Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park – Saskatchewan: Towering Cliffs, Wilderness Trails, and Star-Filled Nights

You might find it surprising that the highest point in the prairies is part of a provincial park which straddles Alberta and Saskatchewan. While much of the southern and central parts of Saskatchewan are marked by hundreds of kilometres of seemingly endless prairie or grasslands, the Cypress Hills are a notable exception.

Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park includes not only the highest points on the prairies, but the highest point in Canada between Labrador in the east and the Rockies to the west.

This is significant, as that gap covers a lot of land. And with these somewhat rare and large Saskatchewan hills comes a unique and diverse range of wildlife and plant life. This includes the only natural lodgepole pine forest across all Canadian prairies. At the base of these grassy or forested hills are several small lakes and wetland areas. Together, the drastic changes in elevation, the lush greenery, and the living Saskatchewan skies visible from the tops of the hills make this park a must-visit among Saskatchewan parks.

The scenery around the trails, wilderness area, and townsite offers as much beauty as they do recreation.

Stargazing, Camping, & The Resort at Cypress Hills

The park’s Centre Block is the camping hub of Cypress Hills in Saskatchewan. And while all of the front country campgrounds, and The Resort at Cypress Hills, are all within the Centre Block, the park’s West Block does offer backcountry camping options.

• Those looking for front country camping at Cypress Hills’ Centre Block can choose from a wide range of different sites including those with full service, those with electrical only, or those without services. Plus, there are a handful of accessible and barrier-free campsites available with electrical hookups.
• More camping options include the group campground with the option for electrical or no services, or equestrian campsites.
• Bask in a bit more comfort with accommodation offered by The Resort at Cypress Hills, located central to the campground, shops, and dining. They offer lodge rooms, townhouse rentals, cabin rentals, onsite dining, a gym, and yoga classes.
• The campgrounds are open seasonally from May to September while the Resort is open year-round.
• Overnight guests, or late-night gazers, will get to experience one of Canada’s darkest dark sky preserves in terms of how little light pollution exists in and around the Interprovincial Park.

Hiking & Biking the West Block Wilderness Area

The entire Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park has over 40km of hiking trails to explore. This includes trails within both the West and Centre Blocks. The trails around the park’s Centre Block are on the simpler side when compared to the backcountry trails of the West Block. This includes several hike options around 1.5-2km in total, which offer incredible views over the Cypress Hills and all the surrounding lakes. Enter the West Block for more of those views, but with far fewer people around, and higher chances for wildlife encounters.

• The furthest west of those trails in the West Block is the High Vista trail, which provides the view from/along Conglomerate Cliffs, which leads to sweeping vistas from rocky cliffs overlooking the dense forests and treetops below the trail. Conglomerate Cliffs are unique cliffs made of eroded cobbles, creating steep banks that look like stone-packed concrete.
• Use the Old Baldy Creek Road/Trail to connect to the Fort Walsh Historic Site.
• The extensive trail system on the south side of the West Block includes the West, North, and South Benson Trails, the Baldy Trail, and the La Barge Trail.
• Trails are clearly marked with maps and distance markers, while there is also an information kiosk at the West Block’s entrance to help guide backcountry hiking or biking.
• Cycling is permitted on most trails in the Centre Block, aside from the three interpretive trails.

Fort Walsh National Historic Site

A visit to the Fort Walsh National Historic Site is a chance for all sorts of experiences. Hike the trails around the sites for epic Cypress Hills scenery, get a great deal of historical background on big events that happened around the Fort, or embark on a guided tour. There are several things to see close to the Fort as well.

• Fort Walsh was constructed in 1870 and today stands as a living museum open from spring to fall.
• The Metis Trail, closest to the Fort, is a short, flat, and easy trail. From here is the option to continue on a 6km loop around Battle Creek and to the site of the Cypress Hills Massacre.
• The trailhead areas are also equipped with picnic tables and shelters.
• Guided tours run daily during the Fort’s open season.

