Why Prince Albert National Park is A Jewel in The Wild

It wasn’t long into my visit to Prince Albert National Park before I discovered what I loved most. Though, it wasn’t something singular.  It came with a mix of some of the best wildlife sightings in unexpected spots (read on), the remoteness (no big nearby towns) and spectacular beauty (this is lake country). The park is located about 2.5 hours north of Saskatoon, an area where the landscape is flat and open- it’s the plains – but still manages to surprise. For instance, seemingly out of nowhere, as you get closer to Prince Albert National Park, leafy trees come into focus and you enter a boreal forest. The towering white and black spruce, jack pine and aspen trees are only the beginning. The park is also dotted with lakes of all sizes. The largest are Crean Lake, Kingsmere Lake and Waskesiu Lake. Best of all, there are plenty of chances to spot wildlife, here, including bears, moose, fox, bison, otters, elk and dear. The park is also home to nearly 200 species of birds, so don’t forget to look up.

 

Here are 4 experiences you don’t want to miss.

1. Learn To Fish Program

I haven’t cast a fishing line since I was a young kid (and even then it was with a plastic pole) so I needed to learn the ropes to have success. During the three-hour experience, my guide Matt, taught me three ways to fish: trolling, jigging and casting. We started in the second Hanging Heart Lake looking for Walleye, which is one of five types of fish you can catch in the park. The others are Lake Trout, Northern Pike, Perch, and White Fish.

Matt taught me to jig first after he set the hook with a piece of beef heart. I lowered it about 9 feet, nearly to the bottom of the portion of the lake we were on, before reeling it straight back up. With a handful of tries, and no luck, we moved on to trolling, where a lure shaped like a fish was used instead of bait and drug alongside the boat as we putted along. With the sun heating up and more coming in, we moved to another spot that was definitely the money spot. Here, I caught four pike in about thirty minutes by either casting or trolling. We released them all back, but I am still not sure if one may have ended up dinner for the bear we saw swimming across the water!

2. Hike

Inside Prince Albert National Park, there are more than 80 miles of trails that offer different landscapes and terrain. I checked out the Waskesiu River Nature Trail, which is just less than 2 miles. The hike started on a wooden boardwalk set up along a river, and I almost immediately spotted a muskrat swimming around in the water and making playful noises, which was a very cute sight. The wooden boardwalk gives way to a forest filled with aspen and other towering trees, and where a deer startled me after running across the trail. Once in the forest it felt secluded and quiet. We didn’t see anyone else on the trail until we looped back towards the parking lot where there were a few families and couples enjoying an outdoor picnic.

3. Water Sports & Activities

Prince Albert National Park plays host to an array of water sports ranging from water skiing to tubing and kayaking to canoeing. I decided to rent a stand up paddleboard because the water was like glass. I paddled towards the bank where I had spotted a moose earlier before sitting down on my board to just meditate and take in the beauty around me. Later on, I paddled towards an opposite shore where I cruised by lily pads and other plant life. Dinnertime is approaching and boats start to cruise towards in creating ripples that are fun to paddle over. I too decided to head in for the last part of day in the park. Though, I could have easily paddled into the sunset.

4. Evening Cruise

Dinner cruises aren’t always something I add to my itinerary, but when you go with Waskesiu Marinas, it is an experience I know I would book again on each trip back.

Booking is limited to a couple, a double date or a group of friends, so customers on board know one another. Luxe pontoon boats with cushy leather seats travel through all three Heart Lakes before reaching the final destination: Crean Lake, one of the largest lakes in the park.

Along the way we saw a few boats, kayaks and canoes but for majority of the 2.5 hour cruise that traveled just over 11 miles, it felt like we are the only ones on the water. In fact, we’re only the only humans, because the animals are plentiful. We saw a bear swimming across the channel right of our boat shortly after taking off. It was the first of many wild creatures. Other highlights included seeing a moose walking along the shore before plopping back into the water, a beaver playing, and a bald eagles nest that weighed more than 600 pounds. Aside from wildlife and scenic views, the atmosphere on the boat is also impressive. The dinner table is set with a white tablecloth and Canadian wine is served as well as a local Walleye served on proper plates and utensils. And I can’t forget to mention my favorite course, dessert. It is a chocolate cake with melted chocolate between layers served in a mason jar.