Caribou Creek

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Caribou Creek
Lost Echo Creek
Saskatchewan basin map.png
Map of Saskatchewan River drainage basin
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Location of the mouth in Saskatchewan
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Red pog.svg
Caribou Creek (Canada)
Location
Country Canada
Province Saskatchewan
Physical characteristics
Source 
  coordinates 54°10′26″N104°49′50″W / 54.1738°N 104.8306°W / 54.1738; -104.8306
Mouth Lower Fishing Lake
  coordinates
54°02′43″N104°38′20″W / 54.0452°N 104.6388°W / 54.0452; -104.6388
  elevation
502 m (1,647 ft)
Basin features
River system Nelson River

Caribou Creek [1] is a river in the east-central part of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The river's source is in a hilly plateau called Cub Hills, near the western boundary of Narrow Hills Provincial Park. [2] The river heads south following a glacier-carved valley through the Cub Hills en route to its mouth at Lower Fishing Lake. [3] The entire course of the river is in the boreal forest [4] ecozone of Canada. Caribou Creek is a tributary of Stewart Creek, which flows south and into the east-flowing Torch River. Torch River is a tributary of the Saskatchewan River as it flows into the Saskatchewan River Delta. Much of the upper watershed was burned in 1977 in what is known as the Fishing Lakes Fire and is now dominated by a forest of jack pine.

Contents

Caribou Creek is accessed from the Hanson Lake Road along the southern shore of Upper Fishing Lake. Along the highway, near the point where Caribou Creek flows out of Upper Fishing Lake, is Caribou Creek Lodge. The lodge features a motel, cabins, a dining room, fuel, and a convenience store. [5]

Course

Caribou Creek begins in muskeg and swamp in a valley formed over 10,000 years ago during the last ice age at the western boundary of Narrow Hills Provincial Park, just south of Highway 913. North flowing waters from that valley make their way into the Nipekamew Creek while south flowing waters form Caribou Creek. Caribou Creek follows the course of the valley to Lower Fishing Lake. Along the way, it is joined by several tributaries and there are three lakes along its course.

The first notable tributary to meet Caribou Creek is a river that begins at Bean Lake, [6] near the northern boundary of Narrow Hills Provincial Park, and flows south to meet it. Less than a mile downstream, a short stream from Summit Lake meets Caribou Creek and then it opens up into Lost Echo Lake. From the south end of Lost Echo Lake, the river opens up to a much smaller Lower Echo Lake. From there, Caribou Creek continues southward and is joined by tributaries from Fairy Glen Lake and Strickly Lake before emptying into Upper Fishing Lake. That stretch of river from Lost Echo Lake south to Upper Fishing Lake–a distance of 12 kilometres–is also known as Lost Echo Creek. From the eastern end of Upper Fishing Lake, the river carries on south-east past Caribou Creek Lodge and across Hanson Lake Road for about a mile and terminates at Lower Fishing Lake. [7]

Brook trout

Brook trout were first introduced to the Lost Echo Creek portion of Caribou Creek in 1934. As Lost Echo Creek is well suited for brook trout, they adapted well and became naturalised. The only access to the creek is through trails off of Hanson Lake Road.

Since 1934, brook trout have been introduced to 25 rivers in the Cub Hills with five of those rivers now supporting populations of naturalised, self-sustaining feral brook trout. The other four rivers include the creeks of Nipekamew, White Gull, and McDougal and Mossy River. All seven of Saskatchewan's trout species can be found in the Cub Hills. [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

Little Bear Lake is a lake in the boreal forest ecozone in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The lake is in a hilly plateau called Cub Hills and the landforms, such as the lakes and streams, of the Cub Hills were formed over 10,000 years ago during the last ice age. Little Bear Lake is accessed from the Hanson Lake Road, which runs along the eastern side of the lake, and by a small airport called Little Bear Lake Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Torch River (Saskatchewan)</span> River in Saskatchewan, Canada

