Paddling

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- get off the beach and on the water!

With hundreds of lakes located throughout Saskatchewan Parks, the opportunities for paddling adventures are endless. Whether you are looking to enjoy a relaxing afternoon spent canoeing, kayaking or paddle boarding, or are up for more of a challenge (say, a multi-day canoe trip?), we've got you covered!

Recreation Paddling

While lakes can be accessed and enjoyed from every provincial park, Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park and Moose Mountain Provincial Park are two popular destinations when it comes to leisure paddling. Both parks offer gorgeous lakes that don’t allow motorized boats, making for a calm and serene paddle.

Don’t have your own equipment?

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Park / Rec Site Region
Great Blue Heron Northern
Meadow Lake Northern
Narrow Hills Northern
The Battlefords Northern
Blackstrap Central
Duck Mountain Central
Greenwater Lake Central
Pike Lake Central
Buffalo Pound Southern
Cypress Hills Southern
Douglas Southern
Katepwa Point  Southern
Moose Mountain Southern
Regina Beach Southern
Rowan’s Ravine Southern
Saskatchewan Landing Southern

Novice Paddlers

Moose Mountain Provincial Park - SK Historic Canoe Route 56 
Recommended for novice paddlers, these routes will take four to eight hours.

Experienced Paddlers 

Meadow Lake and Lac La Ronge Provincial Parks - To avid canoeists and kayakers, northern Saskatchewan ranks as one of the world’s greatest adventure destinations. The Churchill River crosses Saskatchewan north of the 55th parallel, with some of the most exhilarating whitewater around. Churchill River Canoe Outfitters has mapped and documented over 50 routes, many of which are multi-day routes through Lac La Ronge and Meadow Lake Provincial Parks. There are also local clubs like Pimiskatan-La Ronge Canoe Club.

Meadow Lake Fresh Air is another great go-to site for paddling routes in the Meadow Lake area. Organized from west to east, choose your next paddling adventure based on the most outdoorsy adjectives we’ve seen in a long time! Surreal? Enchanting? Mysterious? Choose your adventure!

Provincial Park Region
Meadow Lake Northern
Greenwater Lake Central
Pike Lake Central
Buffalo Pound Southern
Moose Mountain Southern

Need to know a bit more?

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Here is some great wildlife information for you regardless of what trail you find yourself wandering down - stay aware.

Wild Life

 

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Safety

According to Transport Canada if you canoeing or kayaking onto open water you fall under "pleasure craft" regulations and are required to have the following items. This is for your safety, you passengers and potential rescuers:

  • One lifejacket or personal flotation device (PFD) for each person on board
  • One buoyant heaving line at least 15m long (approximately 50').
  • One bailer or manual bilge pump.
  • One sound signaling device.

More information can be found in the ‘Safe Boating Guide’.

Consider the below safety checklist as you begin to plan your next trip out on the water.

  • Carry a GPS, compass, chart, or map
  • Carry a whistle
  • Know the weather forecast
  • Make a plan and leave it with someone on shore
  • Remember a bilge pump, bail bucket with rope, and rescue gear
  • Stow a drybag with extra set of clothing
  • Wear proper attire, including a hat or helmet and footwear
  • Warm layer of clothes
  • Rain jacket
  • Water, at least one litre per person
  • Snacks, plus extra snacks
  • Cell phone
  • Emergency kit (matches, fire starter, tarp, rope)
  • First aid kit
  • Water-proof bag for everything 

See Paddle Canada for canoeing or kayaking training.

Leave No Trace is about respecting and caring for wildlands and doing your part to protect wild place and wild lands for future generations. The principles of ‘Leave no Trace’ include:

  • Plan Ahead and Prepare
  • Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
  • Dispose of Waste Properly
  • Leave What You Find
  • Minimize Campfire Impacts
  • Respect Wildlife
  • Be Considerate of Others

For more information visit Leave No Trace

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NORTHERN

Bronson Forest

Candle Lake

Great Blue Heron

Lac La Ronge

Makwa Lake

Meadow Lake

Narrow Hills

Steel Narrows 

The Battlefords
CENTRAL

Blackstrap

Duck Mountain

Good Spirit Lake

Greenwater Lake

Pike Lake

Porcupine Hills
SOUTHERN

Buffalo Pound

Crooked Lake

Cypress Hills

Danielson

Douglas

Echo Valley

Katepwa Point 

Moose Mountain

Regina Beach

Rowan’s Ravine

Saskatchewan Landing

 

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A valid angling license is required to fish in any Saskatchewan lake. Anglers will need to create a Hunting, Angling and Trapping (HAL) identification to purchase a licence. This is a one-time requirement. You can purchase your licence through any one of the following methods:

  1. The online hunting, angling and trapping (HAL) licencing system

  2. Any Saskatchewan fishing licence issuer;

  3. Select provincial park offices or at the Ministry of Environment;

  4. By phone at 1-855-848-4773 (8 a.m. – 9 p.m. Saskatchewan time)