Canadian Trails – Saskatoon’s River Path

A stretch of paved and dirt trails along the south Saskatchewan River can provide everything from an easy job to challenging workouts for any type of runner.

Jogging through the forest of willow,  aspen and chokecherry, with warblers  and finches darting across the path, it’s  easy to forget you’re passing through  the downtown core of a city of 250,000.  Emerging from one of the many woodchip,  dirt or crushed-rock trails of the  Meewasin Valley, the South Saskatchewan  River comes into view, as do the cathedrals,  hotels and building cranes dotting  Saskatoon’s skyline. The valley, which  takes its name from the Cree word for  “beautiful,” is home to more than 40k of  trails. Except for a 1k stretch where some  of the city’s oldest (and most expensive)  houses sit, the entire riverbank valley has  remained accessible to the public.

The Meewasin Valley Authority, the  product of a partnership between various  governments and the University of  Saskatchewan, has protected this corridor  from development and allowed wildlife to  thrive. Accessible from almost any point  along the river, whether inside or outside  the city, residents and visitors can walk,  run or bike on an ever-expanding network.  The marked, 12k urban loop bordered  by the Senator Sid Buckwold and Circle  Drive Bridges is a paved, multi-use section  on the ridge of the riverbank. However,  trail running enthusiasts can easily find  multiple, parallel dirt, grass or woodchip  routes closer to the water.

Near the south end of Saskatoon is  Gabriel Dumont Park, named for the military  leader of the Metis resistance of 1885.  Enter the parking lot just south of the corner  of 8th Street and Saskatchewan Crescent.  It’s a five minute drive or 20-minute jog  from downtown. Beginning near the  Trans Canada Trail pavilion, head south  on this gently rolling crushed rock, 3k trail  surrounded by waist-high natural grasslands  just metres from the shore.

If you are up for a bit longer workout,  take the trail up to the top of the bank just  before the newly constructed Circle Drive  South Bridge (complete with hanging sidewalk).  Do a 2k loop of the soft woodchips in  Diefenbaker Park before heading back.

A 10-minute drive south of the city,  the Beaver Creek Conservation Area  offers more challenging terrain than the  urban trails. Primarily an educational site  for school groups and researchers, trail  runners can find a wide variety of routes.  From the parking lot, there are several kilometres  of f lat, packed sand trail through  the grasslands. Once you’re warmed up,  run around beaver dams on one of the four  semi-wooded, narrow trails.

If you want to explore the other side  of the Meewasin, travel a few kilometres  north on Central Avenue past the Regional  Psychiatric Centre to a small dirt parking  lot. Here you’ll find the trailhead for  Crocus Prairie, an ecologically pristine  sight named for the flower which grows  there in abundance. It’s easy for even  seasoned athletes to get a tough 90-minute  workout using the Crocus route and the  adjoining Sutherland Beach trail. These  trails provide a view of Wanuskewin  Heritage Park across the river, an ancient  gathering site for First Nations peoples.