Regina 
Once home to Saskatchewan’s only manmade ski hill, the Blackstrap Provincial Park, located about 50 kilometres south of Saskatoon, is a year-round destination that blends prairie landscapes with recreational variety.
Credit: Tourism Saskatchewan/Chris Hendrickson Photography
Highway-11 between Saskatoon and Regina is where the province’s prairie landscape truly begins and where the reason for the license plate slogan, “Land of the Living Skies,” becomes apparent. However, there is an interruption to these flat prairies about 30 minutes south of Saskatoon.
Mount Blackstrap, on the east side of the highway, is possibly the only mountain or hill of its size between Saskatoon and the Cypress Hills, and it stands out next to the highway as a piece of history and a part of a popular Provincial Park.
Southern Saskatchewan’s Manmade Mountain
In 1971, Saskatoon hosted the Canada Winter Games. The city, however, lacked a ski hill to support the alpine sports. The province had already been eyeing the Blackstrap Provincial Park area for the development of a permanent ski hill, as local Saskatoon ski clubs could seldom last beyond a few years. With the announcement of the Winter Games, the idea for a ski hill at Blackstrap Lake became a reality.
As a small hill already existed around Blackstrap Lake, the construction crews were tasked with raising the hill from 50ft to 300ft, which they did. After the games and through the 1970s and 80s, Blackstrap Mountain was the most popular ski hill in Saskatchewan. Sadly, due to financial issues and equipment safety concerns, the government kept the ski resort closed during 2005-2006 and it remained closed for good.
Today, Blackstrap Mountain is ideal for cycling and mountain biking, as well as for taking in beautiful views of the lake. The ski resort lodge burned down after the park closed, so Blackstrap Mountain is all that remains of the ski history. Plus, there is a lot more to Blackstrap Provincial Park beyond the small 300ft peak.
The park surrounds the eastern shores of the lake of the same name. Blackstrap is a clear, calm, and clean reservoir lake that offers up plenty of year-round recreation to help fill any skiing void.
A Day at the Blackstrap Beaches
The Provincial Park covers most of Blackstrap Lake’s eastern shores. The long and narrow lake, with its shores running north to south, offers something to do from one tip of the lake to the other. This includes the Aspen Grove Beach on the north side of the lake, beside the Hazelnut and Mountainview Campgrounds, and the Kevin Misfeldt beach on the south end of the lake. So, no matter where you decide to camp along the eastern shores of Blackstrap Lake, you will be close to a beach.
- Both beaches also have ample parking and picnic space for day-use visitors.
- The Aspen Grove Beach, or the main beach, is the larger of the two and boasts an inflatable waterpark near the swimming area. More amenities include changerooms with showers and washrooms, picnic shelters, lifejackets on loan, a playground, and the Little Kahuna Beach Café & Tiki Bar.
- Blackstrap’s Kevin Misfeldt Beach is much smaller and quieter but still offers a picnic area, swimming area, washrooms and changerooms, and the campground playground within short walking distance.
- Dogs are welcome around the boat launch area and Pelican Point, where there is a designated dog park/dog beach.
More Fun on Blackstrap Lake
This long, expansive, and narrow lake makes for ideal conditions for several types of water adventures, whether slow or fast paced. The surrounding coulees, hills, and trees can help to create shelter, but also create a wind tunnel under the proper conditions. That wind tunnel may be annoying to canoeers or kayakers, but it’s ideal for windsurfers!
Credit: Tourism Saskatchewan/Chris Hendrickson Photography
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- The Provincial Park boat launch is located about halfway between the two beaches on the east shoreline. After loading onto the boat launch, nearby parking is available at Pelican Point or Fisherman’s Point. Start a variety of water adventures from the Blackstrap Lake boat launch!
- The lake permits motorized boating for fast exploration of the long lake’s shorelines, and to allow room for watersports like waterskiing, wakeboarding, or tubing.
- Launch a paddleboat like a canoe or kayak from the launch for a slower-paced day on the water or start an adventure on an inflatable raft from the beaches.
