20 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Prince Albert National Park

Prospect Point, Prince Albert National Park
Prospect Point, Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan from Photojourneys.ca
Watching the sunset at Prospect Point on Waskesiu Lake.

Prince Albert National Park in summer is a combination of peaceful nature walks, paddling on gorgeous waterways, finding approachable wildlife, barbecues on the beach, and lingering dazzling sunsets. Occasionally, photographers are also treated to dramatic skies. Here are 20 photos as a brief taste of what to expect.

Water, Water Everywhere

A large part of the park is water, including enormous lakes such as Waskesiu, Kingsmere, and Crean Lakes, plus numerous smaller lakes and wetlands galore. Waskesiu Lake is the centre of the action, with a beach right in the Waskesiu townsite and several popular picnic sites along both sides of the lake. Add to this the river systems such as the Waskesiu River, the Spruce River in the south, and the short but scenic Kingsmere River connecting Waskesiu and Kingsmere Lakes.

Waskesiu River, Saskatchewan, Prince Albert National Park from Photojourneys.ca
Waskesiu River at the picnic site right beside the bridge.
Waskesiu beach, Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan
The main beach at the Waskesiu townsite.
Canoeing in Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan from Photojourneys.ca
A quiet evening paddle.

This means there are plenty of opportunities to get out on the water. The park is classic canoe country, with numerous places to go for a paddle. Our favourite is the canoe trip to Grey Owl’s cabin in remote Ajawaan Lake north of Kingsmere Lake, where one of Canada’s earliest and most famous conservationists lived, worked, wrote many bestselling books, and was finally buried. We usually combine this with a paddle through the series of small lakes on the Bagwa Route on the south end of Kingsmere Lake.

Paddling on Namekus Lake, Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan from Photojourneys.ca
Early morning sunlight illuminating the fog on Namekus Lake right in front of our campsite.
Kingsmere River, Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan from Photojourneys.ca
Kingsmere River connecting Waskesiu and Kingsmere Lake in Prince Albert National Park.
Marsh marigolds along Kingsmere River, Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan from Photojourneys.ca
Marsh marigolds along the Kingsmere River.
Grey Owl's Cabin, Ajawaan Lake, Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan from Photojourneys.ca
Canoeing to Grey Owl’s Cabin, Ajawaan Lake, Prince Albert National Park.

Take a Hike

The best part of hiking in Prince Albert National Park is the incredible variety, from easy strolls to half-day excursions to multi-day backpacking trips. They take us through forests, grasslands, over hills, and beside beautiful waterways. A bonus in summer is the profusion of wildflowers. As an option to canoeing, you can also visit Grey Owl’s cabin on a hiking trip of around 20 km each way. For some ideas, check out our posting on Five Easy Hikes in Saskatchewan’s Prince Albert National Park.

Boundary Bog Trail, Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan
Boardwalk through tamarack trees on the Boundary Bog Trail, Prince Albert National Park.
Narrows Peninsula Trail, Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan
Profusion of ferns along the Narrows Peninsula Trail.
Mud Creek Trail, Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan
Mud Creek Trail.
Waskesiu River, Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan
Waskesiu River Trail.
Roadside wildflowers in Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan from Photojourneys.ca
The wildflowers of summer in Prince Albert National Park

Critters

The park is famous as one of the best places in Saskatchewan to find wildlife, with everything from bison to moose, deer, bears, wolves, elk, and foxes, to mention a few. The birdlife runs the gamut from songbirds to raptors, waterbirds, and a healthy population of pelicans that nest in the park. What you see when depends on a lot of factors, sometimes just being in the right place at the right time. During hot summer weather, chances of finding wildlife are significantly better in the early morning or evening.

Bull elk, Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan
Bull elk, Prince Albert National Park.
Red fox, Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan
Red fox are fairly common in the park
Common loon, Saskatchewan
Hearing the call of a common loon is a quintessential part of summer in the park.

Summer Skies

Summer weather brings a bit of everything, from hot days and clear skies to brief thunderstorms. For photographers, summer storms can be the best part of a visit, with dramatic skies, a good chance of lightning, and often followed by stunning rainbows.

Prospect Point, Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan
Rainstorm backlit by the setting sun, Prospect Point, Waskesiu Lake, Prince Albert National Park.
Sandy Lake, Saskatchewan
Dramatic skies as storm clouds pass over Sandy Lake, Prince Albert National Park.
Rainbow, Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan
A vibrant rainbow along Kingsmere Road in Prince Albert National Park.
Rainbow, Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan
Rainbow over Birch Bay on Waskesiu Lake.

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7 thoughts on “20 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Prince Albert National Park

  1. We used to paddle the Bagwa canoe, route hike and camp every other year. Now retired in BC still have many fond memories — along with of course other Sask rivers, like the Waternhen, Churchill, Sturgeon-Weir and others.

  2. How I wish I could ride along in your backpack. The beauty of Saskatchewan cannot be denied. I lived down east for a couple of years and I missed the prairie sunsets around Battleford. Now in Alberta, I still long for the prairie sunsets. The living skies of Saskatchewan nothing can compare to them. Thank you both for the visual treat.

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