Taking in the
view atop Hidden
Conglomerate Cliffs
One Park, Two Provinces
A weekend getaway to Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park
BY ASHLYN GEORGE
corner of
Alberta, crossing into Saskatchewan,
is the highest point in Canada east of
the Rocky Mountains. Reaching up
to 1,466 metres above sea level, the
beautiful Cypress Hills are protected
within Canada’s first and only interprovincial park.
The 38,000-hectare park is an easy
66-kilometre drive from Medicine Hat.
It’s split into three blocks: the Alberta
side, the West Block wilderness area,
which crosses the border, and the
Saskatchewan-side Centre Block.
Cypress Hills offers so much to
explore in terms of geology, history
and adventure activities that it can be
difficult to know where to start. Try
this three-day itinerary for your foray
into the great outdoors.
ASHLYN GEORGE
TUCKED INTO THE SOUTHEAST
DAY ONE
Begin your adventure on the Alberta
side of the park in the Elkwater townsite. Choose from one of the many
campgrounds or check into the
Elkwater Lake Lodge and Resort for
a few more creature comforts. The
resort’s restaurant, Buglers Dining
Room & Lounge, offers a menu loaded
with locally sourced produce.
While exploring flora and fauna
along the 50 kilometres of hiking and
biking trails, try “geocaching”—a
popular activity for hikers and other
outdoorsy types that involves burying
containers filled with hidden treasure
at specific GPS points. If you can find
the Elkwater Magnet Cache, help yourself to a fridge magnet—but be sure
to leave one, too.
To cool off after finding your treasure, rent a paddleboard, canoe or
kayak at the Boat and Bike Rental
Booth. Or try to reel in a northern pike
or yellow perch from Elkwater Lake.
End your day with a drive up to
Horseshoe Canyon viewpoint for a prairie sunset. On a clear night, visibility
spans up to 100 kilometres, so you might
spot Medicine Hat in the distance.
DAY TWO
Head to the Saskatchewan side of
the park: From Elkwater townsite,
take Highway 515 east toward Maple
Creek, turning onto highway 271 to
access the West Block wilderness area.
Make a mouth-watering pit stop
at the award-winning Cypress Hills
Vineyard and Winery. Enjoy a self- »
AMA INSIDER
SUMMER 2016
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