Explore the road trip gems in little towns northwest of Moose Jaw

Summer is approaching which means the itch to get out on the road is here, and the good news is there’s plenty of interesting road trip stops to the west and northwest of Moose Jaw that can be reached in no time at all. On any regular year you can be assured that business is as usual but as we continue to go through the pandemic this year 2021, the road trip will be a great adventure in itself but due to social restrictions, there may be some venues and events that won’t be open or are cancelled. You may want to call in advance to see if a stop will be available for a tour or visit. For the full experience, here’s a weekend route that loops all the way through six small prairie towns that may surprise you with their interesting amenities, events, artists and tourism spots. First, head west from Moose Jaw on Highway 1 to the first stop on the tour: Mortlach. This little village, located about 30 minutes from the city, has a bustling downtown food and shopping atmosphere worth a visit. The Mortlach Museum offers the opportunity to take a photo inside the town’s original jail cell and provides a great history of the area — where the first archaeological dig in Saskatchewan in 1954 took place.

The village is also famous for its annual Saskatoon Berry Festival, typically held in June, which draws enormous crowds to enjoy music, activities and delicious pies. Juno-Award-winning singer-songwriter Megan Nash also hails from the Mortlach area and often performs at the festival and other nearby events. Continuing west for another 30 minutes, head over to the village of Chaplin for more touristy attractions. With a municipal campground, public outdoor pool and designated dog park, Chaplin makes for a great rest stop along Highway 1.

It’s also known for its prime birdwatching opportunities, as the village is home to the Chaplin Shorebird Reserve and Chaplin Nature Centre. Chaplin Lake is a very important part of the Western Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve Network and sees over 100,000 shorebirds migrate through the area per year, with May and August the prime times for birdwatching. Turning northwards at Chaplin on Highway 19, continue on for 30 minutes down the road to Central Butte — the amenities hub in the area.

With two restaurants, a grocery store, pharmacy, several banks and the Palliser Plains Co-op gas station, convenience store and lumber yard, Central Butte is the place to stop for a bite to eat or to refuel. On really hot days, you can also cool off with a visit to the Lett’s Play Splash Park, or take a break from the car by playing a few holes on the town’s 9-hole disc golf course, which offers a nice walk throughout the community. Artist Bill Philpott, known for his acrylic paintings of prairie landscapes and ranch life, also calls Central Butte home, with a gallery of his work available to tour by appointment located in his home. From Central Butte at the junction of Highway 19

The Saskatoon Berry Festival in Mortlach is a wildly popular event. The Chaplin Nature Centre offers birdwatching opportunities and tours through the Chaplin Lake nature area.

The Lett’s Splash Play Park is a popular spot in Central Butte during the summer.

Artist Bill Philpott and his home gallery are located in Central Butte. and Highway 42, travellers can head west towards Riverhurst and Lake Diefenbaker, or turn east and head for the village of Eyebrow, just 20 minutes down the road.

Eyebrow is best known for its annual Hometown Fair in July, the only one of its kind still running in the area. Festivities always include a horse show, children’s rodeo events, slow-pitch tournament and pie contest. The fair also holds a household arts display contest and silent auction, and wraps the day up with an evening dance and fireworks show. Maunders Greenhouse is also located just outside of Eyebrow, with a locally grown selection of flowers and plants best visited in the spring. As a little detour, it’s also worth considering heading ten minutes north from Eyebrow on Highway 367 to stop in the tiny village of Tugaske. Artist Joan Foulston, an acrylic painter best known for her nature-inspired work on stones, lives just outside the village. Foulston occasionally offers private tours of her studio and yard space by request. Tugaske is also home to well-known luthier David Freeman, who custom-builds beautiful string instruments like guitar. Tugaske Regional Library also organizes lots of activities in the area, including things like local garden tours and archery lessons, and the town has Continuing down Highway 42 from Eyebrow, things wrap in Brownlee with one final stop to celebrate the successful road trip: Smooth 43 Distillery.

The locally-owned business is located inside the tiny village’s old skating rink and is known across Canada for its unique Crea8 Vodka, featuring on the hit show Dragon’s Den in the 2020 season. The distillery offers tours and tastings regularly throughout the week, as well as an offsale stocked with its products. It’s also a great place to do cheers to a great roadtrip, and the next step is to continue down to Highway 2 before looping back home to the Friendly City — after travelling 240 kilometres for some small-town adventures.

Eyebrow’s Hometown Fair features all the traditional fair activities, including a horse show. Artist Joan Foulston is best known for her intricate acrylic paintings done on slate rock and other natural objects.

Tugaske Library is the library with the little yellow door on Main Street.

Smooth 42 Distillery in Brownlee is one of Saskatchewan’s many local distilleries.