#Badlands guardian in saskatchewan how to

Known as the Saamis Teepee, it was originally constructed for the Calgary 1988 Winter Olympics as a tribute to Canada’s native heritage.īuilt entirely of steel and standing 215 feet tall, the tepee is ringed with 10 large circular storyboards depicting aspects of native culture and history. Perhaps the most iconic site to see in Medicine Hat is the world’s tallest teepee! It’s visible from almost everywhere and is right off the Trans-Canada Highway next to the visitor centre. Plus, it’s one of the sunniest cities in Canada, so if you’re looking for heat, this is the place to go! World’s Tallest Teepee

The city may be small, but there are some cool things to do in Medicine Hat.

Somewhere in the middle is Brooks, which is a great place to fill up your gas tank or have a quick bite to eat. It’s a fairly flat drive through the prairies, but once you get to Medicine Hat, you’ll start seeing more desertic badlands. If you’re driving into Alberta from Regina, Saskatchewan along the Trans-Canada, you’ll pass right through the middle of the city.Ĭalgary to Medicine Hat: Medicine Hat is a 3-hour drive south of Calgary. Medicine Hat is located right along the Trans-Canada Highway, making it an easy stop on a Canada road trip.

The Badlands Guardian, which sits east of Medicine Hat, is a geological formation that resembles the head of a medicine man when you look at it from the sky or from Google Maps. We don’t know if there’s any truth to any of it, but it’s a cool name no?īut there’s another cool factoid about the name Medicine Hat. Another legend tells of a battle long ago between the Blackfoot and the Cree in which a retreating Cree “Medicine Man” lost his headdress in the South Saskatchewan River. Several legends are associated with the name of a mythical “mer-man” river serpent named Soy-yee-daa-bee – the Creator – who appeared to a hunter and instructed him to sacrifice his wife to get mystical powers which were manifest in a special hat. In fact, it’s the Blackfoot word for the eagle tail feather headdress worn by medicine men. Even the city’s name comes from an ancient Blackfoot legend, as Medicine Hat is a loose translation of Saamis, a Blackfoot word which more accurately translates to ‘Medicine man’s hat’. Medicine Hat and the surrounding lands are steeped in local folklore.

#Badlands guardian in saskatchewan how to

In this travel guide to Medicine Hat Alberta, we’re going to share some history, how to get there, where to eat, where to stay, and of course, the top things to do in Medicine Hat. In fact, it’s known as the “The Gas City” due to all the natural gas deposits surrounding the city. However, its history is rich, starting out thousands of years ago as a natural gathering place for Indigenous Peoples, and then a popular place for pottery, natural gas, and the railway. Well, that’s no longer the case! We recently toured the city and the surrounding area for a whole week, experiencing as many things to do in Medicine Hat as possible.Īlthough Medicine Hat was once one of the five biggest cities in Alberta, it’s now relatively small with about 65,000 inhabitants. Very few people have explored Alberta as much as we have and yet Medicine Hat was one of the few places we had never been.