Penner: Take a sojourn to the quiet sights of Saskatchewan

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An hour or so before sunset, I sauntered to a high point and sat down in the sand. Above me, a blue sky garnished with swirls of high-cirrus clouds; all around me, dunes rolling away into scrubland, just-harvested fields shining like polished steel in the distance. I took some photos, enjoyed the solitude, and just tried to take it all in. But in a province as big and beautiful as Saskatchewan, that’s kind of hard to do.

This much is true: most Calgarians, when a recreational stint is on the horizon, think “western” thoughts. You know, jagged mountains. Turquoise lakes. Glacier-fed streams. Pine-coated wilderness. And, admittedly, when the great outdoors calls (I hear from her often), I, too, am usually pulled in that direction.

But, unbeknownst to some, there are many compelling reasons to head east as well. Western Saskatchewan (a.k.a., “The Land of Living Skies,” which remains one of my favourite marketing taglines) is home to numerous natural sites, historic attractions, pristine parks (national, provincial, and regional), and endless backroads to explore and discover the unexpected.

While campgrounds, RV parks, and roadside motels are always an option on a Saskatchewan road trip, contemporary, upscale, and stylish resorts are also a possibility in this underrated Prairie province.

For example, my recent road trip started at the quickly expanding Dakota Dunes Resort. Located just 20 minutes south of Saskatoon on Whitecap Dakota Nation, the resort is home to an excellent 18-hole golf course that meanders through grass-capped dunes, a full casino experience, Indigenous-inspired cuisine, and a stunning hotel with a rooftop pool and floor-to-ceiling room windows that overlook the captivating dunes.

The resort also offers a number of cultural experiences — including pow-wows, bannock by the fire, music events, and a very-cool cosmic dome that blends the wonders of the night sky with Indigenous storytelling. Also, in early 2027, a massive Indigenous-themed thermal spa will be unveiled.

After making a few divots and double-bogeys at Dakota Dunes, I didn’t have to travel far to my next one-of-a-kind “home.” Blackstrap Provincial Park, also located in the Saskatoon area, is home to a multitude of recreational opportunities. Fishing, hiking, beaching, boating, disc golf, camping, windsurfing, and mountain biking are all options.

And, in terms of accommodation, the four-season glamping domes at Blackstrap Glamping Resort are, arguably, the coolest structures I’ve ever snored in. The six spacious domes — think giant golf balls! — are individually themed with luxurious king beds, lofts, kitchens, fireplaces, and expansive windows with views over the forest and lake.

Although the well-built downhill biking trails at Blackstrap don’t have the length (this is a Prairie province, remember?) that you would experience at legendary bike parks in, say, the Kootenay Rockies, I had a blast, literally, doing laps on some recently-built flow trails in the park. Wooden trail features, bridges, gap jumps, and well-built berms added to the thrills. Put it this way, bringing along my trail bike for my great Saskatchewan road trip was the right call.

In terms of my packing list, another right call was bringing my golf clubs. Saskatchewan is home to dozens of fantastic courses, many of which fall under the radar and are virtually unknown outside of the province. Two that come to mind are the lakeside 18-hole courses in Elbow and Saskatchewan Landing. Both courses skirt the shores of Lake Diefenbaker and serve excellent golf experiences. Even if you don’t play the course, the clubhouse at the Harbour Golf Club in Elbow is a fantastic place for a meal, with its patio overlooking the marina and the postcard-perfect cove. It’s a scene reminiscent of the Maritimes!

The tucked-away Sage View Golf Course (9 holes) near Riverhurst is another “pinch me” place that you wouldn’t think would exist in Saskatchewan. This little stunner features a beautiful run of holes that roll along the heaving banks of Lake Diefenbaker. It’s a beautifully designed course (albeit somewhat narrow in spots) in a wonderful, water-carved landscape that’s ideal for golf.

Another landscape that doesn’t really seem “prairie-like” is the Great Sand Hills. Located approximately 10 kilometres straight south of Sceptre on a dirt-and-gravel road, hiking on and around these exposed fine-sand dunes almost feels otherworldly. For me, enjoying the sunset on top of the dunes (I hiked approximately two kilometres from the parking area to get to the high point) was the perfect way to cap off my four-day road trip.

While I didn’t have enough time to visit a few of my other favourite stops in western Saskatchewan — Fort Walsh and Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, Grasslands National Park, and Prince Albert National Park would be prime examples — my most recent Saskatchewan sojourn was yet another reminder of how fortunate we are here in Alberta to have great neighbours in every direction.