Blackstrap Provincial Park | |
---|---|
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape) | |
Location | Saskatchewan, Canada |
Nearest city | Saskatoon |
Coordinates | 51°45′20″N106°27′29″W / 51.7556°N 106.458°W |
Established | 1986 |
Governing body | Saskatchewan Parks |
Blackstrap Provincial Park [1] is a provincial park in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan in the RM of Dundurn No. 314. Prior to the park's establishment in 1986, it was a provincial recreation site. The park runs along the eastern shore of Blackstrap Lake and consists of a conservation area, campground, beaches, Mount Blackstrap, cross country ski trails, biking and hiking trails, and several picnicking areas. It is about 8.5 kilometres (5.3 mi) east of the town of Dundurn and accessed via Highway 211. Mount Blackstrap is a man-made mountain built as a ski hill for the 1971 Canada Winter Games. It continued to operate as a ski hill until 2007. [2]
Blackstrap Lake is a man-made lake that was created in 1967 as a water reservoir for agricultural, industrial, and recreational uses. Saskatoon was awarded the 1971 Canada Winter Games and land was acquired along the reservoir to build a man-made mountain, Mount Blackstrap, for the downhill events. In 1986, much of the eastern shore of the lake, including Mount Blackstrap, became the provincial park. [3] Water used to flood and maintain the lake is gravity fed via an earthen aqueduct from Lake Diefenbaker. Local legend claims that the name for the region is derived from an incident involving the breaking of a barrel of blackstrap molasses during transport through the valley, thereafter becoming known as Blackstrap. [4]
Fred Wilson, reeve of the RM of Dundurn, Whitecap Dakota First Nation, and some surrounding rural municipalities in the area had shown support to convert the provincial park to a regional park. Development of the roadways, cabins, housing, and camping would impart more financial aid to the park, which would be addressed by the communities. The operation of the ski hill for the year of 2007 was estimated at $465,000 by the provincial government. No private sector came forward to run the hill, and it was closed down. Provincial funding to Blackstrap Provincial Park has historically supported the ski hill operations only and the remainder of the park has deteriorated. Christine Tell, minister of Tourism, parks, culture and sport, and Van Isman, Tourism and parks deputy minister will update the provincial government's Blackstrap provincial park management plan to aim to make Blackstrap the best facility it can be. [5]
In 2013, the provincial government announced that two private companies would spend $2.6 million on a new marina and cabins in the park. [6]
In 2016, the provincial government invested $2.9 million in expanding the amenities at the park, including the addition of 63 new campsites. [7]
Blackstrap Provincial Park has a wide variety of amenities throughout the park. This includes campgrounds, picnic sites, hiking and biking trails, boat launches, cross-country ski trails, beaches, and an aquatic adventure park. While there are no docks for fishing, there is Fisherman's Point which is a rocky point that juts out into the lake that can be fished from. Near the boat launch is a fish filleting station.
There are three main campgrounds totalling over 150 individual campsites. The northern most, and closest to the main beach, is Hazelnut Grove Campground. About half of Hazelnut Campground's sites are along the lake shore. The Kevin Misfeldt Campground is farther south along the lake, well past the main beach. While Hazelnut is entirely electrified, the Kevin Misfeldt sites are a mix of electrical and non-electrical. The Misfeldt Campgrounds also include showers, a playground, a sani-dump station, and a small beach. It is named after a conservation officer, Kevin Misfeldt, who had his career cut short by a fatal accident on 24 January 1997. On that date, he and two others, wildlife biologist Wolly Kost and pilot Brett Thomas, died in a plane crash near Manitou Sand Hills, near Lloydminster. [8] The only full service campsites in the park are at Sunset Ridge Campground. Sunset Ridge is the newest campground and it is set up on the top of the ridge overlooking Blackstrap Lake. [9]
There are multiple picnicking sites throughout the provincial park. Near the main beach, there's Aspen Grove Picnic Area, Lakeview Picnic Area, and Mountain View Picnic Area. Farther down the lake by the boat launches, there's Lakeside Picnic Area. Other areas of the park are also set up for picnicking, such as at Fisherman's Point and Kevin Misfeldt Campground. [10]
The provincial park and the lake are set in the Blackstrap Coulee, [11] which is a long valley with steep sides. Along the valley, there are several smaller coulees that flow towards the lake as well. In several places along the valley wall and in the smaller coulees, biking and downhill biking, [12] hiking, and cross-country ski trails are set up. [13]
At the main beach, Sask Aquatic Adventures has a water adventure park set-up just off shore. It is one of several such water adventure parks in Saskatchewan. [14]
Mount Blackstrap, also known as Blackstrap Ski Hill, is a man-made skiing and snowboarding hill located approximately 51 kilometres (32 mi) south of Saskatoon, east of Highway 11, the Louis Riel Trail. It is one of only a few man-made mountains in the world and is a unique feature on Saskatchewan's prairie landscape. [15] It is now a feature of the park along with Blackstrap Lake. It rises 45 metres above the surrounding land. [16]
The hill was built in 1970 by the Canadian government for the 1971 Canada Winter Games at a height of 2,045 feet above sea level. [17] The mountain is built with soil excavated from the escarpment behind the "mountain". The theme for the Saskatoon bid for the 1971 Canada Games was "Going to build a mountain" in honour of the construction of the hill.
