Booster Lake Road — Dauphin to Ochre River Backcountry Plateau

Most people who visit this corner of Manitoba are heading to Riding Mountain National Park and never think to turn north. Booster Lake Road branches off the paved network west of Dauphin and pushes through mixed aspen-spruce country toward the Ochre River valley, passing Booster Lake and a series of small crown land access spurs that see almost no traffic outside of deer season. The road surface is maintained gravel for the first 20 kilometres, then transitions to two-track dirt as you push toward the river flats. The Ochre River crossing is typically shallow — knee-deep in a dry summer — but it will swallow a stock car without hesitation in May or June.

This one is achievable in a stock 4WD with decent ground clearance, though the river crossing and the clay-heavy sections near the flats will punish you if you try it in wet conditions. Moderate difficulty overall, with the river being the single honest obstacle. No permit required. Fuel up in Dauphin before heading out — Ochre River village has nothing for off-road adventurers. Best window is mid-July through October. Dispersed camping is available on crown land along the route, and the elk and white-tailed deer populations in this country are genuinely impressive at dusk.