Everything to Do in Prince Albert National Park: Where the Open Prairies Meets the Boreal Forest in Saskatchewan
If you’re planning a trip to Central Saskatchewan, then you’ll want to prioritize some time learning about all the things to do in Prince Albert National Park. Year round, it’s a haven for trail hiking, wildlife watching and taking in the sights and sounds of its many lakes. This park is an ideal place to come for adventure- and nature-lovers, so let us help you plan your next trip here.
Surrounded by lush green marsh and forest on our guided Boundary Bog Hike in Prince Albert National Park.
On our most recent trip to Saskatchewan, Chris and I weren’t only excited for our time getting to better know Saskatoon, but for our time visiting nearby Prince Albert National Park, too.
Chris and I have been lucky to travel to many different national parks across Canada. Some of the standout experiences have been our time spent at Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland and Labrador, visiting Canada’s southernmost point on land at Point Pelee National Park near Kingsville, Ontario, or taking in the pristine forests and crystal blue waters of Jasper National Park and Banff National Park in Alberta.
As we made our way north from Saskatoon, we could see the landscape change from the grasslands of the prairies to the dense, mixed forest. This is because Prince Albert National Park is located where the wetlands and boreal forests begin after the seemingly neverending prairies do actually come to an end.
This was both Chris’s and my first proper time visiting the province of Saskatchewan, and I personally felt a bit mislead about the neverending prairies. I know this is true for many southern parts of the province, but there is a lot of biodiversity north of Saskatoon, which we were excited to check out. Between our sightings of elk on the shores of the aptly named Waskesiu Lake (Cree for “elk”) and our time spent paddling and walking through the park, I loved our visit to Prince Albert National Park, and I think you’ll love it, too.
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How Can You Get to Prince Albert National Park?
Everyone shares the lake on beautiful Waskesiu
Since it’s situated in Central Saskatchewan, Prince Albert National Park is the easiest to get to from Saskatoon. I’d highly recommend you spend some quality time in Saskatoon either before or after your visit, but either way you’ll need to have a car to get to and around the park.
We decided to rent a car from Saskatoon Airport, which made our one-week trip to the province seamless. Even if you’re just staying in the city of Saskatoon, some of the experiences we loved the most in the city were outside of the city limits, so having a car is recommended regardless of how far you’re going.
The drive from Saskatoon to the park is relatively direct. You’ll drive north along Highway 2 from Saskatoon. Depending on which entrance you’re accessing the park from, the drive should take you about 2 to 2.5 hours. We centred ourselves near the town of Waskesiu during our visit, so we primarily accessed the park through the Highway 264 entrance at its eastern gate.
Where to Stay In and Around Prince Albert National Park
Elk Ridge Resort is located just outside of the park's eastern gate.
There are several accommodation options in and around the town of Waskesiu in the park. We opted to stay at Elk Ridge Resort, which is just outside of the park’s eastern gate.
Elk Ridge Resort is a solid place to base yourself on a trip to Prince Albert National Park. We visited during the summer and appreciated their comfortable, spacious rooms as a refuge to relax and freshen up between our activities in the park. With a large playground for kids outside, an indoor pool, and a spa it also happens to be an excellent place to come with a family. They even have a golf course, along with several hiking trails around the property, which become excellent places to cross country ski and snowshoe in the winter.
On top of its convenient location and amenities, Chris and I were really impressed with the dining opportunities at Elk Ridge. Their breakfast and dinner options are very good, so if you’re looking for an opportunity to leave your meals to someone else on your trip, this lodge is a great option.
If you’re keen to stay elsewhere, there are more options for accommodation inside the park. The town of Waskesiu has some self-catering chalet and cottage-style accommodations, along with a few hotels and inns. Depending on the time of year, it’s possible that some accommodation options won’t be open, so I’d recommend taking a look at this map to get a sense for what’s available during your visit.
Things to Do in the Park
Whether you’re looking to take it slow or you’re planning on completing one of the lengthy trekks the park has to offer, I’d recommend doing a little thinking in advance to take advantage of all of the park’s splendor. Whatever it is you’re doing in the park, remember that you’ll need to check in at the gate when you enter, and it’s recommended to visit the Parks Canada Visitor Centre in Waskesiu, too. Depending on how long you’ll be in the park for and how many people and vehicles you have, you will need to make sure you have the permits necessary for the duration of your stay.
Here are a few ways that I’d recommend making the most of your time in Prince Albert National Park:
Wander around the Hamlet of Waskesiu Lake
The hamlet of Waskesiu Lake is the only town inside of the park. Not only is this the main place you can come for dining and activities in the park, but it’s also a nice town to walk around.
