Saskatchewan: Land of Living Skies

As we crossed into our final "new to us" Canadian province, I knew that I would have a heck of a time learning to spell it correctly. But it didn’t take us long to understand the meaning behind the motto that is stamped on every license plate. With puffs of cotton candy clouds dancing across the deep blue horizon, Saskatchewan truly is ...

The land of the living skies!

And as we drove on, we figured that the animated celestial scenery would have to make up for the miles and miles of flat grasslands that lay before us, but we were happily mistaken.

From rugged badlands that looked like they could serve as a western movie set,

... to neon yellow-green fields of canola so bright they could double as highlighters,

... to glistening lakes that provide refuge to a diverse wildlife population,

... to birch forests that house a magnificent chorus of songbirds,

Saskatchewan’s living skies, shining over its ever-changing landscape, has a way of reviving even the weariest highway traveler and encourages them to discover some of central Canada's hidden gems.

Regina, Saskatchewan

Our first stop was Regina, Saskatchewan's provincial capital and major cultural/economic hub.

Highlights included:

 ... another legislative building photo op

 and a stroll through the beautiful gardens that surround it,

... a beautiful walk through a section of Wascana Centre, an urban park and lake in the center of town that boasts of being three times the size of New York City's Central Park,

 providing many cultural and recreational opportunities.

... a rainy day visit to the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, home of Scotty, the largest and most complete T-Rex skeleton ever found, 

as well as a fascinating lesson of Saskatchewan's Indigenous history and culture.

... and a pick of local craft breweries,

as well as an overnight stay at a garden center and farm just outside of town that served as a Harvest Host. 

Grasslands National Park

After Regina, we ventured south to check out the only place in Canada where bison can still be found in the wild ... Grasslands National Park.

Grasslands National Park lies just 20 miles north of the United States border, and the landscape was similar to the arid, windy, and hot environment that can be in the western Dakotas and eastern Montana. The huge park actually has two separate areas,

the East Block with its impressive badlands,

and the West Block where its grasslands and valleys are home to bison and prairie dogs.

We spent one day in each "block". A paved park road led us through the badlands of the eastern block, and it was nice to sit a spell and admire the landscape.

A hike on the Old Wagon Trail

... rewarded us with up close peeks of prairie treasures,

... and a beautiful sunset view.

 Unfortunately, rain prevented us from venturing into the section of the park where a herd of about 300 bison roamed freely.

This is as good of a photo op as I got.

Fun Fact: Grasslands National Park boasts of having 69 different kinds of grasses. Imagine having the job of figuring that out! The one grass that I actually thought was kind of pretty, the crested wheat-grass, is actually considered invasive.

We spent the rainy day in the small village of Val Marie that lies at the western entrance of the park. A walk around town revealed the stately structures that remind us of the importance of agriculture in this province.

Prince Albert National Park

After our dip into southern Saskatchewan, it was time to head north to an area that was reminiscent of our beloved lakes and forest area of northern Minnesota.

Prince Albert National Park, located four hours north of Grasslands, is where the prairies give way to boreal forests and glacial-formed lakes.

Like many of the Canadian national parks that we have visited, this national park has a small townsite (village) located in the southern part of the park. Here one can find many of the services that make it easy for tourists to come relax and enjoy the beautiful sights that surround them. Because so many lodging options, gift shops, and restaurants are found in this and many other national park towns, Canadian national parks seem (to us) to have more of a "resort" feeling than their counterparts in the United States.

We stayed just outside of town in the national park's Red Deer Campground. Once again, we found these national park campgrounds to be quite different from the ones found in the US national parks. While campgrounds in US national parks most often have minimal services available, all these sites were full hook-up on a large, wooded site with modern bathrooms and showers nearby. To sweeten the deal even more, Parks Canada is waving the entrance fees to their national parks and giving a 25% discount on campsites from now until the end of August.

So this beautiful "home" with everything a van dweller could need, cost us only $22/night (USD),

 

... and it was only a 15 minute walk into Waskesiu for Doug's morning latte fix and an evening ice cream treat. Nothing says "summer in Canada" quite like enjoying ice cream while wearing our winter jackets, eh?

We enjoyed the "up North" vibes during hikes along a river trail, through the boreal forests, and on a boardwalk over a sensitive bog area,

... where a variety of dainty treasures were just waiting to be admired.

While the wild life was playing "hard to get" on the trails, they seemed happy to greet us as we walked around our campsite and into town.

A few elk even joined us for lunch when we were parked by the lake.

Sure, Saskatchewan might look a little plain at first, but give it a minute. There are hidden gems everywhere and

living skies

that turn the grasslands, forests, and lakes into a front-row seat for nature’s ever-changing light show.

