Bloody history & green hills: Hiking the Battle Creek Trail in Saskatchewan, Canada
- Jul 30
- 3 min read
A glorious late summer. The sky is blue, the leaves are turning yellow, some bright red. The prairie alternates between yellow and green . A breathtaking display of color – interspersed with conifers and a few last colorful flowers. Rosehips hang from the bushes, and here and there are still berries. I hike through the Cypress Hills, which glow peacefully in the evening sun.
It's hard to imagine that red was once the only color here. The red of bloodshed.
Walking through the history of the Wild West
The Cypress Hills Massacre was an attack by American fur traders on a Nakoda (also called Nakota) camp in 1873, in which at least 26 people died.
The trigger was allegedly the theft of horses, which had, however, run away on their own.
The incident later led to the creation of the North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) and marked a turning point in Canadian history. For the first time, it became clear that the western part of the country would descend into chaos without effective law enforcement.
The image of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on their black horses was taken right here in Fort Walsh, their former headquarters in the Cypress Hills.
Fort Walsh later also played an important role in monitoring Sitting Bull and the Lakota who had fled to Canada after the Battle of Little Bighorn.
Key facts about the Battle Creek Trail
♡ Factor: ♡♡♡♡ ♡
Length : approx. 9 km
Difficulty: easy to medium
Highlight : Fort Walsh & the history of the Wild West
My tip: Be sure to take the short detour up to the red Parks Canada chairs.
From up there you have a wonderful view over Fort Walsh and the surrounding hills.
Especially in the late afternoon, the light up there is incredibly beautiful.
Round trip on the Battle Creek Trail
The nearly nine-kilometer-long circular hike on the Battle Creek Trail combines history and nature in a rather impressive way.
The path leads to:
through the hilly landscape of the Cypress Hills
passing abandoned forts
to the site of the Cypress Hills Massacre
The terrain is constantly undulating. The bus driver was definitely wrong: Saskatchewan is certainly not flat here – I'm working up quite a sweat hiking.
Horses and cattle graze on the hills. The golden colors of late summer make the landscape almost unrealistically beautiful.
Click on the first image to start the photo gallery.
Sweet town: Maple Creek
Maple Creek is a charming town near Cypress Hills. Here you'll find not only gas stations where you can refuel anytime and large stores where you can stock up on supplies before heading to Grassland National Park, but also lovely little shops selling candy, antiques, games, and handmade goods. There are also delightful cafes and nice restaurants . A great place to stop and replenish your supplies.
Click on the first image to start the photo gallery.
Information about the Battle Creek Trail & Fort Walsh
General information about Saskatchewan can be found on the Tourism Saskatchewan website.
Arrival
The easiest way to reach Saskatchewan is via Calgary. Flights with a layover from Frankfurt to Calgary are available, for example, with Condor or Air Canada . An electronic travel document (eTA) is required for entry into Canada .
From Calgary, you can continue your journey with a rental car. It's also possible to drop the car off at a different airport. I, for example, drove all the way to Toronto. While the rental fee is higher that way, you don't have to drive back.
The roads in Saskatchewan are a bit of an adventure. Many are just gravel roads.
Current information & opening hours
Current information on trail conditions and Fort Walsh National Historic Site opening hours can be found here: Parks Canada – Fort Walsh
There is an entrance fee for national parks in Canada.
If you're traveling for a longer period or plan to visit multiple national parks, the Parks Canada Discovery Pass is worthwhile . It's valid for one year at all Parks Canada facilities.
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