All photos © Robin and Arlene Karpan
If winter camping sounds enticing, but also a bit daunting, here’s the solution – staying in a winterized yurt in Saskatchewan’s Echo Valley Provincial Park. We recently tried one out and had no trouble staying warm with the propane and electric heaters provided. But the best part was that we were still in the midst of the park with its beautiful Qu’Appelle Valley scenery and popular winter activities.
The yurts can accommodate up to six people and have beds with mattresses, but you have to bring your own bedding. Since waterworks in the campground are shut off for the winter, you must also bring water. Pit toilets are nearby.
Yurt campsites provide shelters equipped with a gas-powered camp stove and a wood-burning barbecue. Wood is supplied, along with an axe, folding camp chairs and lanterns.
A few other provincial parks also have Camp-Easy Yurts, but this year, Echo Valley is the only park to have them available in winter.
If you prefer more traditional camping, Echo Valley, as well as other provincial parks, offer regular campsites for those who want to pitch a tent or bring a camper.
Embracing Winter
Few parks have embraced winter more than Echo Valley. The biggest draw is Skate the Park, Saskatchewan’s longest skating rink, which snakes along a one-kilometre route through Aspen Campground.
The entire loop is maintained with a Zamboni and illuminated for evening skating. A wood-burning fireplace in a tipi serves as a warming hut. If you don’t have skates, the park visitor centre has a few that you can borrow for free, as well as kick sleds if you need more stability.
If you’re wondering how good the ice is, just ask Tyler McGregor, captain of Canada’s Paralympic hockey team, who was recently named one of Canada’s opening ceremony flag bearers for the upcoming Paralympic Winter Games.
Park manager Shelley MacLean recalls the time that McGregor heard about the rink and wanted to give it a try. He skated a marathon on his sledge and commented that it was some of the best outdoor ice he had ever skated.
“He was able to set a speed record on his sledge, which was pretty fantastic to watch,” she says.
The park tries to keep the skating loop open as long as possible into late winter or early spring; however, each year varies depending on weather conditions.
Skiing, snowshoeing, and more
Several kilometres of cross-country ski trails wind through the park, everything from easy level loops to hillier routes for more of a workout.
Snowshoe trails take you through the trees and to scenic lookout points; one trail is even illuminated at night. If you don’t have snowshoes, you can rent them inexpensively at the park visitor centre. Depending on snow cover, snowshoe trails can also be used for hiking.
This winter’s activities also include Croki-curl, a unique game on ice that combines aspects of curling and crokinole. There’s a Ninja Warrior course for kids with a zipline and climbing wall. The park sits between Echo and Pasqua Lakes, both of which are popular for ice fishing for walleye, perch and pike.
The visitor centre is the hub of the park. In addition to nature displays and a place to gather information, a comfy seating area is a great place to linger with a hot drink and snack from the concession stand.
Take a Scenic Drive
Echo Valley has a prime location in the Qu’Appelle Valley, just eight kilometres west of Fort Qu’Appelle and less than an hour’s drive from Regina. The valley’s scenic landscape is extra special in winter when snow blankets the hilly slopes, and frost covers the trees. From the park, we can take a delightful scenic drive around the four Fishing Lakes – Pasqua, Echo, Mission, and Katepwa.
One option is a short drive circling Echo Lake, stopping at Fort Qu’Appelle at the opposite end of the lake. The largest community in the valley, Fort Qu’Appelle has a long history, including being an early Hudson Bay trading post and site of the signing of Treaty 4 between the Crown and the Cree and Salteaux. Mission Ridge Winter Park, on the edge of town, is the place to head for downhill skiing.
To extend the drive, head east along the north shore of Mission Lake to nearby Lebret, a tiny, picturesque community big on history, with its grand stone Sacred Heart Church and a small hilltop chapel offering outstanding views.
Just to the east is Katepwa Lake, a major recreation area in summer but quieter and equally scenic in winter. The main highway runs along the north shore of Katepwa Lake, but if you want to take a different route on the return, minor roads that mainly access cottage developments run along the south shore, eventually returning to Lebret.
Make a Winter Camping Booking at Echo Valley
It’s easy to book one of the winterized yurts or a camping spot at Echo Valley Provincial Park. Just head to the park’s reservation page to find available dates and prices.
If you are interested in exploring more of the Qu’Appelle Valley, see our posting below.
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