Land of Living Skies
Saskatchewan welcomes you to explore our Land of Living Skies, where horizons stretch endlessly under a sunny, blue canopy. Our visitors are often overwhelmed by the immense expanse of earth and sky. But there’s much more to Saskatchewan: hidden among wheat fields in the south are badlands, valleys and rolling grasslands. In the north, vast forests surround 100,000 lakes and the legendary rivers that opened up this great wilderness. Saskatchewan’s most outstanding scenery is preserved in national, provincial and regional parks, covering millions of acres.
The province also boasts many incredible attractions and events. Spas, golf, hundreds of museums, festivals, parks, bed and breakfasts and vacation farms, and art and craft gatherings provide endless activity for residents and visitors.
Here is a sample of some of Saskatchewan’s Major Attractions:
OUTDOOR ADVENTURE…
a) Parks, Camping, and Lakeside Resorts
Saskatchewan has set aside close to five million acres (2 million hectares) of national and provincial parkland to preserve its natural resources for generations to come. The province’s parks are great spots for family vacations. Their beautiful lakes provide a focal point for a variety of water recreation activities such as swimming, boating, fishing or sailing. Golf, hiking, and winter activities like cross-country skiing and snowmobiling also make Saskatchewan parks a popular destination choice.
Saskatchewan has two national parks: Prince Albert, in the north central region of the province, and Grasslands in the southwest.
Prince Albert National Park of Canada is one of Saskatchewan’s most popular four-season destinations, a place where you can mix northern wilderness encounters with the comforts of a lakeside resort. The park covers some 388,000 hectares, or nearly one million acres in an area of transition from aspen parkland to boreal forest that includes some 1,500 lakes and streams.
Wildlife in the park reflects the changing habitat. Moose, wolves and caribou inhabit the northern forests while elk, deer and badgers inhabit the southern parkland region. Bison roam freely in the southwest corner of the park, where pockets of fescue grassland can be found. This herd is one of only two such herds protected within a Canadian national park.
The Town of Waskesiu, within Prince Albert National Park, has a range of accommodations and services plus two major campgrounds. Campgrounds with varying levels of services can be found in outlying areas in a variety of settings. With a backcountry permit, visitors can hike or canoe and camp in remote reaches of the park, or visit the log cabin of the world’s most celebrated naturalist of the 1930’s – Grey Owl.
Grasslands National Park of Canada, located in southwest Saskatchewan, is a prairie sanctuary where you can see some of the last untouched prairie left in North America. Here rolling grasslands and a rugged landscape of weathered cliffs, deep coulees and mysterious badlands can be seen. A rich variety of wildlife provides a chance to look for white-tailed deer, mule deer, pronghorn antelope, sage grouse and golden eagles. Endangered and threatened species that can be seen include ferruginous hawks, short-horned lizards and burrowing owls. While in the Frenchman River Valley within the park, listen for the “barking” of the black-tailed prairie dogs – this is the only place in Canada where these colonies are found in their natural habitat.
Grasslands National Park is still growing and visitor services are limited. However, the Information Centre at Val Marie (west block) has displays, interpretive programs, brochures and videos plus a tour on audio cassette. Throughout July and August, morning guided tours of the park are also available. And if you’re travelling to the Rodeo Ranch Museum in Wood Mountain Regional Park – information on the east block of Grasslands National Park can also be found there.
Popular activities available within the park include hiking, primitive random tent camping, birding and wildlife viewing and nature photography. Many visitors come just to get away from it all, and experience the landscape as it would have been at the turn of the century.
Provincial Parks
Saskatchewan has 34 provincial parks in four categories: wilderness, recreational, natural environment and historic parks. Each park showcases specific natural features and offers a range of recreation and education opportunities.
Southern provincial parks include such favourites as Cypress Hills and Moose Mountain and the parks of the Qu’Appelle Valley. In the central parklands, the wooded hills and blue lakes of Duck Mountain, Greenwater Lake, Narrow Hills and Meadow Lake make ideal natural environment parks. And in the north, the rugged terrain of the Precambrian shield gives parks like Lac La Ronge a natural wilderness appeal.
On the southern shore of Lake Athabasca, in Saskatchewan’s far north, Athabasca Sand Dunes Provincial Wilderness Park protects an ecologically fragile area characterized by jack pine forests mixed with large open sand dune formations. Some of these dunes reach as high as 30 metres, and are some of the most northerly major sand dunes in the world. Ten plant species in the park are endemic to this region.
