Tulabi Falls Campground
Nopiming Provincial Park
May 22-25, 2020 Tulabi Falls Campground is located in the gorgeous Nopiming Provincial Park near the Manitoba-Ontario border. The campground’s namesake is the falls that run between Tulabi Lake and Bird Lake.
There are two bays of campsites in the main campground with both full service and basic sites available.
There are also six back-country campsites (make your reservations well ahead of time as they fill up quick). There’s a well marked back country parking lot on the right side of the road not long after you enter the park where you’ll find the trail head for the approximately 3-4 kilometre hike to the sites. The trail is wide and easy to follow.
There are also 19 sites along the Bird River - Elbow Lake canoe route. This is something I wasn’t aware of before this trip, and I’ve already made plans to visit these sites later this summer!
Things to note: Weekends can be pretty loud in the main campground, but the 11pm quiet time is strictly enforced. During the week it’s dead quiet and peaceful.
Call the park office or Nopiming Lodge to inquire about the bug levels before your trip. If we had done that, we would have been better prepared for the black flies.
Hiking: There aren’t a lot of marked trails at the campground, but there are a few options.
The trail to the back country sites is easy and scenic. It’s roughly 3-4 kilometres long.
There’s a path that leads to a lookout over Tulabi Falls. You can find the path just off the overlook parking lot. Head towards the group use area on the opposite side of the parking lot from the falls, the path splits and veers to the left. It’s only a few hundred metres to the top. I didn’t explore it on this trip, but I do remember the path continuing and connecting to the back country trail.
Facilities: Basic toilets, beach, filleting station.
Wildlife spotted: Bears, beavers (lots), deer, geese, ducks, so many rabbits.
Recommendations: Rent a canoe from Nopiming Lodge if you don’t have one. It’s only $25/day for a 16 foot aluminum canoe and they supply you with life jackets, a boat kit with some useful gear, and foam runners to mount your canoe on the roof of your vehicle. All you need to bring are tarp straps or rope. It was a great way to explore the lake. It’s only a five minute drive from the lodge to the campground.
Questions?: I’d love to chat about the trip if you have any questions. Visit the About page to find out how.
This is the beginning of the falls coming from Tulabi Lake. I took this on my phone just before we left. We spent most of our time on the water.
We rented a canoe from Nopiming Lodge and spent most of our time exploring the lake.
This is one of at least four beaver lodges we came across.
This little beaver had been sitting up on a rock, completely still, when our canoe drifted within 6 or 7 feet. Garrett carefully pointed him out to me just as he eased himself into the water.
This little bird was hopping all around the campsite picking up seeds, but only when it was pouring rain.
Quick idea of what the Tulabi Falls campsites look like. We were in Bay 1 Site 16.
Our campsite from a different angle. Bay 1 Site 16.
The beach faces onto Bird Lake. You can also see the filleting station on the left side of the gravel lot.
We bought licenses, brought rods, and probably only cast them in a handful of times. Better to be safe than sorry!
The outlook is high enough that you can see over Tulabi Falls Campground and into Bird Lake on the other side.
You can see the beginning of Tulabi Falls in the middle of the photo.
The view from the outlook over Tulabi Lake. My phone photo doesn't do it justice.
We had excellent weather for exploring.
Kayakers running parallel to us across the water on Tulabi Lake.
Lush summer vibes were being felt.
Can't recommend Nopiming Lodge enough, $25/day for a 16 foot aluminum canoe with everything you need.
Garrett perfected these fire cooked potatoes on the first night.
A peek at Saturday night's dinner.
Barry the Bunny - A Collection. He was in our campsite everyday.
Barry the Bunny - A Collection. He was in our campsite everyday.
Barry the Bunny - A Collection. He was in our campsite everyday.
Barry the Bunny - A Collection. He was in our campsite everyday.