After the Canada Winter Games, the ski hill was turned over to a private operator. However, the hill was closed permanently in 2008 due to declining ridership. [18] The ski lodge was destroyed by a suspicious fire in September 2009. [19] A month later, the provincial government announced that the remaining ski equipment at the hill would be dismantled and sold. [20]
By the end of 2012, three developers had approached the government with proposals to develop a recreation area. Requests for proposals were accepted until the spring of 2013. One developer, British Columbia's Torey Spink, withdrew his proposal over financial concerns, while the other two submissions did not include redevelopment of the ski hill. [21] The ski hill never did get rebuilt and the only things left, besides the hill itself, are part of the ski lift and concrete foundations at the top of the hill.
Fish species in Blackstrap Lake include walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, burbot, white sucker, and whitefish. [22]
Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park is a natural park in Canada straddling the Alberta / Saskatchewan boundary and jointly administered by the two provinces. Located south-east of Medicine Hat in the Cypress Hills, it became Canada's first interprovincial park in 1989.
Pike Lake Provincial Park is a recreational park located approximately 32 kilometres (20 mi) south-west of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Established in 1960, it is operated under the Government of Saskatchewan's Ministry of Parks, Culture, and Sport. It is located at the southern terminus of Highway 60 on the shore of Pike Lake, an oxbow lake created by the South Saskatchewan River. The Pike Lake area is part of the aspen parkland biome and trees found around the park include aspen, ash, and birch.
Highway 11 is a major north-south highway in Saskatchewan, Canada that connects the province's three largest cities: Regina, Saskatoon, and Prince Albert. It is a structural pavement major arterial highway which is approximately 391 kilometres (243 mi) long. It is also known as the Louis Riel Trail (LRT) after the 19th century Métis leader. It runs from Highway 1 in Regina until Highway 2 south of Prince Albert. Historically the southern portion between Regina and Saskatoon was Provincial Highway 11, and followed the Dominion Survey lines on the square, and the northern portion between Saskatoon and Prince Albert was Provincial Highway 12.
Duck Mountain Provincial Park is a provincial park, located in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) east of the town of Kamsack and stretches about 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) eastward to the Saskatchewan / Manitoba boundary. The park covers approximately 150 km2 (58 sq mi). Road access to the park is via Highway 57, which connects Saskatchewan Highway 5 to Manitoba Highway 83.
Dundurn is a town of 647 residents surrounded by the RM of Dundurn No. 314, in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Dundurn is located on Highway 11, or Louis Riel Trail, in central Saskatchewan, about 42 km south of Saskatoon. As well as being an agricultural town, it is a bedroom community for both Saskatoon and Canadian Forces Detachment Dundurn, which is located 6 kilometres (4 mi) north of town and is a detachment of 17 Wing Winnipeg.
Moose Mountain Provincial Park is a provincial park, in south-eastern Saskatchewan about 24 kilometres (15 mi) north of the town of Carlyle on the Moose Mountain Upland. It is one of Saskatchewan's few parks with a community inside the park as there are several subdivisions with both year-round and seasonal residents. The village of Kenosee Lake is completely surrounded by the park but is not part of the park.
Meadow Lake Provincial Park is a northern boreal forest provincial recreational park along the Waterhen and Cold Rivers in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The park was founded on 10 March 1959, is the largest provincial park in Saskatchewan, and encompasses over 25 lakes in an area of 1,600 km2 (620 sq mi). The park was named "Meadow Lake" after the city of Meadow Lake and Meadow Lake. The city and the lake are not in the park and are located about 40 kilometres (25 mi) south-east of the nearest park entrance, which is about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) north of Dorintosh. The length of the park stretches about 113 kilometres (70 mi) from Cold Lake on the Saskatchewan / Alberta border in the west to the eastern shore of Waterhen Lake in the east.
Echo Valley Provincial Park is a provincial park in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, located west of the town of Fort Qu'Appelle in the Qu'Appelle Valley between Echo Lake and Pasqua Lake in the RM of North Qu'Appelle No. 187. The three main roads to access the park are Highways 210, 56, and 727.