There are only a few streets to wander around, so a visit can be quick, but it’s a nice opportunity to take in some of the historic buildings that have been in the area for close to 100 years. For those who love to golf, there’s also the Waskesiu Golf Course in town, which shares designers with the course in Banff National Park.
The town is also home to a large, sandy beach on the shores of Waskesiu Lake, several walking trails, the Parks Canada Visitor Centre and the Grey Owl Centre. The Grey Owl Centre is a rental depot filled kayaks and canoes if you’re looking to get out on the water, or bikes and quad bikes to take around town and its paths on land.
If you’re visiting during the summer months like we were, then you can’t go wrong grabbing an ice cream cone at The Shack on Lakeview Drive at the end of a day spent enjoying the park.
Walk Out to the Pier or Enjoy the Beach on Waskesiu Lake
This is more geared towards the warmer months of the year, but it’s definitely a worthwhile experience to spend some time on Waskesiu Lake’s shores during late spring, summer and early fall.
You can’t miss the pier—it juts far out from town, offering you beautiful views of the wide, open lake to the west, and the beach to the east. It’s a good place to come to spot wildlife on the lake, too. We saw several loons out for an early evening fish on one of the nights we visited.
The beach is beautiful and sandy, offering a nice place to relax, or maybe take a dip, depending on the time of year. Even in the heat of summer, Waskesiu Lake can be cold, depending on what you’re used to. The beach has some lovely public facilities, like a beach volleyball court, picnic tables, a playground for kids, and public restrooms.
And of course, whether you spend time on the beach or pier, nothing beats taking in an evening sunset from this part of the lake.
gET ouT ON thE wATER
Rental outpost at Hanging Heart Lakes Marina
If getting on the water is something you plan on doing in the park, there are many places to choose from. Of course, the main place to get on the water is on Waskesiu Lake. The Grey Owl Centre is an easy place to rent from, offering many different types of boats to visitors.
Hanging Heart Lake is a smaller and more intimate lake where you can rent canoes or kayaks to take on the water. You can head to Hanging Heart Lakes Marina to arrange a rental. This series of lakes is scenic and quiet, and a great place for a quiet paddle.
If you’re planning on taking on a bit more of a multi-day adventure on the water, one of the most popular activities in the park is to head up to Kingsmere Lake. You can either take the Bagwa Canoe Route, which connects to neighbouring Bagwa Lake, Lily Lake and Clare Lake, or you can paddle across Kingsmere Lake over several days to hike up to the famous Grey Owl’s Cabin. (More about Grey Owl and the cabin can be found in the hiking section of this article.)
It’s also possible to go fishing in Prince Albert National Park, but you’ll need to double check the information about permits and rules on their website before casting your line.
Check Out the Purple Beach on Waskesiu
Purple sand at Kapasiwin Beach on Lake Waskesiu
You may have heard of pink sand beaches in places like Bahamas, and even red sand beaches, but how about one that’s purple? This unique geological feature is a surprising one, and you can find purple sand in various places throughout the park.
We were instructed to head to Kapasiwin Beach on Lake Waskesiu to see the clearest of the purple sand, and were excited to find quite a few streaks of purple. It seems that the reason for purple beaches throughout the park is a result of garnet being carried from the Canadian Shield over time, and being deposited in the lakes of Prince Albert National Park.
Over the years, the garnet has disintegrated, and the less dense pieces have floated to the top of the lakes, and washed up on shore to create these bursts of purple colour in the beaches. If you come across the dry purple sand, it’s fun to splash a little water on it, so you can see its colour a little more brightly.
Grab a Bite To Eat At One of Waskesiu’s Restaurants
Waskesiu Lake town is the best place to stop for something to eat within the park. Bear in mind that since the park is a relatively remote place, prices tend to lean on the more expensive side.
If you’re looking for comfort food, then we loved our stop at Pete’s Garden Terrace. This friendly pub has ample seating outside, and cozy places inside. They have several options on tap if you’re looking to whet your whistle, and their pizzas are delicious. In our case, after a long day of travel from Toronto to Saskatoon to the national park, their pizza was just what we were looking for on our first evening in the park.
If you’re looking to treat yourself to something a little more special in town, Restaurant Pietro is a fantastic option. More on the upscale side for this laidback town, their menu offers a variety of different delicacies. You can expect delicious cuts of meat and delightful pastas here. We loved ordering a caesar salad here too, because they have a from-scratch caesar salad cart that comes to your table and makes the salad to order for you. It’s a fun experience, and there’s nothing quite like a fresh, homemade caesar dressing catered specifically to your liking.
