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During my 3 Day Diefenbaker Lake Camping Adventure my friend and I visited Douglas and Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Parks. Both parks have some great hiking trails, beaches, and campsites.
Saskatoon to Douglas Provincial Park – 1 1/2 hours
Douglas Provincial Park – Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park (through Swift Current) – 2 hours 10 minutes
Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park – Saskatoon – 2 hours 25 minutes
Douglas Provincial Park has some of the biggest camping sites that I have ever stayed at. If you are tent camping I suggest you stay at Homestead campground. This is where I stayed and it is more private that the other ones available. As a side note, there is a slew behind this campsite but we did not notice any more mosquitoes than normal
The Sunset trail can be done in under an hour, and takes you through a nicely treed area which eventually leads to views of the beach. During this hike you will also go by the walk-in sites the park offers, which are really nice and private. They are less than a five minute walk from the trail head.
The Dunes Trail takes about 1 hour 20 minutes to complete. Though I recommend taking more time. Unfortunately when I was here we only had 1 1/2 hours to do the trail, and there was so much more you could explore. It looks like the further you go into the dunes the better the scenery.
**There are ticks in the area, so its a good idea to wear OFF with deet.**
After visiting Saskatchewan Landing I have to say that it is one of my favorite parks. I think it might be because the landscape is so different than the forested areas of North Central Sask. To get to Sask Landing I would suggest taking the route through Swift Current and stopping for lunch.
This diner was such a good find. Whenever I travel I always try to find restaurants that are local over the big chains. I believe I got some kind of brisket hash, but really… the moment I saw their “all day breakfast” option I was in. The dish changes daily and starts at $17.
There are four main campgrounds in park, along with a number of privatized ones. The Bearpaw Campground has an ice cream/ restaurant shop, as well as the showers. I would say it probably has the most amenities, but is more open than some of the other ones. We stayed in the Riverside Campground, which has sites with a beach view.
Do not make the same mistake I did! Riverside campground looked great. It is beach side along Lake Diefenbaker, and very picturesque. However, Diefenbaker Lake is huge, and also in a valley. This causes very persistent winds, that makes sitting by your campfire almost impossible. These spots are more ideal for trailers. There are more treed in campsites in the back, but it is still far windier than other places in the park. If I ever went back I would stay in Nighthawk Campground that is right across the road with views of the rolling hills.
The one hike we chose to do was the Ridges and Ravines Trail. You can do this trail in under an hour, and has some great views once you get to the top. The trail head is across the road from Bearpaw Campground, where the woodpile is. If you wanted to have a snack or lunch along the way, there is a rest stop with a picnic table about halfway up.