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South
West Region The South West Region, a photographer’s paradise, promises colorful, ever-changing scenery with each new season. The area offers a wealth of panoramic views, from expansive forest to natural grasslands, golden wheat fields to sand hills, and valley oases to picturesque lakes - all boasting an abundance of rare and beautiful wildlife, birds, plants and flowers. Among the most popular destinations in this region is Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, an oasis of forested highlands that rises more than 600 meters from the surrounding plains. Its alpine-like environment is home to stands of towering, straight lodgepole pine, rare wild flowers, more than 200 species of birds, mammals typically found in northern forests, and the unusual conglomerate cliffs. The park consists of three areas: the Alberta section, the less developed west block that extends to the Alberta border, and the centre block, south of Maple Creek, which features the most services, including a beach, golf course, pool and campgrounds. The 22-kilometre Gap Road (passable only in dry weather) connecting the two Saskatchewan blocks is a great route for spotting wildlife, and the June displays of wildflowers in the pastures are nothing short of spectacular. Maple Creek is home to Saskatchewan’s oldest museum and an annual Cowboy Poetry gathering that features performers from western Canada. In the northeast part of the region, several major recreational areas can be found along the shores of Lake Diefenbaker. This massive body of water was formed in 1967 when the Gardiner Dam was built on the South Saskatchewan River. With three provincial parks - Danielson, Douglas and Saskatchewan Landing - you’ll find everything you need to settle in and enjoy a complete variety of water sports, golf and numerous other activities. The deep waters and hundreds of kilometres of rugged, scenic shoreline make this a choice spot, with prime sailing conditions, great fishing, boating, water-skiing and windsurfing. As well, the nearby town of Elbow adds to the area’s many attractions with its museum, gift shop and art studio, and antique shops. There are many other natural areas to explore. Grasslands National Park preserves a wide expanse of the broad Frenchman River Valley, along with weathered buttes and badlands, untouched native prairie, and grassland flora and fauna. To the north of this region, the Great Sand Hills encompass more than 1,900 square kilometres of dune landscapes, including areas of giant, active dunes. Another phenomenon is the Standing Rock near Hazlet, a glacial erratic transported here from the north by moving ice fields. Near Eastend, you get a rare insight into creatures that walked the earth more than 65 million years ago. Bones of duck-billed dinosaurs, triceratops and other ancient beasts are found in the fossil-rich valleys and hills. Not many years ago, this area drew international attention with the discovery of a near-complete Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton, one of the most complete ever found in the world. The T. rex Discovery Centre showcases this find and provides visitors the opportunity to view fossils and participate in demonstrations and activities. To the east, the large town of Assiniboia features a 1912 main street complete with a boardwalk, as well as antique cars and farm equipment at its museum. At the local craft shop, browse through items ranging from jewellery and clothing to paintings, wheat weavings and hand-molded flowers. Historic sites and museums throughout the region take you back to the days of Chief Sitting Bull, the North West Mounted Police and the early ranchers and homesteaders. A highlight is Fort Walsh in the Cypress Hills, originally a Mounted Police post that was established in 1875 to ensure peaceful settlement and to control the illegal whisky trade. From the fort, you can visit Farwell’s Trading Post, where whisky, guns and furs were the staples of those early years. For nature lovers, wildlife in the southwest is abundant. Moose, elk, deer and pronghorn antelope are found here, as are rare and beautiful swift foxes, and black-tailed prairie dogs. The region offers birdwatchers spectacular migration viewing in the spring and fall, and is home to such species as the burrowing owl, trumpeter swan, roughwinged swallow, Audubon warbler, Oregon junco, great blue heron, bald eagle, ferruginous hawk and golden eagle. It’s also one of the few places in Canada where you can watch the unusual courting rituals of the sage grouse, in which strutting males discharge air from their inflated pouches with a peculiar "plop" sound that female grouse find irresistible. This is the perfect place to enjoy a western experience as it was and still is today, with a stay at one of many vacation farms and ranches where you can be treated as a guest or as "one of the hands." You’ll also find plenty of western action at numerous exciting rodeos and over backcountry