Our “Pick a Park” series this week features Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park! This is one of Saskatchewan’s top destinations, and if you’ve ever been there, you’ll understand why.
Cypress became a Saskatchewan provincial park in in 1931, however the park is so large it crosses the border into Alberta. Albertans waited an additional twenty years before designating their section as a provincial park in Alberta. This dual border park became Canada’s first interprovincial park on August 25, 1989. Both provinces share the ecosystem management, education, and park promotion costs. The park’s closest city in Alberta is Medicine Hat, and in Saskatchewan, Swift Current.
There are two protected areas due to the many rare or endangered flora and fauna within the park: the West Block, which spans 345 km², and Fort Walsh, the smaller of the two, spanning 58 km². Cypress Hills is a nature lover’s dream with over 700 species of plants and animals that thrive inside the park.
Camping season begins on the May long weekend and runs until September 30. It offers year-round education programs for students, youth, and adult/senior groups. In the summer, there are many activities tourists can enjoy, such as camping, hiking, fishing, and swimming. Visitors can also enjoy time at the Treeosix Adventure Park in the center block of Cypress. There’s ziplining, e-triboard rentals (essentially a three-wheeled skateboard), e-bike rentals, the tree top drop (45 feet high), a climbing wall, and you can try something different on their 18-hole disc golf course. In addition golf enthusiasts can enjoy their tree lined 9 hole golf course and history buffs can take in a guided tour of Fort Walsh a living fort from the 1870s,when the North West Mounted Police brought Canadian law to the West.
Cypress Hills has it all from simple pleasures to more sophisticated adventures. The perfect park for kids of all ages!
For more information or to book your next trip to Cypress click here!