The levels of service vary with each provincial park. The more developed parks offer resort accommodation and rental cabins along with a range of camping services and recreational activities.
In total Saskatchewan has about 460 campgrounds. While many of them are government operated within the national and provincial parks, well-serviced campgrounds can be found across the province at private resorts, regional parks, towns and cities, and vacation farms.
Saskatchewan has a network of 101 regional parks, established by communities and municipalities to offer various camping and recreation experiences. Many regional parks are along the province’s back roads and give travellers a real taste of rural Saskatchewan.
The province has nearly 100,000 lakes to explore, with the majority up north in the rugged Precambrian Shield. Approximately 140 resort properties offer a range of lakeside accommodations.
A comprehensive list of campgrounds and lakeside resort properties can be found in the Saskatchewan Accommodation, Resort and Campground Guide.
Contacts:
Prince Albert National Park,
PO Box 100, Waskesiu Lake, Saskatchewan, S0J 2Y0
Phone: (306) 663-4522, Fax: (306) 663-5424
E-mail: panp_info@pch.gc.ca
Website: www.parkscanada.pch.gc.ca
Grasslands National Park,
PO Box 150, Val Marie, Saskatchewan, S0N 2T0
Phone: (306) 298-2257, Fax: (306) 298-2042
Email: grasslands@pch.gc.ca
Website: www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/sk/grasslands
Saskatchewan Provincial Parks, Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management,
3211 Albert Street, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4S 5W6
Phone: 1-800-66PARKS (667-2757) Sask. only or (306) 787-2700
Website: www.se.gov.sk.ca/saskparks/ie
b) Canoeing
Saskatchewan offers an endless spectrum of spectacular canoeing! Regardless of your skill level, you can travel great distances in a vast and unspoiled wilderness, on a myriad of interconnecting lakes and rivers, creating an unbeatable and unforgettable canoeing holiday!
Located in the heart of Canada’s west, Saskatchewan has 100,000 lakes and rivers, and more than 50 documented canoe routes.
Among the most popular destinations for canoeists is the mighty and majestic Churchill River. Providing some of the most exhilarating whitewater around, this river system surges with rapids, tumbles over many falls, but also holds great stretches of smooth water, along with dozens of quiet and beautiful lakes that it strings together.
Another favourite is the Clearwater River, with its share of whitewater, waterfalls, limestone cliffs and majestic canyons. The Clearwater was named a Canadian Heritage River because of its natural features and its historic attractions, such as Indian pictographs and the Methye Portage from the fur trading days.
While many canoeists head north, rivers throughout central and southern Saskatchewan should not be ignored. Explore the pristine lakes and rivers in and around Prince Albert National Park, and Saskatchewan’s numerous provincial parks, or paddle calmly down the Saskatchewan River. There are literally thousands of possibilities, and you can canoe just about anywhere.
An attractive canoeing option is an all-inclusive guided trip offered by canoe outfitters and tour operators in Saskatchewan. Tours are available for all skill levels and may be family-oriented or themed – such as Native heritage and culture, archaeology and local history, or wildlife and botany, for example. In addition to canoeing, there’s the opportunity for great photography, swimming and fishing and relaxing in a wilderness campsite. You can learn more about map and compass reading, preparing tasty backcountry meals and caring for the environment. More information on the guided trips/tour operators available can be found in the Saskatchewan Vacation Guide.
c) … the Wildlife
Wide open, unpopulated spaces offer many opportunities to view wildlife. The haunting howl of a wolf on a quiet northern night… antelope bounding across the southern grasslands… sage grouse strutting in an elaborate mating ritual… the awesome spectacle of hundreds of thousands of waterfowl darkening the sky during fall migration. All are part of the spectrum of Saskatchewan’s world of wildlife.
Southwest Saskatchewan is particularly good territory for viewing wildlife. Pronghorn antelope, unique to the prairies, are often seen right from the highway. Grasslands National Park contains habitat for sage grouse, rattlesnakes, mule deer and white-tailed deer and for endangered burrowing owls that nest in abandoned prairie dog holes. The park is home to several black-tailed prairie dog colonies – fascinating burrows found nowhere else in Canada.