Historic Reesor Ranch

Historic Reesor Ranch, which is accessible from the Alberta side, is on the north side of the park’s West Block. The Historic Reesor Ranch began its Horse Adventures, or trail rides, on May 1st, but they offer guided ATV tours year-round. The ranch also provides lodging and dining.

• Get an elevated camping experience with cabin rentals available from the Ranch, all of which are open year-round. The Reesor Ranch B&B is open May-October.
• As with other features, the Ranch Hall Grill, or onsite restaurant, is also open May-October.

Beaches & Fun on Cypress Hills’ Lakes

Loch Leven is a manmade lake that is a hub of activity in the Cypress Hills Centre Block. The lake is surrounded by multi-use pathways, near the dining, shopping, and resort, and is an ideal place for an afternoon picnic.

• Paddle sports are a fun and relaxing way to enjoy the small Loch Leven, with a small area on the north end suited to launching canoes, kayaks, or SUPs.
• Motorized boats are able to launch onto the much deeper Cypress Lake.
• Swimming areas and beach spaces are marked off for both Loch Leven and Cypress Lake. Take in a day under the hot summer sun, cool off in the water, or inflate the floaties. Watersport rentals are also available at the Loch Leven beach.
• Loch Leven is stocked with rainbow trout each season to offer paddlers and anglers from shore a convenient fishing experience. Find even more opportunities from the deeper waters of Cypress Lake.
• And on any chillier day, or for more comfort, campers have access to an outdoor heated pool!

Treeosix Adventure Park

Treeosix offers a guided 6-line zipline adventure through the Lodgepole Pines in Cypress Hills, lasting 1.5 to 2 hours and reaching heights of up to 70 feet. Designed for a wide range of abilities, participants as young as 5 and as old as 84 have completed the course. It includes vertical climbs and ends with the Treetop Drop—a thrilling free-fall jump that challenges even the bravest adventurers.

Treeosix also offers electric fatbike rentals, 18-hole disc golf and a Climbing Wall.

Summer Events at Cypress Hills

The summer events at Cypress Hills are scheduled month-to-month, with the upcoming Canada Day celebrations and guided June hikes officially set.

• Guided hikes help visitors to navigate the extensive trail systems of both Blocks while offering more information on the wildlife and natural surroundings.
• Canada Day at Cypress Hills will be a party for all ages, with on-site interpreters and educators, games, kids’ activities, and sweet treats.

 

Planning Your Trip – The Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, Saskatchewan side

What: The Cypress Hills create the highest elevated points between Labrador and the Rocky Mountains. What’s more impressive is the fact that these tall, rolling hills are surrounded by flat farmlands and prairie landscapes. The Cypress Hills cover southwestern Saskatchewan and southeastern Alberta to make the area a joint effort between governments, and eventually the Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park. The Saskatchewan park is divided into the West Block Wilderness Area, or backcountry area, and the Centre Block, or front country area. Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park offers family-friendly fun all year-round, including several winter activities, a Resort, seasonal camping, beach and lake activities, and over 45km of trails.

Location and how to get there:

West Block – use SK-271 south from SK-21 in Maple Creek, or north from Senate (Fort Walsh is on this route)

Centre Block – use SK-21 south from Maple Creek or north from Robsart to access the main park road for Centre Block

Distances between attractions and hiking trails on the Saskatchewan side of the provincial park are quite large, which can be challenging if you’re hoping to fit multiple activities into a single day. For example, Fort Walsh and Conglomerate Cliffs in the West Block are about 40 km apart. The drive from Centre Block to Fort Walsh and from Centre Block to Conglomerate Cliffs is roughly 50 km and 90 km, respectively.

The Historic Reesor Ranch is accessible from the Alberta side and is located approximately 1 hour’s drive from Centre Block.

Best time to go: day use open year-round

Cost: day use is free; camping varies per night

For more information:

Cypress Hills Provincial Park

Cypress Hills, Alberta Side