When October arrives in Val Marie, Saskatchewan, Grasslands National Park sheds its summer calm and adopts a pulse filled with raw energy. The Fall Wildlife Festival offers more than just a hike—it’s a chance to engage with a landscape fiercely itself, where every rustle and shadow draws you deeper into prairie wilderness alive with deer bounding and raptors circling the cold breeze overhead.

Start your exploration with the Prairie Dog Town Trail, a manageable 3.6 km loop featuring gentle elevation changes under 60 meters. The terrain is a mix of shortgrass prairie dotted with rocky outcrops and patches of sagebrush. The trail surfaces range from packed dirt paths to occasional loose gravel, requiring solid footing but nothing overly technical. As you move, listen. The prairie whispers through the grass, daring you to spot the swift movements of burrowing animals and the steady glide of hawks hunting.

The festival aligns with the park’s peak wildlife activity. Morning hikes showcase mule deer venturing from shelter and sharp-tailed grouse performing their courtship dances amid stirring wind currents. Midday heat softens, and the landscape stretches into an open canvas of yellows and burnt siennas, the grassland sun shifting the colours with measured indifference.

Be prepared for sharp temperature swings: chilly mornings greet you with biting air that the winds tease forward, but afternoons warm quickly under open skies. Hydration is paramount; carry at least two liters of water and wear sturdy boots with ankle support to navigate uneven terrain and occasional hidden holes in the prairie grass. Timing your visit for early mornings or late afternoons ensures cooler temps and prime wildlife sightings.

Beyond guided walks and talks, the festival offers workshops on local flora identification and hands-on activities encouraging citizen science participation. It’s not just a passive view; nature invites you for an active conversation. The park’s resident bison herd embodies prairie resilience—approaching them requires respect and distance.

Val Marie provides a practical base for your adventure—a small but charming town offering cozy accommodations and local eateries serving prairie-inspired fare. Wilderness meets community here, grounding your experience with thoughtful hospitality.

This festival is an invitation to walk the line between calm and wild, to witness a prairie ecosystem that pushes back against the everyday, still shaped by fire, wind, and tenacity. It’s a chance to learn, observe, and engage with nature that demands respect—not submission. Expect brisk winds, sharp eyes, and a story told by the land itself, waiting to be read in every footprint and flight overhead.