This new trail is located along Highway 6 on the south rim of the Qu’Appelle River Valley, 14 km south of Southey and 36 km north of Regina. The property that hosts the trail is managed by the Nature Conservatory of Canada through contributions in order to conserve the ecological significance of the area. As you walk the trail, you will see an expanse of native grasslands, woodlands, river and flood plains that is a home for aquatic and terrestrial species.
We are all part of this ecosystem, this community of living things with air, water, soil and minerals, interacting in a system. Biological diversity, also known as biodiversity, is the richness and variety of nature and wildlife species in our surroundings. An ecosystem with biodiversity is a healthy environment – for wildlife and humans- with high quality air and water.
This series of caches are only accessible on foot but can be found year round. You are never very far from the highway but there are no roads into the area. Please ensure you watch where you walk as there are lots of tripping hazards and lots of variety in terrain. Sturdy footwear is a must and have water with you as you will not find any that is safe to drink. Plan ahead and ensure someone knows you are on the trail as cell coverage is not guaranteed. It took me about 4 hours to walk the trail in its entirety, with stops along the way for caches and the great scenic views. At the time when these caches were placed, the trail was still under development, marked only by trail tape. By following the caches in order, you will be travelling along the planned trail route.
When you reach this part of the trail, you on on the back loop. This area is native grassland, never having been cultivated or farmed. It is prime habitat for over 60 species of tall, medium and short grass species and wildflowers and shrubs and trees. These plants are resilent to rain, winds, hot sun and even harsh cold and snow. The direction that the hill faces will depend on what species grow there, the south facing slopes across the valley hosting drought and heat tolerant plants while the north facing slopes support more wooded vegetation.