We're in Saskatchewan, the 8th province we're visiting during our 150-day road trip across Canada.
We started our journey off in Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan's first national
park which is home to the southern boreal forest region of Canada.
The park is home to a variety of trails, wildlife, beautiful lakes and the little town of Waskesiu.
We had the opportunity to explore a variety of those trails, which led us to beautiful
views of forest, rivers, bogs, lakes and other scenic areas.
One of our favourite activities was renting a pontoon boat and going out on Lake Waskesiu.
We loved cruising around the lake, feeling the wind through in our hair and of course, jumping
off the boat and into the water.
We also experienced one of the many gorgeous sunsets that Saskatchewan is known for.
From walking along the beach to hiking the various trails, Prince Albert National Park
was definitely one of our highlights.
Next, we drove to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan's biggest city.
Here we visited the Wanuskewin Heritage Park, a national historic site of the First Nations.
We really enjoyed learning about the archaeological importance of this site, the plants they used
for medicinal purposes, and how to build a teepee.
What we really loved was spending some time with Lawrence,
a professional hoop dancer who showed us how to hoop dance,
while explaining the cultural significance and connection to mother earth.
When I'm teaching hoop dancing, there's some people
that don't know about the connection with mother earth,
with how they feel with anything of nature.
The connection makes me feel good with the people so that they can share
their enjoyment, their laughter, their happiness.
And that's what I enjoy.
I like seeing that.
And when they learn something, it brings a big joy in my heart to know that I've done that.
I've done something that made a difference in somebody's life.
After Saskatoon, we made our way south to Little Lake Manitou,
Canada's version of the Dead Sea.
Thanks to its high salt content, you can float easily
in both the lake and the nearby mineral pools.
We couldn't believe how easy it was to float and relax in the water.
Next, we moved to Regina, Saskatchewan's capital city.
One of our favourite activities was walking around Wascana Park,
a massive park in the heart of the city.
We got to see the beautiful Parliament buildings, and visit the Royal Saskatchewan Museum,
which does a great job of showcasing the province's wildlife and ecology
as well as the history of the First Nations.
We also visited the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Heritage Centre,
where we learned about the history of Canada's National Police Force through various artifacts
but also through fun interactive games and exhibits.
Next door to the museum, we experienced the Sunset Retreat Ceremony,
a military tradition that dates back to the 17th century
and that takes place where all the RCMP officers in the country get trained.
The ceremony includes a colourful display of marching,
military music, troop drills,
the lowering of the Canadian flag and even the firing of a cannon.
If you are in Regina during the summer, this is an experience you shouldn't miss!
After a couple of days in the city, we drove further south to Grasslands National Park,
one of the few remaining natural grasslands in North America.
This beautiful park is off the beaten path and is home to some of the rarest animals in Canada.
One of these rare animals were the black-tailed prairie dogs.
We could see them running around their homes
and barking at each other to warn about potential danger.
In this case, us!
They were so cute and it is very easy to see them from the trail.
We also saw a lone bison roaming around the park,
a big iconic animal that made us feel as if we had gone back in time.
We also had the opportunity to go on a variety of hikes, which took us to
various prairies landscapes and scenic viewpoints.
Our favourite hike was to 70 Mile Butte, one of the highest points in the park
where we got incredible views of the surrounding areas.
It felt amazing to look down at the wide open prairies and imagine the history that
has taken place here, from dinosaurs, to First Nations, to European settlers.
This was definetly my favourite landscape in all of Saskatchewan.
Another one of our favourite activities was spending a night in a teepee,
a unique feature offered by the park.
Not only was it cool to stay in a tepee after learning so much about them
but it was the perfect way to experience the darkest dark sky preserve in all of Canada.
We got to see a beautiful display of stars and a quick glimpse of the northern lights.
If you're looking to explore one of Canada's lesser known parks,
see some rare animals, or look up at the stars,
Grasslands National Park is the place to go!
Before leaving the province, we stopped by the Great Sandhills Ecological Preserve
to experience sand dunes in the middle of the prairies.
It was really fun to race each other up and down and cool to see this ever changing landscape.
For a province often known as being flat, nothing could be further from the truth.
From forests and lakes in the north to roaming prairies and sand dunes in the south,
Saskatchewan is the perfect province for anyone wanting to explore the outdoors.
Thank you so much for watching our Saskatchewan episode.
To learn more about what we did in Saskatchewan, as well as other provinces from across the country,
visit www.mustdocanada.com