Not far away in the west block of Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, you can spot prairie falcons, many unique songbirds, elk and the occasional moose. The Nicolle Flats area in Buffalo Pound Provincial Park provides a lookout tower for visitors to observe bison and white-tailed deer. Trails and boardwalks invite a closer look at the array of bird life that converges on the marsh. Naturalists have counted upwards of 100 species on one outing. Other wetland areas well worth visiting include Valeport Marsh northwest of Craven, Ponass Lake near Rose Valley, the wetlands project south of Yorkton, and Foam Lake Heritage Marsh.
Birds also abound in south-central Saskatchewan’s two Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network Sites – Chaplin Lake and the Quill Lakes. Chaplin Lake’s shallow waters cover over 6,000 hectares (15,000 acres) and are used by over 30 species of shorebirds, some of these endangered. More than 300 species either nest or stage in the Quill Lakes region during migration, including rare ferruginous hawks, peregrine falcons, hudsonian godwits, and nearly seven per cent of North America’s nesting piping plovers.
Last Mountain Lake has the distinction of being the first declared North American bird sanctuary (established in 1887). This spectacular area is used by over 280 species of birds during migration and is an important breeding ground for over 100 species. Whooping cranes rest and feed at the sanctuary during spring and fall migration. From mid-August until the end of October, over 75,000 Sandhill Cranes and 400,000 geese use the lake as a stopover.
Travelling north to the edge of the boreal forest, you’ll find Prince Albert National Park. With an extensive network of backcountry trails and canoe routes, you’ll have a good chance of viewing elk, white-tailed deer, moose, and black bear, and some of the over 230 bird species that have been recorded here. Backcountry explorers may even spot grey wolves, woodland caribou and the wild herd of bison.
Information on Saskatchewan birding and wildlife viewing holidays can be found in the Saskatchewan Vacation Guide.
Contacts:
Ducks Unlimited Canada
Regina office: (306) 569-0424
Saskatoon office: (306) 665-7356
Website: www.ducks.ca
Canadian Wildlife Service
Saskatoon office: (306) 692-8710
Website: www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca
d) Hitting the Trails
Hiking is a great way to explore Saskatchewan, while enjoying the great outdoors!
Saskatchewan has more than 80 trails that guide you through a variety of beautiful landscapes and breathtaking scenery. Whether you have an hour, a day, or a week, Saskatchewan has a hiking trail to suit your needs and your interests.
Prince Albert National Park’s extensive trail system encompasses everything from short self-guided walks to day-long and overnight hikes through some 388,000 hectares, or nearly one million acres of parkland, boreal forest, patches of fescue grassland and some 1,500 lakes and streams.
The Grey Owl Trail in Prince Albert National Park is a popular overnight hike. This 20-kilometre trail (one way) guides you to the preserved Beaver Lodge cabin of Grey Owl – the world’s most celebrated naturalist of the 1930’s. The trail encompasses stretches of beach along the east side of Kingsmere Lake, alternated with forested pathways and open hillside vistas.
Grasslands National Park has many hiking opportunities through rugged landscape of weathered cliffs, deep coulees and mysterious badlands connected by the meandering Frenchman River. There are 94kms of marked and unmarked trails, as well as a 1.5km marked interpretive trail. During the months of July and August, guided hikes of approximately 3 hours are offered on a daily basis.
Saskatchewan’s provincial parks provide great hiking opportunities, from an easy stroll along a nature trail, to challenging and strenuous treks over all kinds of terrain. Provincial Parks including Moose Mountain, Greenwater Lake, Buffalo Pound, and Meadow Lake are just a few that offer hikers the chance to view a variety of wildlife and plant species on many of their interpretive trails. Narrow Hills Provincial Park has a unique 8km hike along an esker, providing an excellent view of the park from either side. The 15km Nut Point Hiking Trail in Lac La Ronge Provincial Park provides a more strenuous hike through rock outcrops, forests and muskegs typical of the Canadian Shield. The trail follows along a peninsula, providing incredible views of Lac La Ronge Lake.
As the Trans Canada Trail winds its way across Canada and Saskatchewan, it is linking several communities and parks along its route. Many provincial parks in Saskatchewan have also been included in the Trans Canada Trail.
e) Super Cycling
Cycling in Saskatchewan is on a roll, with more people planning road tours across the province, or exploring off-the-beaten-track trails in parks and other natural areas.
The hills and valleys of places like the Qu’Appelle Valley, Cypress Hills, Big Muddy Badlands, Duck Mountain and Moose Mountain attract many looking for a cycling vacation. The light traffic along quiet backroads and secondary highways in these areas is a bonus.
