Explore Saskatchewan’s Hidden Beauty 

Explore Saskatchewan’s Hidden Beauty 

With some parks closing their parking lots to prevent people from entering, there are many beautiful and isolated trails that you, and your furry pals, can take advantage of where you will likely not run into any other visitors for miles!  

If by chance you do run into other trail lovers along your hike, it is advised that you adhere to the guidelines set out by the Centre for Disease Control (CDC). You can help protect yourself by practicing social distancing which is defined as maintaining a 2-meter distance away from others and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth as well as any other surfaces others may have come in contact with. It is also important to practice good hand hygiene.  

The Saskatchewan Trails Association offers an on-line directory of trails that you can consider for your next scenic prairie hike. The directory includes quality maps, GPS coordinates and detailed descriptions of many of Saskatchewan’s trails and their nearby amenities.  

Whether you’re taking a hike through the Crooked Bush trails near Hafford which is home to a small grove of aspen trees that have developed a genetic mutation that makes them grow in a very interesting way or you’re taking in the picturesque Qu’Appelle Valley on the Lumsden/Deer Valley Trans Canada Trail, there is a little piece of paradise awaiting trail enthusiasts throughout this difficult time.

With multi-use trails made for beginner to advanced hikers, bikers and wildlife lovers, there are many ways to get out of the house and in touch with all that nature has to offer. It is important to remember that despite the uncertainty of these times, it also offers you a unique opportunity to experience an adventure that takes you off the beaten track. 

To start planning your next trail adventure and discover the many different trail options, first click on the Sport, Culture & Recreation District that you are interested in visiting and then click on a trail for more information at https://sasktrails.ca/trail-directory/ 

And to all of our Saskatchewan Trails supporters and enthusiasts, we wish you safety and wellness during this unprecedented time. 

 

Families on The Trail

Families on The Trail

Trails are fun individually, in a small group or even in a large trail group. Trails can offer a spectacular experience for families with members of all ages! You don’t need to go on a multi-day hike or climb mountains to start using the trails. The only requirements are a positive attitude and love for nature!

Regardless of age, old or young, trails can be used by anyone at no cost. Trails throughout Saskatchewan vary in length and difficulty to meet everyone’s needs. Some trails are even wheelchair accessible.

For those who may need mobility assistance, hiking poles and canes can be a great way to maintain balance over potentially rough terrain. Can’t justify leaving your pets at home for a long walk? Some trails are even pet friendly! No matter what your physical ability, a stroll on the trails is for you and offers many positive health benefits for everybody!

From first hike to expert, there are trail difficult ratings, maps, lengths, pictures and all the info you could need to plan your next family outing. Trails are especially fun for children of all ages to learn to adventure, explore, and be creative in the outdoors.

Taking your family with you on a hike or walk is a phenomenal bonding experience for everybody involved and can be made into a monthly routine or tradition for the family to share together!

Trails are not just for hiking either. Many of the trails throughout Saskatchewan can be hiked as well as cycled and also have open areas that offer a great opportunity for a picnic, fishing, games, camping, kayaking, or even special scavenger hunt for kids!

Make sure to check on our blog for more information on the trails, activities, and tips. Curious which trail is for you and your family? Checkout our Sask Trails Directory here: https://sasktrails.ca/trail-directory/ to learn more about each individual trail or our blog on how to find the trails here: https://sasktrails.ca/how-to-find-trails-in-saskatchewan/!

Common Q&As

Common Q&As

As the provincial trail association in the province, we receive plenty of questions from the community. So we decided to take all of the most commonly-asked questions and make them into a blog! Hopefully these common questions can help others to find what they are looking for and save more time to spend on the amazing Saskatchewan trails!

 Where to Find Trails?

The first and most commonly-asked question we receive is where to find trails? This can be a tricky answer as there is no one place that lists all of the trails in Saskatchewan. However, we are trying our best! Our STA Trail Directory contains listings and descriptions of most of the main trails throughout Saskatchewan.

Fortunately, there are also lots of apps like AllTrails and TrailForks that have large databases of most of the trails around the world, including Saskatchewan. The blog consisting of all of the different ways to find trails can be found here: https://sasktrails.ca/how-to-find-trails-in-saskatchewan/!

 Update Directories?

Similarly, to the where to find trails question, we are also often asked when we are updating our trail directories or why some apps or sites don’t have all of the trails. As a non-profit, we rely on the community and trail operators to assist us.

We cannot go to every trail and see the changes or new trails. However, if you are out exploring wonderful Saskatchewan and stumble upon a new trail or information you want to share, we encourage you to send us an email, comment, message or carrier pigeon to let us know so we can update the STA Trail Directory for our community. Not only do we love updates on the trails, but we also enjoy hearing stories, seeing pictures, or learning tips and tricks that we can share.

