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| From the
Trans Canada highway Saskatchewan may seem rather flat. You
only need to venture away from hwy. #1 to see the difference
between the "Grain Belts" wide open spaces and the
endless hills, badlands and forests of backcountry Saskatchewan. |
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| Saskatchewan is extremely diverse, from the
wildly scenic badlands of the south, to the cypress hills high
country (1,393 meters, over 4000 feet) in the west. As you move
north, you'll venture through deserts, heavy forests and on
into the lake regions of the Precambrian Shield. This transition
makes for an endless variety of beautiful landscapes and breathtaking
scenery. Oh, and by the way there's prairie, too.
It's very difficult to visit Saskatchewan
without encountering at least some of its abundant wildlife.
White tailed deer are everywhere sharing the province with
elk, moose, black bear, raccoons and even bison.
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| Given its key geographical position and its
extensive wetland preservation projects, Saskatchewan is a nature
lover's dream. There are several hundred bird species to observe. |
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| Photo
Courtesy Saskatchewan Tourism |
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Depending on the time of year, you may
observe sandhill cranes, swans, burrowing owls, pelicans and even,
the still endangered, world famous, whooping crane. Saskatchewan has
a wealth of parks, five National Wildlife Areas, two Ramsar Sites
and fourteen Migratory Bird Sanctuaries affording endless nature observation
opportunities. |
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Photo Courtesy
Saskatchewan Tourism
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Saskatchewan
still has huge areas of pristine wilderness. Within its boundaries,
you'll find some of the best canoe tripping in the world in
the provinces north. |
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| Northern Saskatchewan's wilderness maze of interconnected
lakes and rivers provides plenty of canoe camping opportunities.
There are over 50 documented canoe routes in the province which
should get you started on the thousands of possibilities that
exist. |
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The Churchill River, which rages across
Saskatchewan, provides canoeists and kayakers with some of the most
challenging and exhilarating whitewater in the country. Another favorite
is the Clearwater River (a Canadian Heritage River) with bountiful
whitewater, waterfalls and limestone cliffs forming majestic canyons
and chutes. Another opportunity lies in the less traveled Porcupine
River, which is another major whitewater challenge waiting to be explored.
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For the hiker or backpacker, Prince Albert
National Park has an extensive trail system with everything from short
self-guided trails to extended overnight hikes through some 388,000
hectares of boreal forests and grassland. The Grey Owl Trail is a
linear 20 km trail with stretches of beach along the east side of
Kingsmere Lake, alternated with forested pathways and open hillside
vistas. Grasslands National Park in the south, also has many hiking
opportunities through rugged landscapes with of weathered ridges,
washes, and deep coulees. |
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The Trans Canada Trail in Saskatchewan,
passes through three parks. 15 kilometres of trail have been designated
in the west block of Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, 12 km in
Douglas Provincial Park, and 17 km in Duck Mountain Provincial Park.
With twenty other provincial parks with trail systems, you'll find
a lot of areas with great hiking opportunities in the province. In
addition, there are over 40 regional parks with hiking trails. |
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Mountain bikers should pay a visit to
Prince Albert National park as well as several of the Provincial parks
throughout the province. A particular favorite is Cypress Hills in
the South western part of the province. You'll also find some good
riding in and around Saskatoon and Regina. If you're looking for some
real gnarly technical stuff then head up north to the La Ronge area
for endless challenges. |
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Once you've been to Saskatchewan, your
perception of this "prairie province" will be changed forever.
Adventure in every sense of the word is there to be had if you venture
into the backcountry. |
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Adventure Sports In Saskatchewan
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| Visiting from
outside Saskatchewan: Saskatchewan
has an interesting history. Events in Saskatchewan are often
tied closer to the old west than some well known areas in the
U.S. After all, Sitting Bull retreated here after the west's
most infamous battle, "The Battle of the Little Big Horn".
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid had a history in this area.
Their gang, the "Wild Bunch" used Saskatchewan's Big
Muddy as a place to lay low. From a purely Canadian perspective,
one of the most significant events in Canadian history was played
out in the city of Regina - the Trial of Louis Reil which shook
this country to its foundations. As
the old west was laid to rest with the coming of the railroad.
Saskatchewan came into its own as the world's bread basket.
Sheaves of wheat will always be associated with the province,
but more and more visitors are looking at the natural wonders
of the prairies and the unlimited prospects for adventure
provided by the vast boreal forests, crystal lakes and rivers
of the northern Canadian Shield. This province is an untapped
recreational wonderland, rivaling (and besting) many of Canada's
well known outdoor recreation areas. The badlands, the Great
Sand Hills, Moose Mountain, La Ronge, Meadow Lake, the Churchill,
Lac du Fond and the Clearwater Rivers are only the beginning
of the regions possibilities. In addition the province is
one of the finest birding areas in the world. If you really
want to see just how much the province has to offer, skip
highway 1 (the truckers highway) and do your exploring on
highway 13, 55 and 16. You won't be sorry.
We have
put together the following pointers to help make your visit
to this unique province even more enjoyable.
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| Visiting
from outside Canada:
Depending on your country of origin you may have little to understand
or adapt to when you visit Canada. On the other hand many of
Canada's customs, its commerce and cultural may be very new
to some you. We have put together a list of helpful information
to assist you in your planning and later when you have reached
your destination. |
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