trails on guided horseback trips in the Cypress Hills, through the grasslands, along the South Saskatchewan River and in many other spots. Other lasting features of the "Old West" that can still be explored and enjoyed today are the many historic trails that criss-cross the eastern side of the region. The cross-border area between Canada and the U.S., in the Big Muddy Badlands, was once controlled by a gang of about 30 men, loosely dubbed the "Outlaws of the Big Muddy." On a guided tour of the area, you can still explore the caves in this ruggedly beautiful valley where notorious outlaws and cattle thieves used to hide out, and see fascinating Indian effigy sites that include the only known Indian buffalo effigy in Canada. The Red Coat Trail (Highway #13) follows the approximate route which the North West Mounted Police took in their epic "March West" in 1874, to bring law and order to the Canadian frontier. Wood Mountain Post tells the story of those early days, and of fascinating episodes such as when Sioux Chief Sitting Bull and 5,000 followers crossed over the "Medicine Line" (Canada-USA border) after the Battle of the Little Big Horn in 1876. Following negotiations between Sitting Bull and Major James Walsh of the NWMP, the Sioux lived in relative peace in Canada for the next five years. Numerous historic sites and museums help put the region’s colorful past into perspective. Heritage House at Avonlea provides historical information and artifacts from pioneer days, ranching in the area, and the RCMP. The Briercrest museum features an old country store as its setting, and is the base for area tours that include the Claybank Brick Plant National Historic Site. The plant shows how bricks were produced here for almost 75 years. In Gravelbourg, considered the heart of French culture in Saskatchewan, the ornate cathedral - one of many in the region - is adorned with impressive paintings by Father Charles Maillard. At St. Victor, travel far back in time to when early Plains Indians carved petroglyphs of human figures, faces, animals and tracks on a cliff-top rock, possibly in an attempt to influence the buffalo hunt. For further insight into native culture and lifestyle, visit the Notukeu Heritage Museum in Ponteix, home of one of the largest archaeological collections in southern Saskatchewan. Moose Jaw is the region’s largest community, with everything you need in visitor services, accommodation, dining and shopping. Among the city’s attractions are the parks of the picturesque Wakamow Valley, 36 giant outdoor murals that vividly portray Moose Jaw’s past, and the Tunnels of Moose Jaw tours, relating the city’s early rum-running days, infamous underground activities, and the tale of Chinese immigrants’ persecution in Canada. The Western Development Museum traces transportation on the prairies and houses an impressive collection of automobiles, airplanes and trains. Its Snowbirds Gallery recognizes Canada’s famed aerobatic team. Visitors to Moose Jaw can stay at a wide range of accommodations. Temple Gardens Mineral Spa, a four-and-a-half star resort hotel, offers an escape from the rigors of everyday life with a deep-muscle massage and soak in pleasantly warm mineral water, naturally heated more than 1,350 metres below the earth’s surface. You can even "take the waters" in the privacy of your own spa suite. The Oasis Treatment Centre features an extensive menu of signature facials, body treatments, and massage, using natural plant and sea extracts and aromatic restorative oils. The city of Swift Current, in the province’s southwest corner, is nestled in the rolling hills alongside Swift Current Creek. The city boasts all the amenities, with excellent motels, restaurants and shopping. Other attractions include Doc’s Town in Kinetic Park, the Mennonite Heritage Village and the National Art Gallery, and events like Frontier Days. Trade and craft shows will also entertain. The beautiful Chinook Parkway is a popular recreation area and the site of two golf courses. The entire region offers the diversity of trail riding and hiking at country vacation places alongside challenging golf courses, and beautiful campgrounds at provincial and regional parks. Get in touch with nature at Nicolle Flats Interpretive Area in Buffalo Pound Provincial Park, or discover the world of shorebirds at Chaplin Lake, which features an interpretive centre, viewing tower and nature walks. Summer brings a host of events, big and small. You can choose from threshing bees, antique car rallies, horse shows, and a variety of festivals. At Wood Mountain, you’ll find the longest continually running rodeo in Canada, dating back to the 1880s, when NWMP officers competed with local ranchers in horse races and other events. Moose Jaw’s major events include the Motif Multicultural Festival, the Saskatchewan Air Show and the Festival of Words. For more information, see the attractions or
events listings that follow, or contact the South West Region
at:
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