Prairie Region Beaches

Patricia beach, Manitoba

(From Winnipeg) Drive north on Hwy 59 for about 45 minutes until you reach provincial road 319, and clearly signed Patricia Beach. As this beach is a provincial park, a small fee is required at the gate. Next, head towards the right, and drive down this road as far as you can (about a mile), past various places to park, and entrances to the beach. Park at the far end of the last lot (grass), and enter the beach through the dunes next to the lot. You are now at the north end of the textile section,(from the pay booth to here), and as you walk north(right along the beach, it becomes more CO.

During the week, most of the northern half of the beach is CO. At weekends, you have to walk a little further north, to avoid upsetting people (or the RCMP). In mid summer, when the beach is busy, you may have to cross a channel (waist deep at most) to reach a quiet CO beach the other side. This is Beaconia Beach, which is also popular with gays (who usually congregate on the east side of the lagoon).

I found this beach used by nudists and/or topless women even on the busiest weekends. There is a large fallen tree across the beach which tends to be used as the barrier between nude and textile use areas. Long time users of the beach say nude use has grown rapidly in recent years.

Beaconia beach, Manitoba

Beaconia beach is located on the southeastern shore of Lake Winnipeg, just north of Patricia beach. You have to be careful not to undress too early because the section of beach nearest the parking lot attracts clothed families.

Some nudists were harassed by local residents in the summer of '98.

Drive about 70 kilometers north of Winnipeg on Highway 59. Turn west on Provincial Road 500 to reach the town of Beaconia. After you pass the gas station, continue due west on the gravel road, which goes over a marsh and ends in a parking lot. Walk to the beach and turn left (south). You will have to walk about 15 minutes to reach the nude area.

The access road over the marsh was closed in the fall of '98, but it is now open once again.

You will first see nude straight couples. There are more gay men at the far south end of the beach.

There are no facilities - no washrooms, no change rooms, no fast food stands, no fresh water. There is a pay phone at the gas station in Beaconia (and probably washrooms; I am not sure).

Sometimes the water levels on Lake Winnipeg are high. You may have to walk through some shallow water and step over fallen trees to reach the nude area.