The highest point of land in Saskatchewan, the Cypress Hills are covered with pine forests, grasslands and rare wildflowers. The main entrance to the Centre Block of the Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park lies about 25 kilometers northwest of the Spring Valley Guest Ranch.
Canada’s first and only Inter-Provincial Park
Cypress Hills. 1,392 metres. 4,567 feet
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Altitude | 1,392 m, 4,567 ft |
| Location | 49° 40′ 00” N – 109° 30′ 00” W, 49° 33′ N, 109° 59′ W |
| NTS Map | 072 F/11 |
| Calendar | N/A |
| Parks | Cypress Hill Inter Provincial Park |
| Fast Facts | CAPITAL: Regina, Saskatchewan PROVINCIAL FLOWER: Western Red Lily PROVINCIAL BIRD: Sharp-tailed Grouse PROVINCIAL TREE: White Birch |
| Web Links | www.cd.gov.ab.ca www.peakbagger.com www.ocanada.com go.hrw.com www.sasktelwebsite.net www.hpedsb.on.ca www.virtualsk.com |
History
The highest point in Saskatchewan, an officially unnamed elevation in the Cypress Hills, rises to 1,392 metres near the Alberta border. (The Cypress Hills rise even higher, to 1,465 metres, farther west in Alberta.) Early French voyageurs identified the jack pine as a cyprès, and this was rendered as “Cypress” on the map of the Palliser report of 1857-60.
The highest spot (1392 metres or 4567 ft. above sea level) is in the Cypress Hills in the southwest corner of the province. The Cypress Hills are the highest point in Canada between the Rocky Mountains & Labrador.
Cypress Hills has always been a lush retreat, rich in wildlife. For at least 7,000 years, nomadic Plains Indians wintered here because the hills were an excellent source of food, fuel, furs and building materials – lodgepole pines made excellent travois, teepee poles and, as their name implies, lodges. An additional attraction for the Indians was the Chinook breeze from the west, which made for a much milder winter than the one experienced on the Great Plains below.
Fort Walsh National Historic Site of Canada
Routes
Highway 271 southwest of Maple Creek, about 75 m in driving distance from Maple Creek.
Highpoint marked 4567 on map 72 F/12 Hungerford Lakes, 110m south of the road. Privately owned land.