Discovering Eastend, Saskatchewan
My first visit to Eastend was a huge surprise, in the most pleasant way possible. Up to this point, I knew the town existed, but I never really bothered to look up where it was or what it offered.
Taking the Red Coat Trail (highway 13) south of Swift Current to get there was a great decision. We drove past charming small towns that were probably ghost towns and stopped for photos. All in a terrain that's not usually associated with Saskatchewan. When we got to Eastend, the slogan "Valley of hidden secrets" really came alive. Here was a community nestled deep within high, rugged hills. If the badlands of Grasslands National Park and the hills of Cypress Hills had a love child, it would be Eastend.
Eastend has the familiar small town charm that we all know and love. Friday afternoon was really hustling and bustling - we saw about 10 cars! As we walked the wide, everyone we met greeted us with a friendly wave and a smile.
We ate delicious food at Jack's Cafe and had a lovely chat with the owners.
We took a beautiful leisurely drive through the valley towards Ravenscrag, along the Frenchman River, before ending up at Jones' Peak for sunset. Boy oh boy, was it breathtaking! We were all in awe of the 360-degree view of the stunning landscape. The warm golden light of the sun really made the entire valley pop. Brown and gold textures and layers stretched as far as the eye could see.
As the sun went below the horizon, the moon came up. So we ended this lovely evening looking at the stars over the Frenchman River valley, perfectly lit up under the moonlight.
I absolutely cannot wait to be back here again!
Author & Photographer: Herry Himanshu
Herry is a nature and people photographer based in Regina. When he's not at his day job, he can be found capturing photos in a field or grid road somewhere.
Find him online at www.photosbyherry.com and @herry.with.an.e.