Grasslands National Park

I agree with other reviews that said this park is under-rated. It was well worth the time and effort to come here. We stayed in the west side at Frenchman valley campsite in an o-tentic. Very comfy - even during a heat wave (cooled down nicely at night). Gorgeous sunset, amazing star gazing. We were lucky enough to cross paths with a bison and saw some other wildlife! Enjoyed the fireside chat hosted by the park staff. We had a fabulous time.

My husband and I visited the east side of the park last summer. The Badlands Parkway offers great vistas with magnificent views. For lunch, we had chicken salad sandwiches and iced tea at the red chairs. Impossible to do the whole park in one day. Next time we're in Saskatchewan, we'll the west side.

Absolutely incredible park. We camped in the East Block and did the scenic drive along the Badlands Parkway for the views. It was 28°C during the day and 8°C at night. We also drove over to the West Block for the eco-tour scenic route and got to see a herd of bison. Make sure you drive to the lookout on the back country loop in the West Block. Amazing place. Can't wait to revisit.

Take a drive out here and experience the beautiful serene landscape that has the abundance of history for any adventure. We loved the path, there are rental cabins here, probably try another trip. There is some gravel near the last mile or so, please no Lamborghini....have a safe trip if you go!

Grasslands National Park is one of Canada’s least visited wild spaces, and that’s both so very good and too bad at the same time. It’s so very good because this unique and hauntingly beautiful ecosystem is fragile and would be damaged irreparably by too many intrusive visitors. And the lack of visitors - particularly relative to the immensity of the space - only enhances the emotive power of the place. Put simply, too many humans here would be a crime. But it’s too bad because the grandeur of the immense spaces reaches deep into one’s soul, acting as a balm against the manic pace of modern life and reminding us of nature's healing powers. More people need to experience these feelings; if they did perhaps they’d feel more connected to this fragile planet we call home and be more inclined to take better care of the natural gifts we’ve been given. During our three says of say hiking (we stayed at The Convent Inn in Val Marie) we lost ourselves (metaphorically) in the beauty of this place. Within 15 minutes of setting out on our first hike we caught a quick flash of movement in some rocks adjacent to the trail. Lo and behold, here was an endangered Greater Short-horned Lizard scampering about a mere metre off the trail. As if that weren’t enough, a few minutes later we had a reasonably close encounter with another endangered species - a Pronghorn Antelope scampering along a series of hills below the high trail we were tramping. This beautiful animal teased us with its presence for about ten minutes before disappearing for good. After about 30 minutes of walking the groomed trail gave way to cross-country trekking with no distinct trails to follow. Instead, one is expected to look for one metre high plasticized, painted trail guideposts spaced out at random intervals and distances. For the most part these are reasonably visible, but there were a number of times when we had to stop and stare - sometimes for ten minutes or longer - to find the next marker. While this can be disconcerting we managed to find all the markers and continue on our way with reasonable certainty that we were on the right track. *Note: this is a place where you want to bring a compass (and know how to use it) just in case you lose track of the trail. We hiked to our turnaround point, which just happened to overlook a vast Prairie Dog town (yes, they’re called towns). We set up for lunch and just listened to the sound of the town’s residents calling back and forth, their calls carried on the ever present breezes that also brought the scent of prairie grasses and wildflowers to our high perch. Finally, a word about the beautiful quiet of this place. You can spend hours walking, or sitting, and hear nothing more than the hum of pollinators, the rustling of grasses touched by the breeze, the occasional “yip” of Prairie Dogs, or the cry of a hawk gliding overhead. It’s one of the most magical and therapeutic places we’ve ever hiked. Highly recommended - but not for too many people!

Loved this place! I went specifically for the endless sea of grass, wildlife, wild territory, backcountry camping and hiking. Don't expect trees and shade or swimming creeks to cool down. Very hot in July/August so bring lots of water, sun screen and cover up (we were wearing long sleeves). Great landscape and peace. Barely saw anyone there except two hikers and 3 or 4 cars, which is amazing. The staff at the entrance is great and helpful. Cool informative book and stops to complete by car to learn about the grasslands and the history of them. Beware of rattlesnakes, but 3 days in the country and we didn't see nor hear any. I encourage people to go visit greatly worth the detour! Very different than what most of us are used to for landscape and park. Great value to keep protecting and to discover.

I visited the east block on November 18, 2023. The experience was very cool since the landscape paired with snow made it look super unique (kind of like Antarctica). I recommend anyone to visit grasslands NP & do the ecotour drive like I did.

The only thing to watch is the weather - our day for exploring was wet and windy and that made the trails and roads a very slick and sticky mess. And without cell service in many areas of the park, you need to be aware of what you're doing as help is far away. However the beauty of Grasslands in the rain was incredible in its own right. Such a unique and wild corner of Canada.