Lose yourself, find yourself

Winnipeg Free Press

9 hours ago

In the ditch, I spot my first clump of wolf willow, and I say the words out loud. 'Wolf willow.' And laugh a little at my homage to the title of the book by long-dead American writer Wallace Stegner who, in a way, brought me here.
Allow me to explain. It was August and I had just finished reading the book Wolf Willow by Stegner (who would go on to win a Pulitzer for another novel, Angle of Repose). His trademark poetic prose chronicling a childhood in southern Saskatchewan settled deep inside me, and I knew I had to go there.
So, I jumped in my vehicle and began a solo adventure to Grasslands National Park.
I'm a product of the Prairies — born, raised and settled in places of grass and far-away horizons, so I wasn't expecting something vastly different from the Grasslands. I was wrong.
There's a line in one of the local guidebooks here about feeling small in a vast landscape. I felt more than small. Exposed, uneasy. My mind raced for an escape route should a bison come charging out of a coulee. There was neither a boulder nor a bluff to tuck into and hide. A tingle of fear ran up my spine and it was the first time I had this feeling while being outside. Grasslands National Park will make you feel alive.
Here's our Top Ten on what to do when you arrive:
Technically, Grasslands National Park was established to preserve a representative portion of the Canadian mixed grass prairie ecosystem. But it's so much more than that. This is where Sitting Bull and 4,000 Lakota Sioux sought sanctuary after The Battle of Little Big Horn. It's where Métis hunted bison. Archeological sites number in the thousands here. And it's where ranchers and homesteaders made a brave attempt put down roots on this open range.
In any other year, this would be your first stop to purchase a national parks pass. But in 2025, admission is free until Sept. 2. Still, it's a must-visit to pick up info about tours and programs, camping and trail maps because the park is vast — 900 square kilometres divided into two blocks.
It was the dog days of summer and I honestly didn't expect to see much wildlife, but again, Grasslands surprised me. Anxious to see the park, I made my way to the West Block just before sunset on my first day. First there was a pair of pronghorns racing across the horizon. Then a doe mule deer and her two young ones. A lone bison was lazily scratching his hind quarters on a post. I spent nearly an hour playing hide and seek with a white-tailed jackrabbit around the historic Larson homestead. Finally, a coyote stopped at the edge of a coulee, peered into the sunset, then disappeared in into the valley.
With its distinctive large black-tipped grey ears, the white-tailed jackrabbit is mostly nocturnal, but loves a game of hide-and-seek once in a while.
With its distinctive large black-tipped grey ears, the white-tailed jackrabbit is mostly nocturnal, but loves a game of hide-and-seek once in a while.
The Village of Val Marie sits at the edge of the park, and down one of its quiet streets is The Sanctuary Inn, a former Anglican church that now holds two suites outfitted with everything you need for a quiet and comfortable stay (a full kitchen, too). I loved entering through the church's front doors to be greeted by vaulted ceilings and original window shapes. The owners have several other properties for rent in the area, plus there are other options including The Convent Country Inn, The Crossing at Grasslands, Sky Story Bed & Breakfast, Don's Place and two campgrounds.
The Val Marie Bar and Café inside the village's hotel is where you'll find Rainbow, along with her husband Bob, providing excellent meals along with some of the friendliest service on the Prairies. There's a full Chinese menu, burgers, sandwiches and entrées, plus daily specials and signature homemade drinks like strawberry juice and lemonade. The space has personality to spare with busy pool tables, a mounted mule deer and a long-forgotten piano at the window.
Naysayers may call it just a collection of rocks in a circle, and I was leaning toward the same before I took a stroll through Mary's Labyrinth. But then I slipped into a kind of meditation and when I reached the centre, I was ready to reflect on some deep-down things that needed attention. The labyrinth is at The Crossing at Grasslands, so it's private property, but all are welcome between 1 and 6 p.m.
Housed inside the absolutely charming Val Marie schoolhouse, Prairie Wind & Silver Sage is a gift shop, bookstore, coffeeshop, art gallery and museum under one roof. There's an impressive collection of guidebooks and local history (admittedly, I could have spent the whole day here), along with adorable stuffed animals showcasing the park's wildlife. Stroll through The Cloakroom art gallery and take in the cultural exhibits of the museum, including a collection of aprons.
A black-tailed prairie dog, that is. And the West Block and neighbouring lands are the only places in Canada where the species exists in its natural habitat. If you've never been to a dog town, you're in for a treat. These highly social rodents bark, squeak and call, plus they nuzzle and kiss — showing off their communication skills. One of the best places to witness the fun is on the Top Dogtown Trail.
The West Block and neighbouring lands are the only places in Canada where black-tailed prairie dogs exist in their natural habitat.
The West Block and neighbouring lands are the only places in Canada where black-tailed prairie dogs exist in their natural habitat.
In 2009, the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada declared Grasslands National Park a Dark Sky Preserve. And it happens to be one of Canada's darkest. Preserving dark places is important for the billion-year-old natural day-night cycle of flora and fauna, and it also makes for excellent stargazing. Remember to fuel up, stay close to your vehicle and keep an eye out for rattlesnakes, bison and prairie dog burrows. Two Trees Trail, Frenchman Valley Campground and Rock Creek Campground are great stargazing locations.
Photos by Shel Zolkewich
After a 120-year absence, a herd of plains bison was reintroduced into Grasslands National Park in Saskatchewan.
Photos by Shel Zolkewich
After a 120-year absence, a herd of plains bison was reintroduced into Grasslands National Park in Saskatchewan.
You're not going to find this request in any guidebook, but think of your visit to Grasslands as an opportunity to embrace silence. These wide-open spaces are your invitation to do just that. As friend and fellow writer Hank Shaw so eloquently put it, 'Silence isn't necessarily rejection — from others or of myself. It is not something that needs to be justified, punished or feared. Silence can be sanctuary. Even solace.'