Some other great options for places to eat in and around town are:
Evergreen Coffee & Food
Happy Campers Bar & Grill
Hecho en Waskesiu
MacKenzie's Dining Room at the Hawood Inn
The Wyld (Elk Ridge Resort—outside the park)
Fredrich (Elk Ridge Resort—outside the park)
Take a Hike
The boardwalks on the newly renovated Boundary Bog Trail are a must-visit in the park.
Although we didn’t come to the park with enough time for one of their many longer hikes, we did enjoy learning about some of the hikes in the park, and enjoyed some shorter nature walks on our own, too.
If you’re looking for an easy or short walk in the park, the Height-of-Land Tower is a great place to start. You can park at the base of the tower and make your way up for a beautiful viewpoint from above the Boreal tree canopy. On a clear day, you can see King Island, Shady Lake and Beartrap Creek from the top of the tower. Another enjoyable, short hike is the Narrows Peninsula Trail. It’s a 3km loop, taking you to the heart of the narrows of Waskesiu Lake. (Boundary Bog Trail is another excellent option, which I discuss later in this article.)
A hike that I have on my radar for a future trip to the park is the Grey Owl Trail. Once home to the problematic English author and conservationist Archibald Belaney (who pretended to be Indigenous, and used the name “Grey Owl” throughout his lifetime) and his wife, Mohawk author and conservationist Gertrude Bernard, this remote cabin is now the endpoint of a famous hike in the park. Despite the contention of Belaney, he and his wife contributed a lot to wildlife conservation in the park, and their cabin makes for a great destination on this scenic trail through the park. It’s a 20km trail one-way, with multiple camping points along the shores of Kingsmere Lake, and isn’t for the unprepared.
Don’t forget that since the park is so remote, there can be many wildlife encounters on trails, which includes bears, so make sure you understand bear safety when you speak to the Parks Canada staff before taking off on a hike on your own.
Participate in a Parks Canada Guided activity
Learning about moss species on the guided Boundary Bog hike. (This moss was passed around by a Parks Canada guide and wasn't taken from the bog; it's important not to touch or disrupt moss where it grows.)
This is an excellent way to spend your time in the park. I’ve had the pleasure of participating in several Parks Canada experiences over the years now, and am always impressed with their programming.
One of my favourite guided experiences during our trip to the park was the Boundary Bog Guided Hike. We participated in an evening summer hike, which flooded the bog’s trees and mossy underbelly with inspiring, sun-downing light. As much as I enjoy hiking on my own, there is so much value in a guided hike, especially if you’re visiting a place from elsewhere.
With very little knowledge about the park prior to my visit, I was grateful to have the knowledge from our interpreter Roberta during our hike through the bog. The trail and its boardwalks have been newly renovated, making this a must-do hike on a visit to the park. During our hike, we learned that there are 22,000 different species of moss in the bog. We also learned about the importance of moss and how it was used by Indigenous communities who lived here. We even learned about the types of ingredients that go into Muskeg/Labrador tea that you would find in the bog, and sampled some tea that Roberta had brought on the hike.
Another Parks Canada guided experience we took was an iNaturalist Tracking walk. We used the iNaturalist app to learn about species in the park, and identified plants, animals and birds during our visit. You can post images and and tag locations so that others can find these species in the park, too. It’s a fun activity to participate in, especially for those with kids. Another summer activity they offer here is called Sparks in the Park, which is a fire-making activity.
If you’re looking to book a Parks Canada guided tour during your visit, it’s easiest to go to their website to learn more.
Enjoying Your Time at This Special Park in Saskatchewan
The hamlet of Waskesiu Lake
Any time you’re able to get out and explore the natural surroundings of Canada, it’s a special experience. This is no different to visiting Prince Albert National Park. It’s a special place to come, not only in Saskatchewan, but Canada at large.
I think one of my favourite parts about visiting Prince Albert National Park is there is no sense of urgency or agenda when it comes to planning a visit here. The pace is slow and relaxed. While it can get busy, it doesn’t become a stressful place to visit. Chris and I had a conversation with a young Albertan bartender while we were at Pete’s Garden Terrace. He told us he decided to come to this park for the summer, since he feels the parks in Alberta get too busy and crowded. The pace here is relaxed and slow, making it such a great park to getaway to in the country.
Whether you plan on paddling your way through a remote series of lakes, reading on the beach as you watch the sun set over Lake Waskesiu, or golfing on the links or hiking through the park’s backcountry, you’ll find more than a few moments of solace when you visit this special park.
I want to thank Tourism Saskatchewan for hosting me as media during my trip to Prince Albert National Park. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.