Torch River is a river in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The river's source is the dam at Candle Lake, near Candle Lake Provincial Park, and it travels east through boreal forest and muskeg en route to its mouth in the Saskatchewan River Delta. Torch River Provincial Forest, a conservation area, is located along the course of the river, near where White Fox River flows into Torch River. Torch River is a significant tributary of the Saskatchewan River and it is part of the Hudson Bay drainage basin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Narrow Hills Provincial Park</span> Provincial park in Saskatchewan, Canada

Narrow Hills Provincial Park is a northern boreal forest provincial recreational park in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is located in a hilly plateau called the Cub Hills and contains several recreational facilities and over 25 accessible lakes within its boundaries. The geographical features of the park, including the lakes, valleys, and lowlands were formed over 10,000 years ago during the last ice age. The town of Smeaton is the closest community and it is located 70 kilometres (43 mi) to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martineau River</span> River in Saskatchewan and Alberta, Canada

Martineau River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta. Its source is at Primrose Lake in north-western Saskatchewan and its mouth is at Cold Lake in Alberta. The river travels in a south-westerly direction through muskeg and the boreal forest ecozone of Canada The majority of the river and its tributaries are in Saskatchewan with only the final leg being in Alberta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McDougal Creek</span> River in Saskatchewan, Canada

McDougal Creek is a river in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The river's source is at the southern end of Divide Lake at the northern end of Narrow Hills Provincial Park in a hilly plateau called Cub Hills. The landforms of the Cub Hills, such as the lakes, streams, steeply rolling hills, and flat lowlands, were formed over 10,000 years ago during the last ice age. The entire course of the river is in the boreal forest ecozone of Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nipekamew River</span> River in Saskatchewan, Canada

Nipekamew River is a river in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The river's source is Nipekamew Lake at the north-western edge of the Cub Hills and its mouth is in Nipekamew Bay at the southern shore of Lac la Ronge. From the northern tip of Nipekamew Lake, the river travels from south to north through muskeg and boreal forest en route to Lac la Ronge. Lake la Ronge empties north into the Churchill River through Rapid River.

Nipekamew Lake is a lake in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The lake is north-east of Clarence-Steepbank Lakes Provincial Park and north-west of Narrow Hills Provincial Park and the Cub Hills. It is a long and narrow lake that runs in a north to south direction and is surrounded by boreal forest, rolling hills, and muskeg. The outflow, Nipekamew River, is at the northern end of the lake and at the southern end of the lake, neighbouring East Trout Lake flows directly into it through a short channel. Several other smaller rivers, such as Nipekamew Creek, also flow into the lake. The lake is part of the Churchill River watershed, which flows into the Hudson Bay.

East Trout Lake is a lake in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The lake is directly north of Clarence-Steepbank Lakes Provincial Park in Saskatchewan's Northern Administration District. It is a long and narrow lake that runs in a west to east direction and is surrounded by boreal forest, rolling hills, and muskeg. Several streams flow into the lake and its outflow is at the eastern end where it flows directly into neighbouring Nipekamew Lake through a short channel and bay. The lake is part of the Churchill River watershed, which flows into the Hudson Bay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nipekamew Creek</span> River in Saskatchewan, Canada

Nipekamew Creek is a river in the boreal forest ecozone in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Its source is in muskeg approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) west of Piprell Lake, near Highway 913. From the muskeg, the creek flows in a northerly direction through forests, rolling hills, glacier formed valleys, first into Stuart Lake, then Nipekamew Lake. The creek can be accessed from Highways 927, 913, and 912. After the creek leaves Stuart Lake, it follows the course of Highway 912 from there until it empties into Nipekamew Lake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mossy River</span> River in Saskatchewan, Canada

Mossy River is a river in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The river's source is east of Little Bear Lake and north-east of Narrow Hills Provincial Park in a hilly plateau called Cub Hills. The river travels through hills, boreal forest, and muskeg for about 100 kilometres en route to its mouth in the Saskatchewan River Delta. Highway 920 is the only road to access the mainstem of the river and there are no communities nor settlements along the course of the river.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White Gull Creek</span> River in Saskatchewan, Canada

