The Dawson Trail Commemorative Project

The Dawson Trail Commemorative Project features 15 new wayfinding markers and a series of permanent art exhibits highlighting the traditional place names and the historic legacy of the first all-Canadian access road linking the east with the prairies of the west. This project is inter-regional in scope and complements the research, programming and tourism itineraries found on this website.

Dawson Trail Heritage Tour

Self-Guided Activity, available year round

The Dawson Trail Heritage Tour brings to light the natural, cultural and historic legacy of the Dawson Trail, Canada's first all-Canadian route linking the early Dominion of Canada to the West.

It's a self-driven tour that will have you travelling along a scenic and mostly paved portion of the current Dawson Road (PTH 207) from Richer to Lorette, Manitoba.

You will see the 15 new wayfinding markers and a series of permanent art exhibits along the way.

With our website as your guide, you can uncover the people, places, stories and events that helped shape our province and country.

>>> Find out more...

The Dawson Trail - A Rich Historical Heritage

While the story of the Dawson Trail has been explored by many over the years, you will find none quite as diverse as the one that we have compiled here for you all to enjoy. Months of research from literally thousands of sources have provided us with fresh insights into this age-old story. As a road that has been recognized for its historical and cultural significance at all three levels of government, we hope you’ll agree that the Dawson Trail is a story worth exploring and sharing anew.

We reach beyond colonial narratives on its role in linking together a new nation to bring you some lesser-known “nuggets” about the coming of the road, and its impact, that foregrounds community knowledge as well as Indigenous and women’s experiences. These more diverse perspectives highlight the need to bring this story into the era of national reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.

The Dawson Trail may never have become the preferred route for settlers to the west, but its story has long since been celebrated by its communities for the pivotal role it had in the shaping of Manitoba and Canada.

It is our hope that these stories, or “treasures of the Dawson Trail”, will excite, intrigue, inspire and educate. May the stories be told, at the very least, as a testament to the resilience of our ancestors who valiantly upheld their own values in the face of adversity and always demonstrated the warmth and generosity toward visitors that has come to be the hallmark of the communities of the Dawson Trail.
>>> Continue...

Red River Gold - TV Series INSPIRED BY LOST GOLD LEGEND

Searching for Lost Gold

In 1870, a shipment of gold coins from the Royal Mint of England vanished without a trace. Intended to crush the Red River Resistance led by Louis Riel and the Métis, the treasure never reached its destination. No one knows what happened. Whispers of betrayal, buried fortunes, and lost legacies echo through time.

A group of modern-day treasure hunters sets out to uncover the truth behind this forgotten chapter of Canadian history. But they’re not just chasing gold—they’re chasing a story of resistance, survival, and the secrets the land still holds.

Season One premieres on APTN on Monday, May 5th at 8:30 pm CST and continues for 13 episodes.