- Fishing is permitted from any boat on the water, and from the shores around Fisherman’s Point, or around the Visitor’s Centre with a filet and fish cleaning station at the boat launch. Blackstrap Lake offers chances for pike, walleye, burbot, and perch.
Hiking & Cycling around Blackstrap Lake
Get in the fresh air, exercise, and sightseeing around Blackstrap Provincial Park with the 25km+ of maintained trails for hikers and cyclists.
- Ascending Mount Blackstrap from the Top Shelf Trail and descending down the Backside trail is a popular route for cyclists. The gentle climb and rolling of the hills, along with the smooth and even trail terrain, make for a pleasant, challenging, and short trip with excellent views of the lake.
- Extend that short hike or bike ride up and down Mount Blackstrap by following the Lower Coulee Trail which runs parallel to the lake’s shore. Altogether, this creates a 5.5-6km loop.
- It is about 2km one-way on the trail between the Kevin Misfeldt Beach and the boat launch. This shoreline trail closely follows the water’s edge and is a beautiful trail for closer to sunset.
- Mountain bike and hiking trail guides are available from the park office and Visitor’s Centre.
Events at Blackstrap Provincial Park
Thanks to tour operators, the Sask. Parks, and dedicated locals or volunteers, there are a handful of events that often take place at the park over the warmer months. Start the summer off with the Blackstrap Provincial Park Canada Day event and show your pride for the red and white.
- However, there’s no need to wait until summer. This May, you can snag tickets to a bird-watching tour from the Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. This is a three-hour driving tour between Saskatoon and Blackstrap Provincial Park. The group also offers nearby tours, such as the Beaver Creek Birding and Hiking Tour, the Chickadee Feeding Tour, and various photography tours.
- The resort village of Thode on the west side of Blackstrap Lake hosts an annual boat rally intended for all ages and the public to enjoy. Register your watercraft to take part in a recreational ride around the lake with certain checkpoints and activities along the rally ride. This year’s event is not yet scheduled but it always pops up around mid-August.
- Keep an eye out for the SaskExpress, a touring theatre company that puts on live shows and performances, and workshops for all ages, all around Saskatchewan. They usually make a stop each summer at the Aspen Grove Beach on Blackstrap Lake.
Camping at Blackstrap & More Nearby Accommodations
Between camping and comfort camping, as well as nearby places to stay, the Blackstrap Lake and Provincial Park areas have a lot to offer overnight guests! Choose between a variety of front country camping options, as well as Blackstrap’s backcountry campground.
Credit: Tourism Saskatchewan
- The backcountry campground is hike-in only with amenities like vault toilets, a picnic table, and a fire pit, all waiting at the site.
- Long-term and seasonal bookings are available for the campgrounds, as well as overnight bookings.
- Short-term and long-term campers have the option between full-service campsites (electrical, waste, and water) or sites with no services.
- Bask in the comfort of the Blackstrap Camp-Easy Yurts, which offer the rustic camping experience along with canvas walls, a hard floor, and most of the camping equipment you’d normally pack in. This includes a bed,a camp stove, camping chairs, and an axe.
- The Blackstrap Glamping Resort is within park boundaries and offers yet one more way to enjoy comfort camping near the lake. The Resort provide geodome accommodations with cozy amenities like fully made beds, lighting or electricity, a fire pit, and more.
Planning Your Trip – Blackstrap Provincial Park
What to See & Do: The park boundaries cover the eastern shore of Blackstrap Lake and the small manmade Blackstrap Mountain. The lake is surrounded by natural hills and coulees, which can either create excellent shelter from prairie winds or create a tunnel of wind over the lake. Blackstrap Lake is known as an ideal fishing, swimming, and boating destination in the summer, with overnight camping or comfort camping available. During the winter, the park is a popular destination for ice fishing and cross-country skiing, as well as a winter camping option. Along with winter camping, Back2Wellness also operates a wood-fired sauna from October to May.
Location and how to get there: 50km south of Saskatoon via SK-11, and east on SK-211 from Dundurn
Best time to go: open year-round
Cost:
Daily Vehicle Fees: $11
camping $20-$35 per night; yurts $99 per night
For more information:
