Peaceful prairie

Not a sound marred our tranquillity as we sat on a high bluff overlooking the vast Frenchman River Valley. Before us were thousands of acres of grass and rocks stretching miles eastward. No trees, buildings, poles or towers cluttered our view. The only movements were shadows cast by puffy cumulus clouds drifting across the valley. Far from roads and railroads and off airline routes, no human-created sounds punctuated the stillness.

The lack of a cell signal confirmed our remoteness. Concerned? Nope. We savored the precious wild beauty difficult to find in today’s motorized and digitalized world. Besides, in the unlikely event we got turned around, we knew how to use the trusty compass and map in the day pack.

We blended our wilderness visit with Marion’s attending a Legacy Labyrinth workshop. Stepping into the wild areas was easy and inexpensive, requiring neither a grueling hike nor an expensive flight to a distant land. We drove to the trailhead and hiked the well-maintained Eagle Bluff Trail before branching off on the long Bearpaw Sea Trail. This second trail was more of a trace — an inches wide pathway that showed little sign of use yet led us by blooming prickly pear cactus to our rocky perch.

Where on Earth were we? Grasslands National Park in Saskatchewan, Canada, about a 1,300-mile drive from Cedar Rapids. Few people have heard of the park, and only about 25,000 people visit its approximately 224,000-acre expanse. Iowans might contrast that with nearby Palisades-Kepler State Park. It hosts about 10 times more annual visitors on only 840 acres. Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park is slightly larger than Grasslands yet hosts 4.5 million people each year.

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Visitation is low for a host of reasons. The park is relatively new. Established in 1981 it was created by the Canadian government by buying land from willing sellers, a process that continues. It’s not on a direct road to other tourist attractions, and it’s remote. Headquarters is in Val Marie, a hamlet of about 100 people some 60 miles north of Malta, Montana, a small town itself.

Perhaps a reason for low visitation is the grasslands themselves. When both Canada and the United States began creating national parks, starting with Yellowstone in 1872, governments chose places with spectacular scenery, magnificent geology and diverse wildlife. Grasslands were considered places to transform into ranches and farms or be ignored as worthless land, not to protect and cherish. Where native grasses once clothed about 40 percent of the land only about 5 percent of it remains today. Although grasslands are a vital American ecotype, they were neglected for decades.

Fortunately, that’s changing, and the beauty of wide-open grassy places is increasingly valued and appreciated. Unfortunately, so much grassland has been altered by agriculture that few large expanses remain to be protected.

Parks Canada recognized the need to add a prairie park to its system. It identified areas in Southern Saskatchewan as possible locations. Today the park includes two large, discontinuous but nearby areas called the East and West Blocks. Although there is no plan to connect them, each block protects grassland habitats and welcomes visitors. Some of the land is native prairie that was never cultivated, while other areas are being restored.

Grasslands National Park hugs the U.S. Border north of Eastern Montana. Headquarters and a modest visitor center are in Val Marie. We stopped in and were greeted with hearty calls of “Bon Jour! Hello!” as Canada acknowledges their bilingual heritage. After chatting with staff and sharing where we were from, we bought our entry permits and picked up trail maps. Our excitement about adventures before us grew as we learned about trails, buttes and wildlife.

What’s there?

Unique geology adds to the park’s wildlife, hiking and scenery. The name Bearpaw Sea Trail baffled us! Neither a sea nor bears are in the area, so we asked park communication specialist Lisa Leuty about the name. She cleared up the mystery.

“The ancient Bearpaw Sea once was here,” she said. We also wondered about the thousands of smooth round rocks we spotted, often covered with colorful lichens. “The Frenchman Valley is a glacial meltwater channel, and it’s likely ice smoothed the rocks,” she told us.

We stayed at The Convent Inn Bed and Breakfast, one of the few lodgings in Val Marie. The boxy brick building once housed a convent and school. It had been abandoned and was in disrepair when Robert and Mette Ducan bought it decades ago, saving it from demolition. With their children they transformed it into comfortable lodging in town.