Blackstrap Lake is a man-made reservoir in central Saskatchewan, Canada, south of Saskatoon in the Rural Municipality of Dundurn No. 314. The lake was created as a reservoir in 1967, as part of the Saskatoon South East Water Supply System. Blackstrap Lake has an area of 1,200 ha and is generally used to support irrigation, and the industrial and municipal water supply.
Indi Lake is a man-made lake in central Saskatchewan, Canada, south of Saskatoon in the Rural Municipality of Dundurn No. 314. The lake was created for irrigation and recreation in 1967 by a dam located at its south end. The lake is part of a greater irrigation and aqueduct system built in the 1960s in Saskatchewan and was named after Indi, an unincorporated railway point nearby on the Canadian National Railway (CNR).
Greenwater Lake Provincial Park is a provincial park in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is located on the eastern side of the province in the Porcupine Hills on Highway 38. The closest town, Porcupine Plain, is about 28 kilometres (17 mi) to the north-east of the park visitor centre. Founded on 19 February 1932, Greenwater is one of the oldest provincial parks in Saskatchewan. The original six parks were established in 1931 and Greenwater Provincial Park was added one year later. In 1964, the park was expanded to its current size.
Danielson Provincial Park is located at the northern end of Lake Diefenbaker in the southern part of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The park surrounds the Gardiner Dam, which was built in 1967 and is among the largest embankment dams in Canada and the world. The South Saskatchewan River flows north beyond the park, towards Outlook and Saskatoon. Saskatchewan Highways 44, 45, and 219 provide access to the park. SaskPower's Coteau Creek Hydroelectric Station is located near the park.
Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park is a provincial park in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is in the valley of the South Saskatchewan River at the western end of Lake Diefenbaker in the RM of Saskatchewan Landing No. 167, about 50 kilometres (31 mi) north of Swift Current. The park is 5,735 hectares in size.
Porcupine Hills Provincial Park is the newest provincial park in the Canadian Province of Saskatchewan. It was created in 2018 through the amalgamation of five pre-existing provincial recreation sites south-east of the town of Hudson Bay. The park is in the Porcupine Provincial Forest in the Porcupine Hills, which is a geographical feature in eastern Saskatchewan and western Manitoba. The hills are part of a range of hills called the Manitoba Escarpment.
Good Spirit Lake is a lake on the eastern side of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is a shallow lake notable for its naturally sandy beaches, parks, and sand dunes. One of Saskatchewan's six founding provincial parks, Good Spirit Lake Provincial Park, surrounds the western and southern shores of the lake. The lake is in the RM of Good Lake No. 274 and Yorkton, 48 kilometres (30 mi) to the south, is the nearest city. The hamlets of Burgis Beach and Canora Beach — the only two communities on the lake — are located on the eastern shore. The southern shore of the lake is accessed from Highway 229 and the northern shore is accessed from Highway 746. Highway 47 runs north to south west of the lake and Good Spirit Lake Provincial Park.
Good Spirit Lake Provincial Park is a provincial park on the eastern side of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Founded in 1931, the park surrounds the western and southern shores of Good Spirit Lake and is one of Saskatchewan's six founding provincial parks. The park is in the RM of Good Lake No. 274, about 48 kilometres (30 mi) north of the city of Yorkton. Highway 47 runs along the western boundary and Highway 229 provides access to the park's amenities.
The Battlefords Provincial Park is a recreational provincial park in the Canadian Province of Saskatchewan. It is about 39 kilometres (24 mi) north of the city of North Battleford in the RM of Meota No. 468 on Jackfish Lake. Highway 4 runs north from North Battleford to the park and Highway 204 runs through the park providing access to the amenities.
Douglas Provincial Park is a provincial park in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Established in 1973, it is named after Tommy Douglas, the seventh premier of Saskatchewan and father of Canada's first single-payer, universal health care programme. The park is located along the Gordon McKenzie Arm of Lake Diefenbaker and at the Qu'Appelle River Dam, which is the source of the Qu'Appelle River. The closest community is Elbow and access to the park is from Highway 19.
Great Blue Heron Provincial Park is a recreational park in the central region of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan in the boreal forest ecozone of Canada. It is adjacent to the eastern boundary of Prince Albert National Park, about 50 kilometres (31 mi) north of the city of Prince Albert. The provincial park was established in 2013 from two pre-existing provincial recreation sites – Emma Lake and Anglin Lake Recreation Sites – and the addition of a large tract of Crown land.
Makwa Lake Provincial Park is a recreational provincial park in the west-central region of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan in the transition zone between parkland and boreal forest. The park was established in 1986 and is centred around the lakes of Big Jumbo, Little Jumbo, and Makwa. Prior to its establishment, the park was a provincial recreation site. The main entrance to Makwa Lake Park is at the south-east corner of Makwa Lake about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) west of the village of Loon Lake. Access is from Highway 699.
Media related to Blackstrap Provincial Park at Wikimedia Commons