A soggy Saturday left Buffalo Pound Provincial Park staff feeling underwhelmed by turnout for this year’s Parks Day celebration on July 19 — but the mood remains optimistic as new wildlife programming and long weekend events roll out across the park.
“Our visitation was good in the morning,” said Park Manager Dave Bjarnason, “but the weather kind of just went a little south on us.”
Buffalo Pound recorded 206 vehicle entries on Parks Day, part of a broader 3,525 entries across the provincial park system. That’s a respectable showing, Bjarnason noted, but well below what the park saw on Canada Day — when more than 500 vehicles passed through the gates.
“We had a full week of activities planned, from crafts to interpretive programs to self-guided experiences,” he said. “The interest was absolutely there — but we can't control the weather.”
Despite the damp weekend, Buffalo Pound is seeing plenty of bright spots this summer. A brand-new bison tracking system is now up and running, offering both ecological data and real-time updates on where the park’s bison herd is roaming. Visitors can view the herd’s movements live on TV monitors inside the Visitor Centre.
“We tagged 14 animals with GPS units,” said Bjarnason. “It’s been fascinating to see how they move — and it’s helping us increase the chances that visitors actually spot one in the wild.”
Though bison have been part of Buffalo Pound since the 1970s, Bjarnason said the park hasn’t always done a great job showcasing them. The new tech is part of a broader push to make the park’s wildlife a more visible and engaging part of the visitor experience.
“We’re really trying to bring the bison up to the forefront,” he said. “They’re such a great educational and cultural asset — and people love seeing them.”
Looking ahead, the park is preparing for a busy Saskatchewan Day long weekend, with a full slate of events planned. The disc golf course has officially reopened, the Trailhead Cafe is operating daily with milkshakes, coffee, pizza, and more, and the interpretive team will be out with pop-up programming across the park.
“There’s still lots of summer left,” Bjarnason said. “We’ve got activities for kids, for families, for couples — you name it. And we’re always updating our events page online.”
To learn more about what’s coming up at Buffalo Pound, visit saskparks.tourismsaskatchewan.com/buffalo-pound/events.