Crown Land in the Porcupine Hills

12 crown land sites 8 fishing spots 4 campgrounds

The Porcupine Hills straddle the Saskatchewan border north of Swan River, and the Manitoba side is mostly the Porcupine Provincial Forest, about 2,052 km² of Crown land laced with small lakes. This page is centred on Bell Lake, a 3.75 km² walleye and pike lake inside the forest, with a small provincial park and campground on its shore. North Steeprock Lake Provincial Park is about 10 km away, Primrose Provincial Park 18 km, the Steeprock Wildlife Management Area 30 km and Whitefish Lake Provincial Park 33 km. Campgrounds sit at Bell Lake, Steeprock Lake (10 km), Primrose (18 km) and Whitefish Lake (33 km). Our map shows 117 lakes, ponds and creeks within 25 km, including Olson Lake, about 6 km away, where the province records rainbow trout and splake. This page rounds up the region's public land, fishing spots and campgrounds.

Map

Crown Land Nearby

🌲
Bell Lake Provincial Park
Provincial Park
0 km
🌲
North Steeprock Lake Provincial Park
Provincial Park
10 km
🌲
Porcupine Provincial Forest
Provincial Forest
11 km
🌲
Primrose Provincial Park
Provincial Park
18 km
🌲
Steeprock Wildlife Management Area
Wildlife Management Area
30 km
🌲
Whitefish Lake Provincial Park
Provincial Park
33 km
🌲
Red Deer River Provincial Park
Provincial Park
42 km
🌲
Harry Cox
Wildlife Refuge
43 km
🌲
Swan River Provincial Park
Provincial Park
46 km
🌲
Kettle Stones Provincial Park
Provincial Park
48 km
🌲
Red Deer Wildlife Management Area
Wildlife Management Area
54 km
🌲
Swan-Pelican Provincial Forest
Provincial Forest
59 km

Nearest Fishing Spots

🎣
Bell Lake
1 km
🎣
Beaver Creek
2 km
🎣
Foster Lake
3 km
🎣
Rhubarb Lake
3 km
🎣
Spoon Lake
3 km
🎣
Border Lake
4 km
🎣
Whites Lake
4 km
🎣
Youngs Lakes
4 km

Nearest Campgrounds

🏕️
Bell Lake Provincial Park
Swan River
0 km
🏕️
Steeprock Lake Wayside Park
Swan River
10 km
🏕️
Primrose Wayside Park
Swan River
18 km
🏕️
Whitefish Provincial Park
Swan River
33 km

Crown land by city in the Porcupine Hills

Swan River Roblin Dauphin Russell Minnedosa

Explore the region

Duck Mountain Lake Winnipegosis Riding Mountain

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Bell Lake is inside the Porcupine Provincial Forest, about 2,052 km² of Crown land, and North Steeprock Lake, Primrose and Whitefish Lake provincial parks are 10 to 33 km away.

Live bait fish are not allowed anywhere in the Porcupine Provincial Forest. Bell Lake and North Steeprock Lake both have a walleye limit of 2, with every walleye over 45 cm released, and on Vini Lake only one northern pike may be over 75 cm.

Bell Lake Provincial Park has a campground on the lake, and the Steeprock Lake, Primrose and Whitefish Lake campgrounds are 10 to 33 km away. Manitoba sets no fixed night limit for a short tent stay on vacant Crown land in the forest.

Whitefish Lake, about 33 km from Bell Lake, covers about 7 km², and the province records lake trout, walleye, northern pike, burbot, whitefish and cisco there.

Offline maps around Porcupine Hills

Public land near Porcupine Hills runs well past the last cell tower. Export the area as a geo-referenced PDF and read it in BorealMaps to keep your GPS position on the map when the signal drops.

Try PDF Export How geo-referenced PDF maps work

Regulations

A Manitoba angling licence and barbless hooks are required; the Porcupine Hills are in the Southern Division, where walleye close April 6 to May 8. Live bait fish are already banned in the Porcupine Provincial Forest and will be banned province-wide from April 1, 2027. Provincial parks need a vehicle permit all year, and open fires need an approved pit or a burning permit from April 1 to November 15.

Explore the interactive map

Open Full Map Camping in Parkland All Fishing Spots All Cities & Regions