrogant and incompetent.
Park officer Joseph Wieser faultily issued our vehicle a ticket for not having a park pass just inches away from where the park pass was clearly displayed. Joseph Wieser is as inept as they come as far as park officers. Under no circumstances should he be employed with the power to administer the law. He furthermore failed to communicate any sort of apology thereafter, even when photos and receipts evidencing the contrary were shared. His superiors Nicole Houle and Brock Houndle similarly absconded themselves of any wrongdoing and claimed they were powerless to rectify the situation.
Accordingly, it costed our family half a day of personal salary to get the offence waived at the court house in Winnipeg. Manitoba Conservation should get a better handle on their ability to remedy erroneous tickets and charges that their inferiors assign.
In any case, it certainly made for a miserable day at the beach. Beware in dealing with park personnel here. They are arrogant and incompetent.
Written September 30, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kaiya N
Sudbury, Canada54 contributions
Jun 2013 • Family
Love coming here...
During the winter there is sledding, skating, skidooing, ice fishing, and more.
And in summer... you can do, summery stuff.
There are berries in the bushes actually, and at the rocks near the water there are some crayfish if you are into marine life.
Paths too, there is wildlife so be aware.
During the winter there is sledding, skating, skidooing, ice fishing, and more.
And in summer... you can do, summery stuff.
There are berries in the bushes actually, and at the rocks near the water there are some crayfish if you are into marine life.
Paths too, there is wildlife so be aware.
Written March 17, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lexie E
60 contributions
Aug 2018 • Friends
After our campsite at Sasigiu Rapids Campground was a bust we drove over here to claim one for the night and were pleasantly surprised. We stayed in Liz Lake campground and the view of the lake was beautiful. They have a gas pump, store and restaurant driving distance as well. We had breakfast at the restaurant and it was pretty good. The firefood that is available was not great. Granted it had rained before but, there was no cover over it and it was all very large so you would definitely need an axe as well as it was just too wet to use. Luckily we had some of our own. There was an outhouse but was pretty far from our site a good solid 7 minute walk for sure in the morning when you really have to pee! Overall we were happy to get a last minute site and the lake in the view made it a pretty alright place to stay.
Written August 7, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kym P
Meaford, Canada161 contributions
Aug 2014 • Family
This is my second summer visiting Paint Lake Provincial Park. Last summer was the first time I viewed the park. I found it to be gorgeous. We did numerous day trips and picnics with our little granddaughter. This year we visited again and did a dinner picnic. I found the park very dirty this year. Signs are posted for no smoking and no dogs however the park is littered every 6 inches with goose poop. The bathrooms are also out of order and are taped shut. If you need to use the facilities there is one outhouse that has no lock on the door. The inside is covered in cow webs and forget about washing your hands, you might want to bring baby wipes with you.
The beach and view is gorgeous as always, I never get tired of looking at it. I always find it is not that populated, easy to get in and out of and they have BBQ pits where you can cook your dinner. Lots of trash cans around the park however, sad to say, people still litter everywhere. Just walking to our vehicles viewed old liquor bottles here there and everywhere.
I have never camped there but understand they have yurts there for anyone wanting to camp that does not own a trailer or prefers something better than a tent.
The beach and view is gorgeous as always, I never get tired of looking at it. I always find it is not that populated, easy to get in and out of and they have BBQ pits where you can cook your dinner. Lots of trash cans around the park however, sad to say, people still litter everywhere. Just walking to our vehicles viewed old liquor bottles here there and everywhere.
I have never camped there but understand they have yurts there for anyone wanting to camp that does not own a trailer or prefers something better than a tent.
Written August 28, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Melvina Tait
Thompson, Canada9 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
every chance we get always a nice short ride to take the grandchildren camping/hiking/sliding/fishing/skating and picnicking leave in the morning and make a whole day of the beautiful scenery and weather in all seasons.
Written January 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sallyg2005
Thompson, Canada1 contribution
Jul 2016 • Couples
I have always loved taking a drive to Paint Lake Park. The summer staff are always friendly and helpful. Marina is well kept and has delicious dinning meals.
The winters don't have the camping attendants or park patrol, but the marina is always staffed and the roads and trails are well cared for. I can't wait to get back out there this winter on my sled.
The winters don't have the camping attendants or park patrol, but the marina is always staffed and the roads and trails are well cared for. I can't wait to get back out there this winter on my sled.
Written November 8, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Why you dont patrol so that people who pay can sleep?
Written August 11, 2019
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