Photo: Hihatimages/Shutterstock

From Skiing to Hiking, Here Are All the Outdoor Activities You Can Do at Prince Albert National Park

Canada National Parks
by Matador Creators Jan 3, 2023

From museums, to hiking trails, to spotting woodland caribou and the plains bison, and even sunbathing on the beach, Prince Albert National Park in Canada is one of the most exciting places to embark on a family-friendly adventure.

A little more than a two hour drive from Saskatoon, Prince Albert National Park covers 1495.76 square miles in Canada’s Saskatchewan province. As big as it is, it’s only Canada’s tenth largest national park.

The park accommodates both winter and summer activities. In winter, snowshoeing and cross country skiing offer opportunities to explore the vast snow covered wilderness. This is also the ideal name to spot the elk, deer, wolf, and fox who reside in the park. In addition, ice fishing is allowed on Waskesiu Lake. Bird watching enthusiasts will spot owls, osprey, and white pelicans in the park as well. Dawn and dusk are the best times to view wildlife in the park.

Elk grazing on grass in Prince Albert National Park

Photo: Bob Hilscher/Shutterstock

In warmer weather, families gather at Waskesiu Lake for sunbathing and swimming. The Main Beach at Waskesiu is the most popular of these beaches, where paddleboarding, picnicking, water skiing, and inner tubing all provide hours of fun. In addition, the The Milky Way and northern lights are visible at night from South Bay or Paignton Beach. Other beaches within the park include Beaver Glen Beach, Point View, Birch Bay.

Waskesiu Lake, as well as many of the others, including Amiskowan, Shady, Heart, Kingsmere, are all amenable to kayaking and canoeing. There are two main canoeing routes: The Bagwa Canoe Route and Bladebone Canoe Route.

There are at least 14 hiking trails spread out throughout the park. Mud Creek Trail is one of the most popular. Some trails like Boundary Bog Trail have boardwalks. Prince Albert National Park hiking trails take hikers through aspen forests, wetlands, and offer views of the lakes, and deer, beavers, and even bears can sometimes be spotted from trails.

Your exploration of the park should include visits to Prince Albert National Park Nature Centre, located in Waskesiu, is where kids and families can learn about the park’s many ecosystems, as well as the Indigenous peoples that once called the lands inside the park home. Meanwhile, the Waskesiu Heritage Museum offers guests a look into the history behind the park.

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