Communities are shrinking, getting smaller and smaller until they eventually won’t exist at all. We got to learn all about the local economy and how most of it is now dwindling away. Over the last century, farming communities moved in, as well as various mines. Of course, there’s more modern history in the area as well. I can only imagine the beautiful picture that would have been if only cameras existed back then. This way, in addition to having less wind, other tribes who wanted to witness the ceremony but not directly be a part of it could look down from higher points.
They were held on top of a coulee with views of the surrounding area but never on the highest one. We were told that these circles would have held important ceremonies – possibly marriages and things like that. As we stood high up on a coulee, standing next to an ancient prayer circle, it was easy to imagine the area with thousands of First Nations peoples dotting the landscapes. We also got to visit ancient aboriginal stone effigies, which added to the mystery of the area. The stories that Leanne shared with us are fascinating and it’s just one of the things we loved about the tour. After all, the American police force couldn’t follow you into a new country if they lost sight of you – and the bad guys knew that. You can see the border from the caves, which is why these sandstone ravines were such a great place to hide. In fact, the caves that we visited are just 12 miles from the US border. Back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the sweeping landscapes and seemingly endless coulees, which extend from Saskatchewan to Montana, provided an easy place to “disappear” from the police. Well, some of the famed bandits, including Sam Kelly, Dutch Henry, and the Sundance Kid, used the Big Muddy Badlands as hideouts during their horse-stealing days. From cowboys to outlaws, almost everyone is fascinated by those relatively lawless days. Here we met our guide, Leanne, who would be giving us a Big Muddy private tour around this beautiful and historic area.ĭespite it being 2019, the old-fashioned romance of the wild-west days remains. We passed by many small communities and farmland along the way before arriving at the visitor centre in Coronach, SK.
With many of the attractions being located on private land, not to mention all the historical information you’d miss out on, guided tours are really the only way to do it.īig Muddy Saskatchewan – Small Towns, Outlaws, and First NationsĪfter spending a week exploring some of the best things to do in Regina, it was time to jump back in the vehicle and head out into the vastness of Southern Saskatchewan. This is where a small team of locals offers guided tours of the Big Muddy badlands. It all starts in a little town called Coronach. In fact, It was mainly Castle Butte that encouraged us to visit the area, but after taking a full-day guided tour, we were equally impressed by everything else we saw and experienced. Located in Big Muddy Valley, Castle Butte is just one of the attractions that inspire people to visit here from all over the world (Don’t let that scare you though. In a land that often gets criticized for being so flat, Big Muddy’s Castle Butte rises up to challenge that misconception.
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