From Saskatoon, drive north to the boreal forests of Prince Albert National Park. As the swoon of the prairie gives way to a thick blanket of jack pines and white spruce, it can feel like driving into another world. The 3,874 sq km park is riddled with chances to embrace the wild. Escape on horseback to aspen groves and fescue grasslands in early summer when the bison are still calving, or canoe the Bagwa Channel for an overnight adventure, emerging in still lakes under the gaze of majestic white pelicans.
Hikers should take inspiration from Grey Owl, a famed naturalist whose former cabin lies on a 20km trail along the eastern shore of Kingsmere Lake. The park has 150km of walks, with regular glimpses of elk, deer and black bear serving to remind you that this is their world and you’re only visiting.
Saskatchewan is the province of 100,000 lakes and rivers. Water is everywhere, from the rapids and lakes of the Churchill River where kayakers can glance wild moose, to the remote fringes of Lake Athabasca, ringed by sand dunes as high as 30 metres. The Churchill River in particular flows through countless lakes, with the glacial waters of Lac La Ronge, wrapped by beautiful boreal forest, easily one of the more perfect spots in its network to explore by kayak or canoe.
Head south of Saskatoon to Little Manitou for Canada’s answer to the Dead Sea. The water is three times saltier than the ocean, and its density means you can float without trying.
No matter where you go in Saskatchewan, you’re in for a wild treat and the next destination will inevitably be the best. After all, in the Land of Living Skies there’s always a good reason to drive into the sunset...
Start planning your wild Canadian road trip now
For all the inspiration, information and advice you need to start planning your own Canadian road trip to Saskatchewan, visit canadaasyoulikeit.com/saskatchewan.