Prince Albert National Park

In the heart of Saskatchewan, Prince Albert National Park stretches across nearly a million acres, where open prairie meets parkland and dense boreal forest. It’s home to free-roaming plains bison, elusive timber wolves, and over 190 species of birds. As the most visited national park in Saskatchewan, it’s a go-to destination for nature lovers and adventure seekers. In summer, it comes alive with paddling, hiking, and wildlife watching. Come fall and winter, the crowds thin and the magic shifts – think golden aspens of the changing season, to peaceful cross-country ski trails. Nestled within the park, is the Village of Waskesiu, it offers year-round comfort and charm, making it the perfect base for any adventurer.

Shannon’s family had been visiting this area before the park was declared on March 24, 1927, by Prime Minister Mackenzie King, and have been visiting the park since. The family cabin in the Waskesiu townsite is a gathering place to see aunts and uncles and have wiener roasts with cousins. PANP is one of our favourite and most frequently visited places. This page will touch on a few aspects of the park that we think are interesting and worth seeking out.

Kingsmere & Waskesiu Rivers

One river leads into Waskesiu Lake, and the other flows out. The Waskesiu River is near the marina, and the parking lot always seems to have at least one vehicle, no matter the time of day. The flat boardwalk is a family-friendly, pleasant riverside trail where colours of the landscape seem especially vibrant. By contrast, the railway portage trail alongside the Kingsmere River winds slowly through the forest, offering mere glimpses of the water flowing nearby.

Grey Owl’s Cabin

Tucked deep in the boreal forest of Prince Albert National Park is Beaver Lodge—the simple lakeside cabin that once belonged to Grey Owl, one of Canada’s earliest and most passionate conservationists. Born Archibald Belaney in England, Grey Owl is a complicated figure because he took on a false Indigenous identity, which still sparks debate today. But no matter the controversy, his message rings true:

“Remember you belong to Nature, not it to you.”

With his partner Anahareo, he raised orphaned beavers, wrote books, and spoke up for wildlife when hardly anyone else was paying attention. Today, paddling or hiking out to his cabin on Ajawaan Lake isn’t just about the stunning scenery—it’s a chance to connect with the legacy of someone who helped change the way we think about nature.

His story is complex, but the love he had for this place is something every nature lover can feel. I’ve included a photo of his cabin below on the right side.

The Sunsets

Sunsets at Waskesiu are really something special. When you stand on the main beach facing west, you get to see the sky light up with beautiful shades of purple and red every evening. It’s a great way to end a day spent fishing, hiking, or just relaxing in the sun on the beach. There’s something peaceful about watching the colors change as the sun goes down.

Forest Regeneration

The Hunters Trail offers a unique chance to witness forest regeneration up close. This 7.3 km loop is an easy hike with gentle rolling hills through a mixed-wood forest. The trail passes through an area affected by a major forest fire that started in May 2018 and eventually burned around 36,665 hectares of the park before being declared extinguished on July 15, 2018. This creates a striking contrast between the charred trees and the vibrant wildflowers that bloom in the spring. We hike this trail every year so we can see how the forest is rebounding. You can find the trailhead 16 km west of South Gate on Cookson Road.

Bagwa Canoe Route

A few years ago, we canoed the beautiful Bagwa Lake route. The adventure began at the Kingsmere River boat launch, where we had to paddle upstream to reach the 1 km rail portage that took us around some shallow rapids. From there, we continued paddling along the south shore of Kingsmere Lake to our first portage into Clare Lake. Along the way, we spotted some fresh bear scat – a detail that became important later in our journey.

Clare Lake was a peaceful little spot, dotted with lily pads and edged with tall reeds. After one more portage, we arrived at Lily Lake and set up camp on the southeast shore. We were the only ones there, so we pitched our tent in one campsite and decided to cook supper in another nearby spot.

As we were eating, we heard a rustling above us – and there, just a few feet away in a tree, was a bear! It quickly shimmied down the trunk and trotted off into the bush. It looked young, maybe two or three years old, so we were extra cautious in case its mother was nearby. Thankfully, we didn’t see any other bears on that trip.

That night was a little tense. If you look at the map, you’ll see that the area the bear ran into is sort of a peninsula, which meant we were stuck out there with him. Sleep didn’t come easy!

The next morning, after a lovely breakfast at our now quiet little campsite, we packed up and hit the water. We paddled the rest of Lily Lake and made our way into Bagwa Lake, which felt even more remote and peaceful. As we glided through the narrow Bagwa Channel, we were treated to the sight of pelicans soaring overhead and red-necked grebes bobbing in the reeds — a real treat for bird lovers.

We wrapped up the trip with a long paddle back across Kingsmere Lake, down the river, over the rail portage one last time, and finally back to our vehicle, and back to the cabin and a cold beer. A perfect weekend trip, and one we’ll never forget.

Vibrant colours of Fall at Height of Land Tower

One of the best places to soak in the fall colours in Prince Albert National Park is the Height of Land Tower. The climb up the old fire tower trail is fairly short but steep, and totally worth the effort. At the top, you’re treated to a panoramic view of the boreal forest stretching as far as the eye can see a patchwork of gold, orange, and deep green that lights up under the autumn sun. It’s the kind of view that makes you stop and just breathe it all in. We took our time at the top, and soaked in the peaceful stillness that comes with fall in the park. If you’re ever in PANP during the autumn months, this spot is a must-see.

Winter snowshoeing on Waskesiu Lake

Winter in Prince Albert National Park has its own kind of magic, and one of the most loved cold-weather activities on Waskesiu Lake is ice fishing. While we don’t ice fish ourselves, we love watching the colourful tents pop up across the frozen lake and seeing folks out enjoying the day. On this trip, we snowshoed on to the lake from Birch Bay, taking in the wide-open views and the peaceful hush that only winter brings.

We spent some time exploring before heading to the camp kitchen at Birch Bay, where we warmed up and had a cozy lunch by the fire. I would like to say that we had some lovely hot soup, a thermos of coffee, but no we wormed up day old pizza but the company was good and it made for a perfect midday break. It was a beautiful winter day spent soaking in the sunshine and quiet of the season. Waskesiu in the winter is calm, wild, and absolutely worth bundling up for.