Favourite routes across the province are Highways #13 (the Red Coat Trail) and #18, both highly regarded for outstanding scenery. There’s easy access to provincial and regional parks, Grasslands National Park, historic sites, and a host of attractions in cities and smaller communities. A popular route in central Saskatchewan is Highway #5 from the Manitoba border to Saskatoon that takes you through towns known for artwork, handcrafts, and German heritage.
Many provincial parks, along with Prince Albert National Park, have maintained cycling trails that are perfect for day-long or overnight excursions. Developed trails in other areas include Anglin Lake, Little Red River Park near Prince Albert, and Wascana Trails outside Regina. Challenging mountain bike trails can be found at the Blue Mountain Outdoor Adventure Centre near the Battlefords.
For more information please contact:
Saskatchewan Cycling Association (Regina)
Phone (306) 780-9299
Email: cycling@accesscomm.ca
Website: www.saskcycling.ca
f) Adventures in Cowboy Country
Horseback tours and cowboy adventures thrive in much of southern Saskatchewan where cattle graze vast and rugged grasslands, and where the horse is still king for pasture work and round-ups. Here you can experience the traditional lifestyle of the cowboy, with packages offering everything from trail rides through rolling grasslands and untamed prairie, to authentic cattle drives.
Guided horseback trips take you through some very scenic areas, from the grass-covered hills and bushland of the Manitou Sandhills south of Marsden to the beautiful Frenchman River and Qu’Appelle valleys, and the highlands of the Duck Mountain Hills, rich in wildlife. Other trail-riding excursions are available into the Cypress Hills in the southwest, and Grasslands National Park, as well as the Nisbet Forest near Duck Lake, and near the southern shores of Last Mountain Lake.
Some operators offer overnight trips in addition to shorter trail rides, while others specialize in horse-drawn wagon rides. A wide range of exciting outdoor activities are also part of many tours, including hiking, canoeing, fishing, outdoor camping and cooking, ecotours and historical tours.
More information on Saskatchewan’s trail ride outfitters can be found in the Saskatchewan Vacation Guide.
g) Resort Playgrounds…
The province boasts fabulous resort courses where you can plan your complete holiday! Without a doubt, each one is unique in its own way, very affordable (an average round is about $30 Cdn.), and they all have easily accessible tee times.
The popular Elk Ridge Resort is located 45 minutes north of the city of Prince Albert and features 27 picturesque championship fairways, nestled amid the mature trees of the boreal forest, with natural water hazards on front and back nines that add to the course’s beauty and challenge. An RV park, year-round cabins and condominium development make this a favoured home-away-from-home for many, while inviting many first-time visitors, as well.
The well-treed Good Spirit Lake Golf & Country Club, which will challenge with both water and sand hazards, is only a mile from Good Spirit Lake and the many amenities of this resort. Some of the nicest beaches in the province, great fishing and hundreds of campsites, as well as cabins, condominium-style villas and an inn, make this a great holiday spot.
To the south, the White Bear Lake Golf Course is a challenging and beautiful 18 hole course, located near the Bear Claw Hotel and Casino. While in the area, don’t miss the 18 holes at Kenosee Lake, within Moose Mountain Provincial Park, another popular resort area.
Harbor Golf Club at Elbow offers its championship 18 hole course along the shores of Lake Diefenbaker. The lake is ideal for all kinds of water-sport activities, and is among the best in the province for sailing. Cottages and camping, nearby Douglas and Danielson provincial parks, heritage attractions and great wildlife and birding opportunities round out this great destination area.
Saskatchewan Golf – Great and Growing:
Saskatchewan residents love their golf – and that bodes well for visitors to the province.
There are far too many great 18 hole options in Saskatchewan to name them all here. However, among the often mentioned choices appreciated by golfers of every calibre is Nipawin’s Evergreen course, rated among Canada’s 100 best. A true links-style course in the southeast, Mainprize gets top billing from many, while further proving that great courses do get made on the prairie. Long Creek at Avonlea is always named when Saskatchewan golfers talk about the province’s best. Others include The Willows in Saskatoon, Deer Valley just north of Regina in the Qu’Appelle Valley, and the Lobstick Golf Course in Waskesiu, Prince Albert National Park.
