Saskatchewan is named after the Native American word for river systems (
Kisisskatchewan), probably because the province has close to 100,000 lakes and rivers. Although Saskatchewan is commonly thought of as consisting mainly of vast prairies, the landscape is quite varied.
The wide,
treeless plains in the south are broken up by
river valleys and ranges of
low-lying hills, there are
large forests in the north of the province and Saskatchewan’s two national parks,
Prince Albert National Park of Canada in the north and
Grasslands National Park in the southwest,
cover nearly 5,000,000 acres (2,000,000 hectares) between them.
However, it is true that the south and center do enjoy a more mellow landscape, encompassing
prairie and
grasslands, badlands and river valleys.
Indeed, Saskatchewan is not a province to escape to for a slice of urban lifestyle: there are few permanent settlements and many regions are accessible only by air. This is, instead, a
laid-back province with a
pleasant remoteness.
Although there is definitely
adventure and
rodeo for those who seek it, perhaps you are best off savouring Saskatchewan’s
nature and
wildlife: wolves, moose and caribou inhabit the northern forests, while elk and deer can be found farther south.
GeographySaskatchewan is bordered by Manitoba to the east, the Northwest Territories to the north, Alberta to the west and the US States of North Dakota and Montana to the south. Its landscape is mainly prairie, parkland, forests and lakes. Prince Albert National Park of Canada is the gateway to Saskatchewan’s wilderness. The highest elevation is the Cypress Hills in the southwest, 1,392m (4,566ft) above sea level.
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