Nipawin is a charming Saskatchewan town with a passionate snowmobiling community. The sport is extremely important to the economic and cultural character of the town, and the residents are proud to promote this fact. There are also several businesses in Nipawin that cater to sledding enthusiasts every year.
“(The community is) very accommodating,” said Sheila Pankratz of Seasons Edge Recreation. “They actually have these big banners they put up every winter, saying ‘welcome snowmobilers.’ We get lots of that—there are a lot of (snowmobile-friendly) accommodations.”
The excitement of sledding on the area’s interconnected trails is one that appeals to riders of all ages and skill levels. With more than 300 kilometres of groomed trails—not to mention the popular Trans-Canadian Snowmobile Trail—the opportunities are practically inexhaustible. The terrain is not only surrounded by incredible scenery, but is also safe and pleasant to ride.
Another noteworthy aspect of Nipawin is its central location. Visitors can book a motel in town, and after exploring Nipawin they can travel a short distance to sample other sledding territory.
“Tisdale now has a club, so they are grooming and you can go on over (there to ride),” said Pankratz. “You can go over to Greenwater, Hudson Bay, Candle Lake (and) Little Bear. You can go quite a ways.”
A premium playground
Nipawin is surrounded by land that is ideal for those who like to hit the trails, and it attracts different groups and demographics of sledders depending on the time of year and also the events or holidays that are taking place.
“We are actually quite lucky in this area,” said Pankratz. “We have a lot of farmland too, so there is a lot of really good cross-country snowmobiling. We have (many) people that skip on and off the trail. We have both (family and non-family riders). (At) February break and Christmastime you see more families, and then in between we see more (non-family) groups and, of course, the Prairie Women on Snowmobiles. We get a mixture.”
