Sunday, July 23, 2017

Canada 150: Waterton Lakes National Park

Welcome to the second national park of our trip - Waterton Lakes National Park!

The townsite, the lake and the view!
Gorgeous! Stunning! Wow!
What a beautiful place! The scenery all around us was just magnificent! And there's so much to see and do in the townsite (shops, restaurants and a natural waterfall!) and the surrounding area.

We did two scenic drives within the national park - one was to Red Rock Canyon and the other was to Cameron Lake. 

Red Rock Canyon

Cameron Lake
We also took a cruise to Goat Haunt, USA! This US border station can only be accessed by boat or by foot - how unique!



Welcome to Goat Haunt, USA!

We loved this national park so much that we spent an extra day here! Of course, it was ridiculously hot everywhere else and Waterton was a tall glass of cool water in our itinerary. What a relief!


Sunday, July 16, 2017

Canada 150: Fort Walsh National Historic Site

Fort Walsh was a complete surprise to me - from the road to the scenery to the location - and I loved it! This gem was tucked in the very corner of southwestern Saskatchewan right against the Alberta border.


But first, let me tell you about getting there... We traveled on a narrow road that twists and turns its way through the prairies, alongside a variety of crops, and up and down gentle rolling hills. Then, all of a sudden, you face pastureland and a veritable forests of trees! I didn't think there were any trees in this part of Saskatchewan!



Following that, you then travel up a mountain-like hill with sharp twists and turns along the way. Then you reach a plateau and see cattle grazing! Where were we???

The terrain was not only completely unfamiliar but also it was so unexpected - it seemed there was a surprise around every corner!

Finally, we arrived. We were excited and full of anticipation! The next step was our trek down to the fort!


We arrived just in time for a tour and saw some interesting things as we learned the history of the area.



Because we visited on Canada Day, there were a few extra "treats" as well - everything from the cannon being shot to sun-steeped iced tea and birthday cake!


 


All in all, it was a completely wonderful experience, and I'd return to this stunningly beautiful part of the province any time!

Saturday, July 15, 2017

Canada 150: Grasslands National Park

My sister and I have been busy planning a road trip of southwestern Saskatchewan and southern Alberta most of this year. Our goal is to explore the area, see some of the sights and take advantage of the free admission to Canadian National Parks and Historic Sites this year.

On Day 1 of our trip, we visited the first of two national parks we planned to see: Grasslands National Park located in southwestern Saskatchewan.


There was no way we could see all of even one block in just a day, so we chose to drive part of the Ecotour Road in the West Block and enjoyed a picnic lunch along the way.

My sister taking in the view

Now those are grassy plains!

The views went on forever...

The infamous Parks Canada red chairs highlighting one of the best views!

We encountered buffalo, black-tailed prairie dogs and even a mule deer as we drove. Thankfully, we avoided any rattlesnakes out basking in the sun!

Although we only saw a fraction of the West Block, we were wowed by its vastness! It truly is a treasure in southern Saskatchewan's backyard. Why not plan to check it out for yourself?