Echo Valley – Built by Heart, History, and Hikers
ELLA-VATED TRAILS
Tracing prairie trails through memory, discovery, and home.
By Ella Gidluck, SaskTrails Storyteller
Until now, Echo Valley Provincial Park had always been somewhere I drove past, not into. I thought I was coming for a quick volunteer trail cleanup. I didn’t expect to walk away with a map, a few new trail names in my head (Badger, Owl, Raccoon) and a story about legacy, accessibility, and the quiet power of community.
This isn’t just a beautiful place to hike. It’s a place that’s been shaped by people who care.
“We all just pitch in.” – Rick, Trail Volunteer
Trail names like Badger, Owl, and Raccoon greet you right from the start.
Rick met me in the parking lot, bright-eyed and fully geared up. He’s one of the folks behind the Echo Valley trail system as it exists today. He mapped routes with GPS (and a little help from the deer), organized cleanups, and added signage so you don’t get lost out there.
“We started from scratch. I just wanted a place to run, but I couldn’t maintain it all by myself… Now we’ve got over 1,000 people in the Facebook group.”
Rick, one of the original volunteers behind Echo’s current trail system.
He walked me through trail history like a local legend, pointing out how certain names came to be:
- Badger Trail: “It’s the gnarliest one. Badgers are gnarly.”
- Owl Trail: Named after the owl that swooped across the trees mid-run.
- Rock Garden: A glacial bed of giant boulders you pass near the bottom of Badger Trail.
His favourite? “Definitely Badger. Down the hill, up through the bridges, past the glacier rocks. It’s got everything.”
Echo Valley trail wisdom: come for the views, beware of trolls.
Rick also talked about how they’ve added “You Are Here” signs, color-coded markers, and community-friendly maps to help people explore safely. No app required. “We thought the techy people would scan the QR codes. Turns out, they just take pictures,” he laughed.
“This is your backyard.” – Shelly, Park Manager
Shelly, the park manager, talked to me about Echo’s bigger vision. It’s a legacy being built one trail and tree at a time. She told me how local school kids from Standing Buffalo, Pasqua First Nation, and Fort Qu’Appelle helped plant over 100 trees in the park last fall. They named them too — Leafy, Superman, Scotty (the Scots Pine). Elmer (the Elm), Sparkles.
“We want people to feel like this is theirs to protect, but also theirs to enjoy.”
Shelly shared Echo’s upcoming accessibility plans: a new all-persons trail close to the campground. Not paved, but solid-surfaced with minimal elevation changes, it’s built for walkers, wheelchair users, and anyone needing a more stable path.
“Right now, we don’t have a fully accessible trail. But we’re working on it.”
Framed slides from the 1980s Girl Guide Jamboree, still on display in the visitor centre.
Echo is also preserving its past, like a set of slides from the 1980s Girl Guide World Jamboree when over 3,500 Girl Guides camped right in the valley. One photo shows kids playing wheelchair volleyball — proof that Echo was thinking about accessibility long before it became a buzzword.
From Glacial Boulders to Girl Guides
Echo Valley is full of these unexpected stories. A trail system partly designed by following deer paths. A running race that doesn’t stop until everyone but one drops (yes, really — Rick calls it the “Backyard Ultra”). A park with one side reserved just for nature-based recreation to keep the valley wild for future generations.
“We’ve got people out here who care as much about the park as I do,” Shelly said. “That’s when cool things happen.”
If You Go
- Start with Deer Trail if you’re new or bringing kids. It’s flat, shaded, and loops around with a great valley view.
- Looking for a challenge? Try Badger Trail. You’ll find bridges, coolies, and the legendary Rock Garden.
- Stop by the visitor centre and ask about the Girl Guide slides.
- If you see a tree named Sparkles… give her a little wave.
The kind of view that makes you slow down, breathe deep, and stay a little longer.
My Ella-vated Trail Ratings
5/5 Trees Named by Kids Who Totally Got It Right
Looking at you, Sparkles.
4.9/5 “You Are Here” Signs That Prevented a Panic Spiral
The other 0.1 is on me, not the map.
5/5 People Who Showed Up Because They Care
And somehow made trail cleanup feel like a party.
Here’s your go-to trail map to start planning your Echo adventure. Don’t worry—they’ve added “You Are Here” signs too.
Read more trail stories and enter the 2025 Photo Contest at sasktrails.ca
This article is part of the SaskTrails Storyteller Series. Thank you to the Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association and Trans Canada Trail for supporting this initiative.
Ella Gidluck is the Saskatchewan Trails Association’s 2025 Summer Storyteller. She’s a university student with a love for quiet places, trail snacks, and telling the stories behind the paths we walk.