 Join Communities?

A lot of people ask about different trail, hiking, cycling, or alternative activity groups. Not only are trail groups a way to meet new people who share similar interests, but they also offer an opportunity to learn about new fun events and be empowered by like-minded individuals.

There are groups for literally every kind of trail activity that are full of great people with tons of information to share. If you are considering looking for new friends or activity partners, take a look at our blog that highlights a few of the many amazing Facebook communities and groups that you can join here: https://sasktrails.ca/trail-communities-in-saskatchewan/!

 Volunteering?

People are often looking to do some community work or give back to the trail community for various reasons. Where, when, and how are common questions when looking to volunteer or looking for volunteers. Most trails throughout Saskatchewan have their own websites and Facebook pages that often hold clean up or maintenance events.

Alternatively, if you are looking for volunteers or to hold a similar event, you can contact us directly on any social media for assistance in promoting your event. As all trails are free to use, most have small to no budget and can always benefit from having more volunteers to look after these wonderful treasures! Want more information on particular trails? Send us a message and we would love to keep you updated!

 What Trails Can I *Insert Activity* On?

Another very common question we receive is which trails are cyclist friendly, or which trails are ATV friendly or even which trails are best for horseback riding? As previously stated, many trails have a website, Facebook page, can be found in the STA Trail Directory or even the phone apps like AllTrails or TrailForks.

These websites, apps, and pages can tell you what is allowed on the trails and what should be avoided. The same thing goes for dog friendly trails since many trails restrict animals while others encourage you to bring your pets. It’s smart to check online before hand to get all the information you need! The STA wants to continue to update the community on the best trails to do all activities are so stay tuned to see more blogs and social media posts on various trails and the best activities to do on them!

Contact Us

Of course, we couldn’t answer every question with this blog so feel free to send us a message any time with your questions, comments, stories, or pictures and we will do our best to get back to you in a timely manor. Thank you to this splendid community we have and Trail On!

2020 Member Trail Grant Recipients

2020 Member Trail Grant Recipients

The STA is pleased to announce the recipients of our Member Trail Grant Program. We will be providing $1000 grants to the Foam Lake & District Leisure Services Board and the Qu’Appelle Valley Nordic Ski Club.

The Foam Lake project involves a group of dedicated volunteers called Team Nature Trails (TNT), which has been working to improve the community’s overall well-being and quality of life by restoring the nature trails in the RM of Foam Lake’s Foam Lake Heritage Marsh areas. This area is a designated International Birding Area, and sees many tourist “birders” each year during migration periods. Many locals like to explore this area over the summer months as well. Visitors utilize the trails that are accessible and can enjoy nature, birds, the history of the marsh, as told by signage around the area.

This area must be restored due to flooding in the past that destroyed signage, viewing platforms, and eroded shorelines where trails once were. Each year, volunteers plan to work on a specific area and have thus far repaired two areas that are now accessible for public access with beautiful, walkable trails, new platforms and historical signage to educate visitors about the area’s flora, fauna and history.

In 2020, the TNT is working with its neighbouring First Nations Community – Fishing Lake First Nations, to gain a deeper perspective into the history of this area, where many of FLFN Elders were born and have many stories to tell. This project will see a bank of “story” signage along the Vatnabyggd Trail, outlining “Stories of the Marsh” – which to this point, have only been told in the European (Icelandic) point of view. TNT feels it is integral to tell the whole story, and start with our first peoples.

Funding from the STA will support Elders protocol (meetings entail gifts of tobacco, honourariums), and the purchase, and installation of 12 11×17” signs with stories to be placed along trails for visitors to gain a better understanding of the history of this area.

The Qu’Appelle Valley Nordic Ski Club mission is to operate a full-service Nordic facility that provides biathlon and cross country ski programming, including all-season training options, for recreational and competitive athletes from Saskatchewan and Western Canada

Its existing facility has been built from scratch over the last five years through the work of committed volunteers and partnerships with local organizations. The club has invested more than $240,000 into the development of our biathlon range, clubhouse, targets, trails, grass mower and trail grooming equipment. The trail system now offers skiing for both classic and skate, for novice and experts, and for casual and competitive skiers for over 100 members and local residents.  During the summer months, the trails provide opportunities for hiking, cycling, and running.  Each year the club hosts a number of biathlon camps and trail runs.

Currently, trails at QVN are in need of maintenance including leveling to address off-camber slope, eliminating high-spots, a method to capture more snow and sign marking.   Funding from the STA will be used to complete this work.  In 2020 planned work includes trail levelling, sign marking to aid skiers and hikers, tree planting for wind protection, snow accumulation and habitat, as well as additional snow fence installation.