By Prince Albert National Park

Experience Winter Wonderland at the National Park

Waskesiu Snow Days

Jan 30, 2020 | 9:09 AM

Waskesiu Snow Days, February 14-23, 2020

Spend your winter break at the park and enjoy a week of activities with family and friends during Waskesiu Snow Days, February 14-23! Enjoy cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing, indoor skating and guided programs for the whole family. Visitors are encouraged to stop in at the Visitor Centre to plan their winter weekend getaway or day visit. While here, you can borrow winter kits including all you need to observe winter birds, investigate wildlife tracks, and identify snow crystals.

Waskesiu Snow Days guided interpretive programming

Visiting on the weekend? Come explore with us! Parks Canada’s interpreters are passionate about sharing stories, entertaining and educating while helping you create memories and inspiring connections with Prince Albert National Park’s natural landscape. Programs are open to all visitors with paid park entry and the program schedule is available on the event calendar now. Guided programs during Waskesiu Snow Days start at the campfire pit at Main Beach:

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February 14 & 15 and 21 & 22

7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Learn to navigate the winter night sky above you! Cozy up around the campfire and learn how Orion, the Big Dipper, and the Little Dipper point your way to other constellations. If the evening is cloudy, you can still join us to hear stories of the night sky.

Sparks in the Park

February 16, 22 and 23

2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Stay warm this winter! Learn how to light and maintain fires in different ways and then test your fire lighting skills in a race against others.

Winter wildlife is abundant

Winter is a great time of year to view wildlife. Elk, white-tailed deer, moose, red fox, wolf, and lynx are some of the larger mammals you may see. Watch for otters, fishers, martens, snowshoe hares, and weasels. Bird watchers may enjoy seeing over 30 species of birds that make Prince Albert National Park their winter home.

To increase your chances of seeing wildlife in the park, get outside and explore! Hike, snowshoe or ski the various trails, or take a drive along the many scenic roadways and look carefully across the frozen lakes for wolves, or visit the Narrows of Waskesiu Lake where otters often play in the open waters. Be cautious and stay off the ice – it is very thin near moving or open water.

It is important to remember that observing wildlife in their natural habitat is a privilege that comes with a responsibility to treat wildlife with the respect they deserve and need. Visitors are asked to respect all wildlife in order to help keep wildlife wild. That means never approach them, never feed them, and give them lots of space.

Parks Canada asks all visitors to get informed. Visitors should find out what wildlife lives in the national park by consulting the wildlife safety page before arriving, and speak with Parks Canada’s staff about how to behave appropriately around wildlife, upon arrival.

By respecting these guidelines, visitors will ensure that they have a safe and enjoyable experience and help keep wildlife wild.

Prepare for a safe winter visit

Visitor safety is of the utmost importance to Parks Canada and the Agency would like to remind visitors that thin ice may exist anywhere, at any time, in the winter season. Visitors should assess all ice before using it and never go onto ice alone. For more information on ice safety, visit the Canadian Red Cross or AdventureSmart.

When visiting Prince Albert National Park during the winter it is important to be aware of extra hazards such as cold temperatures and wind chill, storms, challenging travel conditions, and short daylight hours. To ensure a safe winter visit, check the forecast and road conditions, and prepare accordingly before leaving home. To learn more about staying safe while exploring the park during the winter, visit AdventureSmart.

Prince Albert National Park is open all year

Discover the park for the day or for your whole vacation – summer or winter! Local annual passes for individuals (Adult and Senior) can be purchased at a discounted rate of 20% from December 1, 2019 until March 31, 2020. These discounted passes can be purchased in-person at the Visitor Centre or by phoning in payment and shipping details. Regular Visitor Centre hours apply (8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Monday to Friday; and, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday).

Regular price Early Bird price

Family $80.23

Adult $40.06 $32.09

Senior $35.05 $28.00

Prince Albert National Park entry and service fees help support visitor services and facilities. This means that every time you visit, you are investing in the park — and in a legacy for future generations.

Winter adventures included in park entry fees

Prince Albert National Park daily entry fees and annual passes allow visitors to enjoy a range of unique winter experiences:

· Cross-country skiing – Snowfall has blanketed the park over the last few weeks and groomed ski trails are in great condition. There are both skate and classic ski trails with varying degrees of difficulty to take you on an adventure through the snow-covered forest. Updates on current trail conditions are available on the Prince Albert National Park trail conditions page.

· Snowshoeing – One of the oldest forms of winter transportation, the park offers a range of designated snowshoe and hiking routes close to Waskesiu or via easily accessible ploughed winter roads. Stop in at the Visitor Centre when you first arrive to get staff recommendations and local favorites.

· Enclosed Picnic Shelters – There are five enclosed shelters throughout the park during the winter, complete with wood stoves, making them the perfect sanctuary for a winter picnic. Firewood is provided so bring some special winter treats like s’more supplies and hot chocolate!

· Ice Fishing – Enjoy the warm sun and moderate temperatures by spending a day on the lake. Ice fishing season on Waskesiu Lake is open until March 31. A valid Prince Albert National Park fishing license is required and can be purchased at the park Visitor Centre upon arrival.

Need gear? Borrow equipment when you arrive!

Visitors are welcome to bring their own ski and snowshoeing equipment to the park. If they don’t have any, Prince Albert National Park has equipment available for loan to the public. The equipment can be borrowed and signed out at the Hawood Inn, located in the Waskesiu townsite.

There is a range of sizes of ski and snowshoe equipment for loan. It is recommended that visitors call ahead to see if the Hawood Inn has equipment that will fit them (306-663-5911). The equipment is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. There are adult and youth skis, poles, and boots, as well as two strollers with ski attachments available. The equipment is to be returned in good order within the day that it is borrowed. Equipment should not leave the park.

We’re here to help!

The Visitor Centre is OPEN DAILY, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday, and 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from Saturday to Sunday. Parks Canada team members can help plan visits and answer any questions: 306-663-4522 or pc.princealbertinfo.pc@canada.ca.