Friendly Manitoba: "Minnesota Nice" With a Canadian Twist

We have road-tripped our way through much of Canada during the past few years, but there are two provinces and three provincial capitals that have thus far eluded us. That is all about to change with our current summer travel plans.

First stop: Manitoba and Winnipeg, where the vibe is basically “Minnesota but with a cooler accent.” Located just to the north, Manitoba lays claim to the same wild weather, lake obsession, and ultra-friendly locals who made us feel like we were visiting long-lost cousins.

And, you betcha, they even share Minnesotans' passion for ice hockey, eh?

Yes,  "Friendly Manitoba" is more than just a slogan on their license plates. The people that we met treated us to "Minnesota Nice" with a Canadian twist.

Winnipeg, Manitoba

After an overnight stay at one of Manitoba's many beautiful provincial park campgrounds, we arrived in Winnipeg and quickly did the mandatory "legislative building" photo.

Next up it was time to find some lunch. Like many Canadian cities, Winnipeg is becoming quite "international" with its food choices as people from many nations settle here. The tacos from Fire & Spice Taqueria lived up to their name. Afterwards, we found that the "tried and true" northland delicacy at Oh Doughnuts added a nice balance of sweet to offset the spicy tacos.

I would have made my Polish grandma proud, when the next day I found a small Ukrainian deli selling authentic pierogies and cabbage rolls.

(no picture ... they disappeared too fast)

Next it was time to check off Doug's bucket list item ... a visit to a Winnipeg craft brewery. And much to his delight, there was no lack of breweries to choose from. Good thing we decided to stay in Winnipeg for a couple of days.

We used our "Boondockers Welcome" membership to find a great overnight spot to stay during our visit to the city. As a part of the Harvest Hosts program, these homeowners allow RVers to park in their driveway or on their property overnight. The hosts are often adventurous travelers also, so we always enjoy sharing travel stories with them.

A tranquil lake mural, a canoe overflowing with flowers, and friendly hosts greeted us, and invited us to make ourselves at home as we enjoyed our dinner on their patio overlooking the Red River. We got a full helping of “Friendly Manitoba” while swapping travel stories ... first on a stroll through the local park, then again during a peaceful sunset canoe paddle.

The next day, we headed back downtown to explore the city’s vibrant murals and soak up the sunshine at The Forks National Historic Site, where the expansive green space and shaded walking paths lined the river bank.

Later, while we were adding another brewery to Doug's growing list, a festive group of Manitobans descended from a pedal pub, and we struck up a conversation with them. Well, apparently stories of our wandering lifestyle makes for great party bait, because before we knew it, we were invited to join their celebration. We swapped stories, shared laughs, and found delightful connections with our friendly northern "cousins".

 

Riding Mountain National Park

 Wasagaming, Manitoba

Based on recommendations from all of our new friends ... and because we're excited to extend our national park quest into Canada, Riding Mountain National Park in western Manitoba was our next destination.

Canada's national parks have a slightly different vibe than their US counterparts. They seem to have more of a resort-type flavor to them as opposed to the US national parks that are more often very isolated from any type of commercial services. The cute town of Wasagaming, with its campgrounds, lodges, restaurants, and shops, is the "urban" center of Riding Mountain National Park and lies on the south shore of Clear Lake. 

And as our Winnipeg friends emphasized ... no visit to Wasagaming would be complete without a visit to White House Bakery. Upon entering, we were greeted by the heavenly scent of freshly baked cinnamon rolls, and faced with the dilemma of having to choose which of their other decadent desserts to take home for later.

I let Doug make that tough call!

But the real "stars" of Riding Mountain NP are the crystal clear waters of the area lakes, the dense forests thriving with wildlife, and Riding Mountain, which rises up to the north. Although it seemed more like a hill to me, I guess any sort of elevation is impressive after driving across the expansive flat plains of Manitoba.

Fueled with our sweet treats, we decided to hike along the northern shore of Clear Lake. While the various wildflowers in bloom were intriguing,

... this other obnoxious plant that lined the narrow trail along with a few hitch-hiking ticks, made us decide that maybe it was best to view the park from the safety of our van.

And we were grateful to have a safe view as we came upon ...

a mama bear and her two playful cubs,

who decided to try out their tree climbing skills.

"Now how do I get down???"

A little farther ahead, a solitary black bear rested on the side of the road, perfectly content.

He mirrored the same serenity we felt while taking in the beautiful scenery and the warm smiles of our northern neighbors. So familiar, Manitoba emits “Minnesota Nice” with a Canadian twist.