Grasslands National Park

Gravel Road well maintained. Great walks, view points and info.

At first we plan to sleep in the camping but finaly big storm was comming.So we just went with the car for some few hours.The park is really Nice, it's not a landscape that we used to See in Canada.I put 4 stars because IT doesnt't have so Much things to See.The view point are so so...

Grasslands National Park is one of Canada’s least visited wild spaces, and that’s both so very good and too bad at the same time.It’s so very good because this unique and hauntingly beautiful ecosystem is fragile and would be damaged irreparably by too many intrusive visitors. And the lack of visitors - particularly relative to the immensity of the space - only enhances the emotive power of the place. Put simply, too many humans here would be a crime.But it’s too bad because the grandeur of the immense spaces reaches deep into one’s soul, acting as a balm against the manic pace of modern life and reminding us of nature's healing powers. More people need to experience these feelings; if they did perhaps they’d feel more connected to this fragile planet we call home and be more inclined to take better care of the natural gifts we’ve been given.During our three says of say hiking (we stayed at The Convent Inn in Val Marie) we lost ourselves (metaphorically) in the beauty of this place. Within 15 minutes of setting out on our first hike we caught a quick flash of movement in some rocks adjacent to the trail. Lo and behold, here was an endangered Greater Short-horned Lizard scampering about a mere metre off the trail.As if that weren’t enough, a few minutes later we had a reasonably close encounter with another endangered species - a Pronghorn Antelope scampering along a series of hills below the high trail we were tramping. This beautiful animal teased us with its presence for about ten minutes before disappearing for good.After about 30 minutes of walking the groomed trail gave way to cross-country trekking with no distinct trails to follow. Instead, one is expected to look for one metre high plasticized, painted trail guideposts spaced out at random intervals and distances. For the most part these are reasonably visible, but there were a number of times when we had to stop and stare - sometimes for ten minutes or longer - to find the next marker. While this can be disconcerting we managed to find all the markers and continue on our way with reasonable certainty that we were on the right track. *Note: this is a place where you want to bring a compass (and know how to use it) just in case you lose track of the trail.We hiked to our turnaround point, which just happened to overlook a vast Prairie Dog town (yes, they’re called towns). We set up for lunch and just listened to the sound of the town’s residents calling back and forth, their calls carried on the ever present breezes that also brought the scent of prairie grasses and wildflowers to our high perch.Finally, a word about the beautiful quiet of this place. You can spend hours walking, or sitting, and hear nothing more than the hum of pollinators, the rustling of grasses touched by the breeze, the occasional “yip” of Prairie Dogs, or the cry of a hawk gliding overhead.It’s one of the most magical and therapeutic places we’ve ever hiked. Highly recommended - but not for too many people!

One of the most beautiful parks I've visited on my XCanada roadtrip. A must see. We stayed in the Frenchman Valley Campground.

The only thing to watch is the weather - our day for exploring was wet and windy and that made the trails and roads a very slick and sticky mess. And without cell service in many areas of the park, you need to be aware of what you're doing as help is far away. However the beauty of Grasslands in the rain was incredible in its own right. Such a unique and wild corner of Canada.

We saw some typical animal from this national park at West Block Ecotour Scenic Drive.

Simply stunning views, lots to see and explore, and the dark sky preserve makes it well worth the trip out! My only issue was the general apathy of the two park wardens that presided over the Frenchman River campground. Other than that, fabulous!!

It's a lovely park to hike through. I would definitely recommend going either early or late in the season as it is quite hot.You can camp out in the exploration zones which is a great perk.Just remember to dress in long clothes if you have them. There is no hiding from the sun out there.

Beautiful! Stayed one night in East Block and two in West. Loved East Block. Definitely worth the trip down. Gas in the area is hard to find, but we stopped at a couple card locks during the daytime in the area that were staffed and were able to fuel up. It's a food desert down there so stock up before leaving Swift Current area.

Great place to visit . Lots of trails to explore and make sure you look for the red national parks chairs . 1 in the west block . 3 in the east block . Lots of history in the area and the visitors center is very helpful . I will definitely visit again . Would highly recomend . Make sure if you are camping in the park you fill your water tank before you go as there is no place inside the park to do this . The campgrounds have good washrooms . There is also horse corrals at both campgrounds .