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Welcome to Saskatchewan’s first and therefore oldest provincial parks! Moose Mountain Provincial Park was established in 1931 as the first in Saskatchewan to help protect the area’s diverse flora and fauna.
Tourism Saskatchewan_Paul Austring
Southeastern Saskatchewan is usually thought of as having rolling grasslands, farmland, and prairies. There is a special section in Saskatchewan’s deep southeast corner where the grasslands and prairies are interrupted by a vast and dense forest of mixed trees. While this small part of the province is covered in lush foliage, the surrounding areas are also dotted with several ponds, wetlands, and small lakes. And as the forests appear out of the prairies, there are also much larger rolling hills in this area. At the heart of southeast SK’s forest is Moose Mountain Provincial Park.
Much of the park covers this forested area, with some of it only accessible to ATVers, hikers, and cyclists. And at the heart of Moose Mountain are the Kenosee Lakes. The camping and day use area is nestled between Little Kenosee Lake to the north and Kenosee Lake to the south.
The park’s chalet harkens back to this time as the building was completed in 1931 as well, and as a Great Depression “relief project.” The park also offers some exciting ways to explore the local history each summer with Haunted Chalet Ghost Tours.
Given the natural features listed above, and many other reasons, plan a trip to this forested gem on the prairies to make the most of all the year-round recreation it has to offer, from the water to the trails.
Water Adventures on Kenosee Lake
Anyone visiting for the day, as a camper or a hotel guest, will have a ton of water, beach, and lake activities from which to choose. Spend your day on the water, on the sand, or around the beach attractions at Kenosee.
Tourism Saskatchewan / Kevin Hogarth Photography
- Kenosee Lake Beach is the park’s main beach area, home to attractions, close to services, and has the largest sandy area. There is also a small swimming area on Little Kenosee Beach for anyone who prefers a quiet, peaceful, and less crowded beach day. There are no amenities or services near the Little Beach.
- Among those beach and day use attractions are the Kenosee Lake Outdoor Rentals (paddleboards, canoes, and kayaks), Master’s Mini Golf, and Sask Aquatic Adventures, an inflatable water park on Kenosee Beach with 13 different challenges and obstacles.
- All within steps from the beach are the parking lots, the Beachin’ Lake Shoppe, disc golf, the Visitor Reception Centre, Master’s Mini Golf, and the Kenosee Inn & Cabins.
- The beach area is, naturally, a perfect picnic spot. The long stretch of sandy beach turns into manicured fields of green grass that are surrounded by mature trees and lined with picnic tables. A paved trail runs through the grass and parallel to the shoreline to connect the lake’s major areas.
- Directly beside the beach is the Moose Mountain boat launch. Here, all types of craft can access the lake, including fishing boats, motorized boats, canoes, kayaks, or paddleboards. This lends the day to all types of fu,n like a full lake paddle, watersports like skiing and wakeboarding, or a relaxing day of fishing.
Hike, Bike, or Ride the Moose Mountain Trails
The Moose Mountain trails are popular year-round with groomed cross-country ski tracks, snowshoe areas, hiking and biking trails, equestrian riding trails, and a large set of ATV/snowmobile trails to the west of the campgrounds and lakes. No matter how you decide to traverse these trails, or in which season, there will be a lot of varying scenery to uncover, possible wildlife, and more remote parts of Saskatchewan’s southeast.
- The park’s motorized vehicle trails are open to ATVers from June 15 to Labour Day and include an extensive network around the western side of the park. There are checkpoints and shelters located along the trails. The ATV area is much smaller than the designated snowmobiling trails, but it still offers over 25km of track to uncover.
- There is a large network of trails for both hikers and cyclists which run east to west from Beaver Lake to the north side of Little Kenosee Lake. This includes the 3km White-tailed Deer, the 1.3km Meadow Trail, the 4.5km Beaver Lake loop, and the 2.9km Youell Lake loop. All of these trails connect to form one long trail, but with several loops along the way, they are easy to section off as shorter adventures.
- These trails are all scenic, with the mature forest at any time of year. But for a peaceful fall hike with gorgeous foliage, hikers can take advantage of the Poplar Lane trail or the interpretive Birch Forest Trail. Both trails are lakeside, offering a wealth of birding, photography, and wildlife viewing opportunities. Horseback riding is also permitted on the Poplar Lane Trail.
Summer Events & Programs at Moose Mountain
These summer programs and events give people of all ages with all sorts of interests a reason to plan a trip to Moose Mountain over the summer. These are also ideal for those spending multiple nights camping at Moose Mountain, especially those with young ones, as many of the programs are aimed at those 18 and younger.
- Moose Mountain Provincial Park hosts a ton of different types of kids’ programs and workshops that help campers or day-use visitors learn all about the park’s natural world. This includes crafting, hiking, scavenger hunting, and more.
- The park’s scheduled Family Night activities are a perfect way to end a day at the beach or to spend time as a family before heading back to the campsite. These nights will include games like Family Feud or Bingo.
- The guided hikes offered throughout the spring, summer, and fall, at Moose Mountain, cover a wide array of interests from nature to wildlife, to history or even the paranormal. Learn about park birds, wildlife, trails, or embark on the Moose Mountain Haunted Chalet Ghost Tours!
- Guided paddle trips will also be scheduled throughout the summer and fall as a perfect way to learn before setting out on the water on your own.
Camping & More at Moose Mountain
Vacationers of all types will easily find a cozy place to stay overnight at Moose Mountain Provincial Park, including both camping and lodging accommodations.
- The Kenosee Inn & Cabins offer the choice between hotel rooms or private cabin rentals. The lodge is also home to the Kabin Restaurant, open to guests and the public.
- There is a campground set aside at Moose Mountain for equestrian use. The Horseshoe Campground offers amenities like hitching posts, feeding stalls, troughs, and corrals for the horses, and outhouses, picnic tables, and a communal fire pit for the campers.
- For the tent campers, trailer towers, and RVers, the Moose Mountain nightly camping offers the choice between full service (water, sewage, electrical), or electrical hookup only. There are also a handful of sites with no services. More options include accessible sites for those with mobility issues, a group campground, and long-term or seasonal rentals.
- All campers and park guests also have access to The Beachin’ Lake Shoppe, a general store and ice cream shop.
- And an overnight trip to Moose Mountain, when the sky is clear, is spent stargazing! With over 200km between here and Regina, there is very little light pollution that could obstruct your views.
Planning Your Trip – Moose Mountain Provincial Park
What: Moose Mountain Provincial Park, in southeastern Saskatchewan, is a densely forested area surrounded by rural farmlands, grasslands, and prairie. The area is also dotted with over 1000 small lakes and ponds to create a diverse landscape of lake shores, mature mixed forests, wetlands, marshes, and grasslands. The park is open year-round with dozens of activities to enjoy.
During the winters, Moose Mountain is popular for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, ice skating and crokicurl, tobogganing, and ice fishing on Kenosee Lake. The park is even busier during the summers with scheduled events, a large campground, a large beach and swimming area, and a large trail network.
Location and how to get there: 25km north of Carlyle via SK-9, 60km south of the Trans Canada Highway via SK-9; use SK-9 to access Kenosee Drive
Moose Mountain Provincial Park is located approximately 205 km (2 hr 15 min drive) from Regina, 465 km (4 hr 30 min drive) from Saskatoon, and 200 km (2 hours drive) from Brandon (Manitoba).
Best time to go: day use and trails are open year-round; camping is available in May – Sep.
Cost: Day use $11 per group or vehicle, camping $18-$49 per night
For more information:
Moose Mountain Provincial Park
