Grasslands National Park

Grasslands National Park is a Canadian national park in southern Saskatchewan that protects one of the last extensive areas of mixed-grass prairie in Canada. The park conserves prairie grassland, badlands terrain and associated wildlife.

Wildlife highlights include plains bison, pronghorn and prairie dogs, as well as bird species associated with open grassland. The park offers hiking, wildlife viewing and interpretive drives rather than dense forest trails.

The protected area is organized into separated units, often referred to as the West Block and East Block, which conserve different sections of prairie and badlands. Management focuses on preserving native grassland processes and species.

The park is located in southern Saskatchewan; the village of Val Marie serves as the main local access point for visitors to the West Block and to nearby prairie landscapes.

• Ecosystem importance: One of Canada's few protected areas that preserves mixed-grass prairie ecosystems, with native grasses, badlands outcrops and species adapted to semi-arid conditions.
• Visitor access: Val Marie is the small gateway community most commonly used by visitors to the park's West Block.

What to See #

• West and East Blocks: The park comprises separate units commonly referred to as the West Block and East Block, preserving distinct tracts of mixed-grass prairie and badlands terrain.