Labour Day long weekend spells unofficial end to the Sask. camping season

Saskatchewan’s short camping season is unofficially coming to an end this Labour Day weekend.

While campers can continue to use the provincial parks, many amenities will be shut off on Tuesday.

Southwest of Saskatoon, campers at Pike Lake Provincial Park traveled from far and wide to soak in the final days of the Saskatchewan summer.

Two campers from Saskatoon took another step in enjoying the nature by biking out to Pike Lake — camping supplies and all — to really get into the spirit.

Christopher Delainey and his partner travel out to camp around four times a year. This weekend, they decided to make the trek out on two wheels.

“It was pretty good, we stopped at the Berry Barn on our way here, so it broke it up,” Delainey said, adding that he plans to do some more camping in the fall and in the winter.

For most campers, their trips to the campground include a vehicle and either an RV or a tent.

Ken Goosen and his camper trailer traveled out to Saskatchewan from Calgary to take in Saskatoon’s Nutrien Fireworks Festival.

He said it’s all about getting away from the city and enjoying nature and his surroundings.

“It’s just to get away, and have some really fresh air and really fresh environment,” Goosen said, noting he’s been camping his entire life.

Saskatoon’s Otto Schriemer and his family brought both a tent and a trailer, and he said he usually gets out about four or five times during the summer.

“It’s nice to get away from the noise of the city,” said Schriemer, who added he’s not ready for summer to end.

“(I’ll miss) the greenery and the warm temperatures. Now, you’ve got to hunker down for the winter.”

Year one in the books for camping with recreational cannabis

The 2019 camping season was also the first with legalized cannabis in Canada.

Saskatchewan Provincial Parks allowed visitors to use recreational marijuana within campsites with the exception of the alcohol and cannabis ban on May long weekend.

Terry Grosz runs the Night Owl cabins at Pike Lake Provincial Park, and has seen the park throughout the season.

At first, Grosz was unsure what would change, but by the end of the year he said recreational pot hasn’t been an issue.

“I think the people that still smoke it still do it in their discreet ways … (But) it really didn’t effect (anything),” he said. “I was concerned about it, thinking: ‘Am I going to drive around and smell pot coming out of the campsites?’ Which doesn’t really fit with our environment here, but it wasn’t.”