White Gull Creek is a river in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The river's source is White Gull Lake, near the south-western boundary of Narrow Hills Provincial Park and near the southern slopes of the Cub Hills. The river travels through boreal forest and muskeg en route to its mouth at the Torch River. The Torch River is a tributary of the Saskatchewan River as it flows into one of North America's largest inland fresh water deltas, the Saskatchewan River Delta. There are no communities nor settlements along the river.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stewart Creek (Saskatchewan)</span> River in Saskatchewan, Canada

Stewart Creek is a river in the east-central part of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The river's source is Lower Fishing Lake of the Cub Hills in Narrow Hills Provincial Park, and it travels south through boreal forest and muskeg en route to its mouth at the Torch River. The Torch River flows east to the Saskatchewan River, which is part of the Hudson Bay drainage basin. There are no communities nor settlements along the course of the river.

Lost Echo Lake is a lake in the east-central part of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan in Narrow Hills Provincial Park. It is situated in a glacier-formed valley in the Cub Hills and the boreal forest ecozone of Canada. It is south of Summit Lake and is accessed from secondary roads that branch off of Highway 913. While there are no communities nor settlements on the lake, there is the Lost Echo Wilderness Campsite on the western shore.

Summit Lake is a lake in the east-central part of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan in Narrow Hills Provincial Park. It is situated in a glacier-formed valley in the Cub Hills and the boreal forest ecozone of Canada. It is located north of Lost Echo Lake and is accessed from Highway 913. There are no communities or settlements on the lake.

Upper Fishing Lake is a lake in the east-central part of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan in Narrow Hills Provincial Park. It is situated in a glacier-formed valley in the Cub Hills and the boreal forest ecozone of Canada. It is north-west of the larger Lower Fishing Lake along the course of Caribou Creek and is accessed from the Hanson Lake Road.

Lower Fishing Lake is a lake in the east-central part of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan in Narrow Hills Provincial Park. It is situated in the Cub Hills and the boreal forest ecozone of Canada. The lake is accessed from Highway 920, which connects to Hanson Lake Road and Highway 120. The Fishing Lakes Fire of 1977 burned much of the region upstream and around the lake and now the area is now dominated by jack pine, which is a tree species that is well adapted fire burned forests.

Zeden Lake is a small recreational lake known for its trout fishing in the east-central part of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan in Narrow Hills Provincial Park. It is situated in the Cub Hills and the boreal forest ecozone of Canada. The lake is surrounded by a forest of mature jack pine.

Baldy Lake is a lake in the east-central part of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan in Narrow Hills Provincial Park. It is situated in the Cub Hills and the boreal forest ecozone of Canada.

Piprell Lake is a lake in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan in the boreal forest ecozone of Canada. The lake is located in the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District, just south of the geographical centre of Saskatchewan in the Cub Hills. It is west of the western boundary of Narrow Hills Provincial Park and south-east of Clarence-Steepbank Lakes Provincial Park Piprell Lake Recreation Site and Rainbow Lodge are situated at the northern end of the lake and its amenities are accessed from Highway 913.

The Cub Hills are a hilly plateau located south-east of the geographical centre of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The hills are in the boreal forest ecozone of Canada and the landforms of the hills were shaped more than 10,000 years ago during last ice age. Throughout the Cub Hills, there are dozens of lakes and rivers and several parks. The Cubs Hills are 150 km (93 mi) north-east of Prince Albert and are in the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District and Census Division #18. Several highways criss-cross the plateau to provide access to the various parks and other amenities.

References

  1. Government of Canada, Natural Resources Canada. "Place names - Caribou Creek". www4.rncan.gc.ca.
  2. "Narrow Hills Provincial Park". Tourism Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan Government.
  3. Government of Canada, Natural Resources Canada. "Place names - Cub Hills". www4.rncan.gc.ca.
  4. "Boreal Plains Ecozone". ecozones. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  5. "Caribou Creek Lodge Ltd". Tourism Saskatchewan. Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  6. Government of Canada, Natural Resources Canada. "Place names - Bean Lake". www4.rncan.gc.ca.
  7. "Caribou Creek". geoview.info. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  8. "Trout Streams of the Cub Hills". environment.gov.sk. Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment.