Right in our own backyard about as off the beaten path as you’ll get sits one of Manitoba’s more unique and tranquil outdoor recreation areas. Depending on the circles you spend time in it seems you’ve either known about it your whole life or you might be surprised that such a place exists in its well-cared-for form within the Southwestern Manitoba countryside.
Located less than 20 minutes East of Virden or about an hour drive from Brandon, the Eternal Springs features walking trails, BBQ pits, two fishing ponds, day-use picnic areas and the centrepiece 66-foot swinging bridge that will remind you of the unique combination of fun and a touch of nerves that accompany its bigger brother in Souris.
On a recent first-time visit with family I took the opportunity to map the area out with ten different 360 degree panoramic photos, connecting together into the virtual tour you’ll find below. Click and drag within to have a look around and click on the white arrows in the image to walk to the site of the next picture in the tour, making your way toward the bridge and high points that provide a view of the whole area.
Click/tap within the image to have a look around. Click on the white arrows to 'walk' to the next stop on the tour.
The area gained a little extra notoriety earlier this year when it was featured as one of 150 must-visit Manitoba attractions as part of the Explore 150 App that was released alongside the province’s milestone century-and-a-half birthday.
For those making a future trip in-person, to make a day out of your visit, you might also consider adding to your itinerary other featured stops in the area including Oak Lake Beach, Joe Dandy’s in the community of Oak Lake or the many attractions in the Town of Virden itself.
If coming from Brandon or the East, Eternal Springs can be accessed by a series of turns North of the Trans Canada that are best trusted to your map service provider of choice.