Road map Ponteix city surrounding area (Saskatchewan, Canada)

In this sector of Saskatchewan, the rolling and hilly upland,  with its forests and meadows, gives way to seemingly boundless, bone-dry  prairie. At the base of the high ground lie small, widely scattered  villages such as Eastend, famed for its fossils discoveries. Ranches,  dryland farms, and oil fields drive the local economy. Grasslands  National Park, still being assembled, protects the region's rare and  often endangered plant and animal life.

Eastend [c1] This village is situated in a fossil-rich region.  In 1994, a near-complete 13 m Tyrannosaurus rex, one of the few in the  world, was unearthed here. At Eastend Fossil Research Station, visitors  with an interest in the primeval can tour excavation sites, or help  staff dig for prehistoric remains. Eastend Museum and Cultural Centre  has pioneer items as well as fossils. Bin the late 1800s, this vicinity  was the eastern base for a North West Mounted Police detachment from  Fort Walsh-hence, the town's name. In 1914, a rail link was extended to  the community that grew up nearby. Within six years, Eastend was  incorporated as a village.

Grasslands National Park [E6-E8] This parkin-progress consists  of two spacious blocks of mixed grass prairie. At present, the park is  450 km2, but it will be twice that size on completion. In the west  block, the high ground is divided by Frenchman River valley. The broad  valley is bordered by gently rolling hills, grassy coulees, and steep  ravines. In the east block, sandstone and shale pinnacles, buttes, and  moraines provide evidence of ages of glacial action and erosion. True to  its name, the park preserves blue grama, spear, and dozens of other  indigenous grasses. It is home to pronghorn antelopes, mule deer, and  rattlesnakes, as well as many rare or endangered creatures. "Prairie dog  towns"-under-ground networks created by colonies of busy, burrowing  black-tailed prairie dogs-are park wonders.

Drivers in the park are advised to stay on the public roads  because much of the land is still privately owned. Access to the west  block is via Val Marie (see below).      

Ponteix [B6] Notukeu Heritage Museum has one of western  Canada's largest archaeological collections, which preserves native  weapons and tools, some dating back 10,000 years. The museum is in  Ponteix's Centre Cultural Royal, a social and cultural hub for this  community. The 40-m-high spire of Our Lady of Auvergne Roman Catholic  Church is Ponteix's prominent landmark. A full-scale model of a  70-million-year-old plesiosaur fossil, discovered locally, stands guard  south of the town.      

Shaunavon [B3] Local folk still talk about the day Shaunavon  supplied its thirst-quenching cold spring water to King George VI and  Queen Elizabeth (now Queen Mother) when the royals' train halted during  their 1939 cross-Canada tour. The 1927 Court House, with a  copper-sheathed door and an elegant interior, is Shaunavon's finest  landmark. Grand Coteau Heritage and Cultural Centre serves as a  repository of pioneer and natural history exhibits.      

Val Marie [D5] A visitors center for the west block of  Grasslands National Park is located here. It is the starting point for  guided walks to the park's major sites. Before setting out on one of the  walks, visitors can inspect Perrault's Museum, where the collection  includes fossils, antiques, native artifacts, and paintings.      

ATTRACTIONS      

EASTEND      

Eastend Fossil Research Station      

Eastend Museum and Cultural Centre      

Chimney Coulee      

Wilkinson Memorial Observatory      

PONTEIX      

Notukeu Heritage Museum      

Our Lady of Auvergne Roman Catholic Church      

SHAUNAVON      

Grand Coteau Heritage and Cultural Centre      

VAL MARIE      

Grasslands National Park (Visitors Centre)      

Perrault's Museum