More information can be found in the Saskatchewan Golf Guide, or you can contact:
Saskatchewan Golf Association
Phone: (306) 975-0850
Website: www.saskgolf.ca
h) Freshwater Fishing
Anglers from across North America and beyond return to Saskatchewan every year to enjoy the thousands upon thousands of deep, cool lakes, jumping with walleye, trophy lake trout and voracious northern pike, to mention only a few. Many regard Saskatchewan as fishing heaven!
Of the 68 species found here, northern pike and walleye are the most widely distributed. Trout include the beautiful rainbow, brook, and brown, and Saskatchewan’s only native trout, the laker. Anglers in the north enjoy trying their luck with elusive Arctic grayling, often called the “sailfish of the north”.
Many of Saskatchewan’s anglers travel north, where the majority of Saskatchewan’s 100,000 lakes, rivers and streams are concentrated. Paved highways reach numerous hot spots, and gravel-top roads can take you even further afield. Beyond the roads are a tempting array of fly-in fishing camps and lodges, for the ultimate away-from-it-all experience.
You’ll also find excellent fishing in many of the southern lakes including Diefenbaker, Last Mountain, and the lakes of the Qu'Appelle Valley. Boundary Reservoir in southeast Saskatchewan is the only location in the province that provides anglers with the opportunity to fish for largemouth bass.
There are over 200 fishing camps in Saskatchewan. About half are accessible only by float plane or boat. Approximately 20 per cent of the drive-in fishing camps also offer fly-in trips to outpost camps. Fishing outfitters are listed in the Saskatchewan Fishing and Hunting Guide.
2007/2008 Licence Fees:
Saskatchewan Resident (annual) - $30, (3-day) - $15
Canadian Resident (annual)- $60, (3-day) - $30
Non-resident (annual)- $80, (3-day) - $40
Saskatchewan Senior (resident) ... FREE
Three day licences also available for the southern zone only.
2007/2008 Opening and Closing Dates:
Northern zone ... opens May 25, 2007 and closes April 15, 2008
Central zone ... opens May 19, 2007 and closes March 31, 2008
Southern zone ... Opens May 5, 2007 and closes March 31, 2008
Contacts:
Saskatchewan Outfitters Association
3700 2nd Avenue West, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, S6W 1A2
Phone: (306) 763-5434
Email: soa@sasktel.net
Website: www.soa.ca
Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management,
3211 Albert Street, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4S 5W6
Phone: (306) 787-2467
Fax: (306) 787-0737
i) Hunting
Saskatchewan’s diverse landscape of rolling grasslands, untamed prairie, vast parklands and boreal forest, provides excellent habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. The province produces over 25% of the continent’s ducks and geese, has abundant populations of upland birds, ever-increasing numbers of moose and black bear, and the largest trophy white-tailed deer in the world! Regardless of the type of hunt you choose, this translates to a world-class experience.
Located along one of North America’s major waterfowl migration routes, Saskatchewan’s flourishing waterfowl numbers provide excellent hunting for ducks, geese, coots and common snipe. Thousands upon thousands of prairie potholes are used extensively as breeding and staging habitat for a variety of migratory birds, particularly waterfowl.
The grasslands of the southwest along with large areas of farmland and parklands provide excellent upland game bird hunting for sharp-tailed grouse, Hungarian partridge, ruffed grouse, and spruce grouse.
The extensive northern forests and many other areas of the province are prime big game hunting territory. Over the years, Saskatchewan has provided hunters with many memorable moose hunts, as well as world-class trophies for black bear and white-tailed deer. Moderate hunting pressure in the province allows the time needed for moose and black bear to achieve big body size. Saskatchewan has also produced more huge white-tail bucks than any other jurisdiction.
All hunters may hunt waterfowl and upland game birds, as well as big game including white-tailed deer, moose and bear. Big game hunters who are not residents of Canada are required to use the services of licensed guides or outfitters located throughout the province.
Many Saskatchewan outfitters provide non-resident hunting for waterfowl, upland game birds, and big game that can only be described as fantastic. Fine lodges, hard working guides and honest, sincere attention to every detail helps to ensure all visitors have a successful hunt.
More information on Saskatchewan Hunting Outfitters, regulations, and license fees is outlined in the Saskatchewan Fishing and Hunting Guide, and the province’s Hunting and Trapping Guide.
Contact:
Fish and Wildlife Branch, Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management,
3211 Albert Street, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4S 5W6
Phone: (306) 787-2314
Fax: (306) 787-9544
