- Always travel with drinking water.
- Appropriate clothing for grasslands is to cover up, especially long pants, and sturdy closed toe shoes. Some feel more comfortable with walking sticks so feel free to bring one, or Sky Story supplies them for guest use.
- Seasonal car readiness: be sure to pack candles, blankets, especially October to April.
- Dogs or no dogs: Sky Story promotes an animal free guest room area for those with mild allergies. When bringing a dog to grasslands be sure to keep on a leash, watch for snakes and ticks (late spring/early summer), and other animals your dog should not engage with.
- Food: VM Grocery and Liquor is a fully stocked, licensed store in town but are closed Sundays and holidays. Sky Story offers a small dedicated guest fridge and access to the kitchen for light food prep. Coolers are a good idea to travel across the southwest.
- Accommodation when travelling the southwest is best arranged ahead of time.
- Driving conditions: Check the Highway Hotline here for current road conditions.
- Driving etiquette: A slight wave of the fingers or hand as you meet oncoming traffic indicates respect for others on the road.
- Be Mindful of Birds and Animals! Drive the speed limit or slower in specific weather conditions and lighting. Early morning and dusk are feeding times for animals. A honk of the horn is useful to prompt their movement away from the road.
Suggested Itineraries
(one page itineraries can be supplied upon request)
En Route from Regina to Val Marie:
- The Shurniak Art Gallery in Assiniboia is a wonderful interlude of gallery viewing.
- Big Beaver: Aust’s General Store (biggest general store in the southwest!) plus sacred effigy nearby (take some tobacco to leave on the earth if you visit the effigy).
- Coronach
- Rockglen
- Wood Mountain Rodeo Ranch Museum, and Wood Mountain Post Provincial Historic Park
- Mankota – best curly french fries in the southwest!
En Route from Saskatoon to Val Marie:
En Route from Medicine Hat/Calgary to Val Marie
- Red Rock Coulee Provincial Park (mind the rattle snakes)
- Medalta Historic Clay District
- Esplanade Art Gallery
- Town of Eastend and Ravenscrag
Header photo by James R. Page