NatureNorth's - Narcisse Snake Dens, Snake Log 2024

Snakes Alive | Snake Den FAQs | Snake Den Videos | Spring Issue | NatureNorth's Front Page

Spring Snake Viewing Season 2024

The 2024 spring viewing season is underway! Follow the updates to the right on this page.

You can help others have a better snake viewing experience! Send us an email of how the snake viewing was on your visit: My Snake Viewing Report. We'll update this site with your feedback. Thanks!

Can't go to the dens this year? Need a snake fix?

Take a Virtual Tour of the Snake Dens

Watch our Snake Den Videos

Follow this link for more on Manitoba's other snakes

Remember, for best snake viewing, weather matters! Check the weather for the Interlake region at this link: Weather for Gimli, Manitoba.

Snake Den Map and FAQ's - for a map to the den site and answers to some commonly asked questions about visiting the dens Click Here.

2022 Update - Media Information Package - Media outlets wishing to operate in the Narcisse Snake Dens should download the following:

Narcisse Snake Dens Media Info Package
(Provided by Manitoba Manitoba Natural Resources and Northern Development. In English, et version en français. 450 Kb PDF)

Thinking of a trip to see the world famous red-sided garter snakes of Narcisse? It's about a one hour drive north from Winnipeg to the Narcisse Snake Dens. Sunny days are always best for snake viewing. There's a large gravel parking lot and the trails throughout the site are well-packed crushed limestone.

Washrooms are available, but primitive (outhouses / privies). Bring your own food and drink, or you can stop in one of the towns along the way to eat. Water from the pumps on site is not potable, but suitable for washing or cooling off tired feet. Bring sunscreen as there isn't much shade along the trails. Take our Virtual Tour (below) to see conditions and facilities at the site, to help you prepare for your visit.

Are you REALLY into Reptiles and Amphibians? - Then have we got a project for you! Check out the Manitoba Herps Atlas.

There are restaurants in Teulon and Inwood, and general stores and gas stations in Teulon, Inwood, Narcisse and Poplarfield.

Wheel Chair Accessible Site Manitoba Conservation has done a great job of making this site wheel chair accessible! (See the Virtual Tour below.)

Fall Viewing

The snakes return to the denning area from their summer feeding grounds in late August and September. If you can't get out in the spring, try making the trip in autumn. Snake numbers can be quite impressive on warm sunny days until the end of September.

If you rely on us for information about the Snake Dens please consider a donation to help keep this site on-line. Thanks!

Update: April 16, 2024

This past weekend has seen significant snake action at the Dens. Things are just getting going, but reports have come in that snakes were out at all the dens except #1, with numbers in the hundreds at some of the other dens. The weather for this week is looking cool and wet, but sunny again by the weekend, so snakes should be out again this weekend.

If the weather stays warm the end of April and early May could be the peak of emergence, perhaps earlier than in most years?

Thanks to all that sent in reports so far: Hermann, Brent, Kari and Colin!

Help others enjoy the snake viewing!

If you do visit the dens please send in a report of the conditions, so we can let others know. Let us know about the snake viewing, but also: trail conditions, state of the parking lot, presence or absence or interpreters, etc. THANKS!

Send in your report: My Snake Viewing Report.

A new media information package is available (link on the left).

If you need a "snake fix" check out our videos:

Snake Den Videos

Previous 2022 updates can be viewed here.

To see how things unfolded in previous years follow this link: Previous Years at the Dens.

If you're after more snake den info (please check the FAQ's first) or want to share your experiences with Manitoba's garter snakes, drop us a line at:

Email NatureNorth

For Google Earth users, here's a KML file of the locations of the Narcisse Snake Dens. (Right click and "Save as". )

You can get more info directly from Manitoba Conservation at their website: The Snakes of Narcisse.

(Thanks to Dennis Brannen, Manitoba Manitoba Natural Resources and Northern Development for the update information.)

Help Support NatureNorth - This page has been viewed more than 300,000 times! We're helping lots of people in Manitoba, across North America, and around the world learn about our garter snakes; and plan trips to see them! You can help keep NatureNorth on-line: Click here to make a donation.

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Contact us at: Email NatureNorth.com.

For some great information on Manitoba's red-sided garter snakes and the Narcisse Snake Dens check out the U-Haul Super Graphics website.

Click the "Learn More" button at the U-Haul site.

Check out this 1992 Masters of Natural Resource Management practicum which contains some great historical information:

An Assessment of Commercial and Recreational Management
Options for the Red-Sided Garter Snake in Manitoba (7.2 Mb PDF)

Take a Virtual Tour of the Snake Dens

If you can't make it to the Snake Dens or want to get ready for what you'll find when you do go, then take our Virtual Snake Den Tour. Just click the map to the right.

Before you head out, check the weather
for the Interlake region at this link:
Weather for Gimli, Manitoba.
Gimli is about 30 km east of the Narcisse Snake Dens.

Snake Den Videos

See what you're missing if you don't visit the Narcisse Snake Dens! We've added more snake videos. Watch our videos on our new dedicated Snake Videos Page.

Wildlife Haven
Rehabilitation Centre

Here's how things have been going this year:

April 10, 2024

No word yet of any sightings of snakes at Narcisse Dens, it's still early. Some reports have come in of folks seeing Plains Garter Snakes, Manitoba's other garter snake species, out and about. Plains Garters overwinter below ground, too, but aren't found in the same concentrations as the Red-sided Garters at the Narcisse Dens.

April 1, 2024

No, it's not an April Fool's joke, spring may actually be coming to Manitoba soon! With our relatively small snow cover things could warm up rapidly at the Dens. But it will still be much later in April before there may be any real snake action. Be patient.

February 23, 2024

What will our really mild, little snow winter mean for spring snake viewing? Who knows? Start checking back here in late March for updates.

Check the updates above or check out our FAQs.

To see how things unfolded in previous years follow this link: Previous Years at the Dens.

Help out NatureNorth!

If you enjoyed this article, videos and our virtual tour of the snake dens, please consider making a donation to help us create more great articles. Thanks for your support!

Top of page | Snake Den FAQs | Previous Years Den Activity

Are you into reptiles and amphibians? Then check out NatureNorth's Herps Atlas Project.

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