About Saskatoon Island
Saskatoon Island Provincial Park is a very small provincial park located in Northern Alberta on the south shore of Saskatoon Lake. The park covers just 1.2km2 The park got its name from a large island that used to be located in the middle of the lake. The native Cree used to pick saskatoon berries on this island for use in pemmican (a calorie rich food that first nations created for survival using dried meats and berries). In 1919, the water level dropped and the island became part of the mainland. This new mainland became the provincial park in 1932.
There is a former townsite on the northern banks of the lake from a settlement once known as “Lake Saskatoon” which was abandoned in 1924 after the Grande Prairie-Grande Cache Railway passed 9km away from the village.
In 1948, Saskatoon Island was declared a Federal Migratory Bid Sanctuary and today conservation is a huge focus of the park.
See All Alberta Provincial Parks
Summer at Saskatoon Island
Saskatoon Island is a popular place for campers in the summertime. There is a wide range of activities such as hiking (interpretive on over 14km of trails), picnicing, trail running, mountain biking, birding, geocaching, wildlife viewing, and camping. There are also facilities such as a baseball diamond, a volleyball court, basketball court, and horseshoes.
Water activities includes canoeing/kayaking. Due to the conservation focus of Saskatoon Island, there isn’t any power boats allowed on the lake, and it is unsuitable for swimming.
The park is wheelchair friendly.
Winter at Saskatoon Island
In the wintertime, snowshoeing and cross country skiing are popular activities at Saskatoon island. Snowshoers shouldn’t snowshoe on the cross country ski trails as it does damage them making it more difficult for skiers. Snowmobiles are allowed on the lake also but staging isn’t allowed within the park.
Camping at Saskatoon Island
The campground is nestled alongside the lake. It includes all different kinds of camping between May 18th and October 9th.
| Type of Site | Amount Available | Cost/Night |
|---|---|---|
| Power (15/30 amp) | 55 | $40.00 |
| Walk In Tenting | 5 | $32.00 |
| Unserviced Campsites | 48 | $32.00 |
Distances to Alberta Cities
Distance to Calgary: 723km
Distance to Edmonton: 479km
Distance to Red Deer: 600km
Distance to Lethbridge: 951km
Distance to Grande Prairie: 24km
Coordinates: 55°12’22.4″N 119°05’49.1″W
