NatureNorth's - Narcisse Snake Dens, Snake Log 2023

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

Spring Snake Viewing Season 2023

The 2023 spring viewing season is over. Follow the updates to the right on this page. (According to reports coming in from folks things are not great at the dens so far this year. The latest reports, May 27 - 28, are of very little activity.) Check back in the fall for the return of snakes to the dens.

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: May 31, 2023

Recent reports from folks, May 27 - 28, (thanks, Shawna, Andy, Eric and Mark) suggest that snake viewing is over for this spring. This last stretch of hot weather would have brought out the last of the snakes and they have headed off to the fields and marshes for the summer.

A recent CBC article on the lack of monitoring of snake numbers is worth the read:

Snake Eyes

Help others!

If you do visit the dens please send a report of the conditions, so we can let others know, 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.

Want your ad to be seen 30,000 times each year?
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.

And check out this National Geographic article: Amazing Video: Inside the World's Largest Gathering of Snakes

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:

May 26, 2023

Recent reports suggest that peak viewing has passed. By all the reports we've had it has not been a banner year for snake viewing. (Thanks, Ray for your May 25 Update.)

It has been suggested that snake numbers are down in recent years, perhaps in part to the flooding which occurred in 2022. Numbers should recover in in time.

May 18, 2023

Snake activity continues to be moderate to high, however, the past few cool days has reduced the activity level. Viewing should be good for the Victoria Day long weekend as long as temperatures rebound. Warm, sunny days are best for viewing snakes. It is thought that we may not have reached the peak yet. Higher activity levels around the dens may continue into the last week of May. (MB Natural Resources)

May 12, 2023

May 14 Viewing Report: "Went out Sunday May14/23 around 1:30 PM. TONS of people there, but not a lot of snakes! Maybe expectations were too high. Den 3 was most active, the others there was slim to nil. I assumed that they would be plentiful with plenty of opportunity to see/hold them, but I believe we only saw maybe 3 people the whole day actually holding a snake (with about a dozen people around them) Wondering if it’s a “quiet” year?" (Thanks for the feedback, Leith.)

Snake activity has increased this past week as daytime temperatures have been increasing.

Viewing will be good for the Mother’s Day weekend. There is low to moderate activity in Dens 1 and 4. Dens 2 and 3 continue to be the more active dens with snakes being active during the mid day period. Warm, sunny days are best for viewing snakes. (MB Natural Resources)

May 8, 2023

Snakes are continuing to emerge at the Narcisse Snake Dens. There is low activity at both Dens 1 and 4 There is moderate to high activity at Dens 2 and 3 At Dens 2 and 3, mating balls have been observed. Between 100 and 200 snakes are active at both dens. (from MB Natural Resources)

The current forecast of warm, sunny weather this week is setting up for good snake viewing on the Mother's Day weekend!

May 2, 2023

The great weather this week is working! We've had a report of good snake activity at Dens 1 and 2. Thanks, Serena and Fox P., too!

May 3 - Mb Natural Resources Update: There is snake activity at Dens 1, 2 and 3. No activity was observed at Den 4. Less than 50 snakes were observed at each of the three dens today. With the warming temperatures, it is anticipated that snake activity will continue to increase in the coming days.

April 30, 2023

The coming week's weather forecast looks great. It may be about time for some snakes to start emerging, but it will be a while before they really get going. It's still likely that mid-May will be the best snake viewing time. Stay tuned.

April 20, 2023

With the recent snowfall and cooler temperatures, it is likely that it will be a few more weeks before snakes start emerging from their dens. Once daytime temperatures start staying consistently above 10 degrees Celsius, the conditions will be more favourable for the snakes to emerge. The timing of snakes emerging from their dens varies each year. It depends on the weather conditions in a given year. Typically, the best viewing times is the latter part of April and the first 3 weeks of May, but this is highly weather dependent. (Manitoba Natural Resources)

April 10, 2023

Spring is finally here! Snow is melting fast, but it will be several weeks before the snake emergence gets going. Patience please.

March 28, 2023

Winter is still going strong, -20 C this morning in southern Manitoba. It will be a while before any snakes begin to emerge.

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!

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

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