Added: 10/27/2005 |
See All the Prairies Have To Offer At Grasslands ParkSituated in the province of Saskatchewan, Grassland National Park offers activities to suit all sorts of interest and fitness levels. The name comes from the mixed prairie grasslands that Parks Canada tries to preserve in this land area. At Grassland National Park you can see firsthand the two distinctive features of the prairie landscape: space and subtlety. From Grasslands you will see the unending horizon that characterizes much of the Canadian prairies.
Some of the most popular activities at Grasslands are hiking, bird watching and photography. You can take advantage of the guided hikes arranged by the park or walk along one of the interpretive trails. You can also view the park by horseback. There are a total of eight hiking routes in the park - three in the east block and five in the west. Because these trails are unmarked, it is best to enlist the services of a park guide or by taking along a paper self-guide with maps and landscape illustrations. You can also see some of the park by car by driving along the roundtrip automobile ecotour that runs a total of 28 kilometres from the entrance of the park.
The park offers some special seasonal activities. There are Canada Day celebrations hosted by the park and nearby town of Val Marie. In August there is a sleepover and hike as part of the East Block Party. Finally in late November, the park hosts a lantern hike and Christmas concert. If you are in the area at one of these times, be sure to take advantage of these seasonal events. School tours can be arranged in May and June.
You can also learn about the area's rich cultural history. Native habitation of the area dates back to 10,000 years. It was the site that Sitting Bull took refuge in 1876 after the Battle of Little Bighorn. It took many years for the park to be established. In the 1950's and 1960's people began their attempts to preserve sections of the prairie grasslands. Finally in 1981 an agreement was signed by the province and the country to establish the Park.
Grasslands park is open year round like many Canadian National Parks, though the visitors centre is not open every day of the year. If you need the services offered by the visitors centre then you should be sure to phone ahead and ensure that it will be open at some point during your visit.
There is a real range of wildlife in the park, including some endangered species. On your visit you may come across antelopes, deer, red foxes, badgers or beavers. Some of the birds you may see are owls, hawks, grouse, ducks, geese and songbirds. Bird-watching is a very popular activity in Grasslands park. There are not many water sources within the park so there is little aquatic life, though you may chance to see painted turtle, frogs and catfish or carp. The most popular animal in Grasslands park is the Black-tailed Prairie Dog.
The park is located in the southwestern part of the province, close to the border of Saskatchewan and Montana. It is easily accessible by car though the west black of the park is only accessible by dry-weather roads.
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