MAKWA PROVINCIAL PARK

 

Makwa Provincial Park is a small lesser known park located northeast of North Battleford and just south of the Meadow Lake Provincial Park. Hiking in the Makwa Provincial Park is limited to a handful of small trails but the park offers a great opportunity for a weekend of camping and fishing for those who are looking to spend more of a weekend relaxing. 

 

This location was explored by Fina Nelson, a Saskhiker friend. If you have a location you would like to share with the community reach out to us by clicking here. 

 

Makwa and Jumbo Lake make up the park and a great place to bring a boat or a canoe and spend the day on the water. 

 

For hiking in Makwa Provincial Park there are a couple small marked trails that are a perfect way to spend an afternoon or a day. The Makwa Provincial Park sits on the edge of the boreal forest so there are many opportunities to walk through towering trees. The trails are well groomed and maintained. 

 

Winter camping is available at this park, the hiking trails are groomed for cross country skiing.  

The park has 6 short trails that you can venture on with the longest being a short 2.4km. The trails are well marked and easy to navigate. 

 

The hiking trails at Makwa Provincial Park will not test your abilities but they do offer a quick nature retreat. The trails are usually quiet and you will not encounter someone else on them

 

A larger hike Fina accomplished while here was a route that took her along Big and Little Jumbo Lake. The route she took was launching from Mewasin Beach following along both the lakes, they eventually reached the sewer dump off point and followed the road back. This hike was 11.8km long.  

 

There are not enough trails here do just go for a hiking-only trip, so if you are spending a lot of time so make sure you bring your bathing suit to take a dip in the lake and have a beach day. If you have access to a kayak or a canoe this is also a great place to launch a boat and tour around the connected lakes. 

 

The Makwa Provincial Park is also the site of the Battle of Loon Lake. The last battle fought on Canadian soil during the Louis Riel Resistance. The battle took place at Steele Narrows, which located between Makwa Lake and Sanderson Bay. The location is commemorated with signs through the area. Steele Narrows conserves the lookout point of a Cree burial ground. 

 

 

SaskHIker Recommendation

 

Try and book a campsite that is along one of the lakes. You can't get much better sites in a park than you can at Makwa Provincial Park. 

 

You can request certain sites when booking. There a few sites to pick from so refer to the map to find which one will best suit you. 

 

Getting There

 

Makwa Provincial Park is located on Highway 26 just west of the town of Loon Lake. 

 

Follow Highway 26 northeast of North Battleford for 180km and you basically run into the park.