Today Mette and her son, Adam, skillfully and warmly host guests. They share the story of The Convent, point out renovated features and invite visitors to explore other unique aspects of the BnB. Across the street is the Val Marie Campground, complete with restroom and shower facilities, which welcomes tents and RVs. Other lodgings include a park campground and several other bed-and-breakfasts.

A favorite place to stay is The Crossing at Grasslands tucked into the rolling land about three miles south of the village. Hosts Neil Ward and Susan Howard, tell a similar story of renovating and repurposing the property into comfortable and stylish vacation suites. Playfully calling themselves “blow-ins,” or newcomers to the land, they host scientists, photographers and birders who seek to absorb the quiet and dark skies of this magical ecosystem.

They also are guardians of Mary’s Labyrinth, one of several Legacy Labyrinths scattered across the globe. These special labyrinths focus specifically on walking for peace and healing. It was the labyrinth that initiated our visit to The Grasslands.

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We day hiked and drove sections of the Ecotour Scenic Drive, an approximately 50-mile circular route on an all-weather gravel road. Along it we spotted bison, deer, antelope, and jack rabbits. On the northern range were prairie dogs, and we enjoyed watching the social rodents at a big dog town near the road. Burrowing owls fluttered around the cute rodents. We also kept watch for prairie rattlesnakes but saw none.

The park’s a magnet for grassland bird species. While hiking we were rarely out of earshot of one of the most musical sounds in nature — the call of the Western Meadowlark. An osprey nest with young was built in one of the few dead trees in the area. Spotted towhees and curlews were among the many other species we saw.

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Part way down the West Block’s Ecotour Scenic Drive is Frenchman Valley Campground, which, surprisingly, has electric hookups, a shelter building, four comfortable oTENTik units — small cabins with fabric roofs — and even, gasp, Wi-Fi! The East Block also has a campground. Reservations are recommended. The more adventurous are welcome to acquire a backcountry camping permit and hike to a wild and gorgeous place to set up their tent.

Beware the siren call of this harsh land of beauty

Saskatchewan is a vast province of about 252,000 square miles, or five times larger than Iowa, yet only 1.2 million people call it home. The province stretches from semiarid prairies in the south to vast forests and lakes up north. Most people live toward the southern end.

While Saskatchewan’s prairie country is indeed beautiful, it experiences long harsh, dark winters. A park employee told us his backyard had snow from October until April. Summers can be blistering hot and wind is common. We were there during the summer solstice and enjoyed perfect weather with daily high temperatures in the 70s, followed by nights that dipped into the mid-40s. We were so far north that the sun didn’t set until well after 9 p.m. with light lingering past 10 p.m. By 4 a.m. the eastern sky began to brighten. With no cities nearby, the park is one of the world’s best places to see stars, and the best viewing is during colder dark months.

Know your metrics

A park educator joked about Americans using the English measurement system while Canadians use metric. “It’s never confusing during a cold winter day — 40 below zero is the same in both centigrade and Fahrenheit,” she quipped.

Making conversions is fairly easy. For example, a kilometer is about .6 miles, so if a sign proclaims the speed limit as 90 we multiplied that by .6 and kept the car at 54 miles an hour. Gas is sold in liters.

Visiting Canada

During COVID-19 the border was closed, but Canadians now welcome visitors. Because Montana, North Dakota, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are all lightly populated, many border crossings are along small highways. We drove north from Malta, Montana, and crossed into Canada at Morgan-Monchy, south of Val Marie. The U.S. side of the border is only open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on week days. That’s typical of many rural crossings.

Saskatchewan uses only standard time, so be sure to research when crossings are open on both sides of the border, and the actual time in that zone.

We showed a Canadian border agent our passports. After a few questions and a hearty, “Enjoy Canada,” we were waved through. Crossing back into the United States a few days later was also quick and easy with similar questions. We knew to not attempt to bring fresh foods, firearms, or liquor over the border. Instead, we carried several days of dehydrated backpacker’s meals, canned tuna and crackers. Our credit card worked for purchases.

Until recently we’d never even heard of Grasslands National Park. Our five-day visit convinced us it’s one of the most wondrous places we’ve ever experienced. We hope to return.