For outdoor enthusiasts, Saskatchewan is home to plenty of Instagram-worthy scenes

While the last big weekend of summer has passed, travel industry experts say there’s still plenty to do for Saskatchewan vacationers.

The province is home to numerous locations that are perfect for Instagram-worthy photos, especially if you enjoy hiking and getting off the beaten track.

“Saskatchewan is an active travel province, and when I say that, I mean you have to get out there and take the time to explore to have the most incredible experiences. If you’re willing to put in the effort, you’ll be richly rewarded,” says travel writer Ashlyn George, who wrote The Lost Girl’s Guide to Finding the World.

Saskatchewan probably isn’t the first place travelers think of when looking for a scenic outdoor experience, but that’s a missed opportunity, according to the Saskatchewanerer — a Sask. Tourism travel influencer.

“Our parks aren’t nearly as busy,” said Saskatchewan resident Andrew Hiltz.

Hiltz has been the province’s tourism ambassador for three years and says the two national parks are his top picks for the most Instagrammable spots. Grasslands National Park in the south has two sections, an east and west section, which are home to a herd of bison.

“There are rolling hills and my favorite part is… the 70-mile butte, because you can see forever over the rolling hills,” Hiltz says.

Grasslands is also his favorite because most of it is backcountry, and Hiltz says you can pitch a tent in most places. There’s also a dark sky preserve with no light pollution, for some of the best stargazing in the world.

His other favourite, Prince Albert National Park, also offers plenty of photo opportunities, such as Boundary Bog, a trail just inside the park boundaries with a boardwalk through the trees.

“You’re also likely to see wildlife there. If you’re adventurous and enjoy wilderness camping, Grey Owl’s Cabin is a super scenic hike,” he said.

If you like sand as far as the eye can see, Saskatchewan has that too.

“The Athabasca Sand Dunes — they are the northernmost dunes in the world. They are the largest sand dunes in Canada,” George said.

Near the towns of Leader and Sceptre, the Great Sand Hills are also worth exploring. George has sometimes seen visitors bring crazy carpets to slide down.

The experts we spoke to say that the end of the tourist season doesn’t mean the adventure has to end. Both recommend getting outside to see the changing leaves.

Some recommendations include Echo Valley and Lumsden, as well as the beautiful road to Prince Albert National Park.

The town of Lumsden, Sask. offers a scenic view of the Qu’Appelle Valley. (Courtesy: Ashlyn George)

“Adventure is never over in Saskatchewan. With four distinct seasons, you can experience each place in a new way, all year round, four times a year,” she said.

Tourism Saskatchewan also has an Explore Saskatchewan photo contest that ends in mid-September. They are looking for the most spectacular photos of the province and there are several prizes to be won in different categories.

Grasslands National Park in southwestern Saskatchewan (courtesy of Ashlyn George)