Saskatchewan Highway 26

Highway 26 is a provincial highway on the western side of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The southern terminus is at the junction with Highway 4 about 20 kilometres (12 mi) north of North Battleford. From there, the highway runs generally north-west until just south of St. Walburg where takes a more northerly route. Highway 26 terminates at a junction with Highways 224 and 950 on the north side of the village of Goodsoil, just south of Meadow Lake Provincial Park.[2] It is about 198 kilometres (123 mi) long.

Highway 26 marker
Highway 26
Route information
Maintained by Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure
Length198.3 km[1] (123.2 mi)
Major junctions
South end Highway 4 north of North Battleford
Major intersections
North end Highway 224 / Highway 950 at Goodsoil
Location
CountryCanada
ProvinceSaskatchewan
Rural municipalitiesMeota, Turtle River, Mervin, Frenchman Butte, Loon Lake, Beaver River
TownsTurtleford, St. Walburg
Highway system
Highway 25 Highway 27

Route description

edit

The southern 100 kilometres (62 mi) of the nearly 200-kilometre (120 mi) long Highway 26 runs alongside a former Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR) branch line from Prince to St. Walburg, which CNoR built out from North Battleford and steadily extended until 1919.[3][4] The rail line, and adjoining roads, caused a boom in the area, as early homesteaders were then able to deliver their production to grain elevators.[5][4] The Canadian National Railway abandoned the entire branch line in 2005, when the remaining grain elevators closed, with grain now transported by truck on Highway 26.[5]

Highway 26's southern terminus begins at Highway 4 about 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) east of Prince. South on Highway 4 is North Battleford while north is Jackfish Lake and The Battlefords Provincial Park. From Prince, Highway 26 travels north-west following the aforementioned railway towards the western shore of Jackfish Lake where it provides access to several small communities and parks, such as Meota[6] and Meota Regional Park.[7] Continuing north-west from the lake, the highway passes through Cavalier, Vawn,[8] Edam, Mervin,[9] and Turtleford.[10] On the north side of Turtleford, it begins a 29-kilometre (18 mi) concurrency with Highway 3 that continues to a point about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) south of St. Walburg.[11] Communities along this stretch include Cleeves and Spruce Lake. At that junction south of St. Walburg, Highway 3 turns west while 26 turns north into town.

Highway 26 travels north through St. Walburg as 2nd St E until the intersection with 1st Ave, at which point it turns east and leaves town. Shortly after leaving St. Walburg, Highway 26 heads due east before turning north-east towards the junction with Highway 795. From Highway 795, it heads north until it meets Highway 304, at which point it turns north-west towards Loon Lake.[12] Heading into Loon Lake, Highway 26 meets, and then has a short 1.3-kilometre (0.81 mi) concurrency with, Highway 699. Highway 699 continues west into Makwa Lake Provincial Park while Highway 26 turns north on 1st Ave. The highway then winds its way through Makwa Lake 129B Indian reserve, follows the western shore of Makwa Lake, crosses Makwa River, and arrives at Pine Cove on the northern shore of Makwa Lake. From Pine Cove, the highway heads north where it crosses the Beaver River and meets Highway 55 south of Peerless. After a short 1.4-kilometre (0.87 mi) concurrency with Highway 55, 26 continues north for a further 7.3 kilometres (4.5 mi) to its northern terminus on the north side of Goodsoil.[13] At the northern terminus, it carries on north into Meadow Lake Provincial Park as Highway 224.

Major attractions

edit

The following are some major attractions accessible from Highway 26:

Major intersections

edit

From south to north:[18]

Rural municipalityLocationkm[1]miDestinationsNotes
Meota No. 4680.00.0  Highway 4 – Meadow Lake, The BattlefordsEast of Prince
Meota14.38.9Metinota Access RoadRoad accesses the south shore of Jackfish Lake
18.811.7 
 
Highway 697 north – Jackfish Lake
Road accesses the west shore of Jackfish Lake
Turtle River No. 469Edam42.426.3 
 
Highway 674 south / Highway 769 east
Mervin No. 499Mervin60.337.5 
 
Highway 794 west
Turtleford68.742.7  Highway 303 west – Lloydminster
69.543.2  Highway 3 east – Glaslyn, Prince AlbertSouth end of Hwy 3 concurrency
Spruce Lake88.454.9 
 
Highway 796 east
Frenchman Butte No. 50198.761.3  Highway 3 west – Paradise HillNorth end of Hwy 3 concurrency
St. Walburg102.763.8
106.966.4 
 
Highway 795 east
Loon Lake No. 561146.390.9  Highway 304 east – Meadow Lake
148.892.5 
 
Highway 699 east
South end of Hwy 699 concurrency
Loon Lake150.193.3 
 
Highway 699 west – Makwa Lake Provincial Park
North end of Hwy 699 concurrency
Beaver River No. 622189.6117.8  Highway 55 east (NWRR) – Meadow Lake, Prince AlbertSouth end of Hwy 55 concurrency
Peerless191.0118.7  Highway 55 west (NWRR) – Pierceland, Cold LakeNorth end of Hwy 55 concurrency
191.8119.2 
 
Highway 779 east – Dorintosh
Goodsoil198.3123.2  Highway 954 west
  Highway 224 north – Meadow Lake Provincial Park
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "Highway 26 in Saskatchewan" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  2. ^ "Meadow Lake Provincial Park". Tourism Saskatchewan. Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  3. ^ Russell, Edmund T. (1973), What's In a Name: The Story Behind Saskatchewan Place Names (3rd edition), Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: Western Producer Prairie Books, p. 200, ISBN 0-88833-053-7
  4. ^ a b Waghorn's Guide (1914). "Map of Western Canada showing part of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta". Stovel Co. Ltd. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  5. ^ a b Troy A. M. Zimmer (14 September 2008). "Abandoned Rail Lines in Saskatchewan" (PDF). Saskatchewan Trails Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 January 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  6. ^ "Central - Meota - Hwy 26". Tourism Saskatcehwan. Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  7. ^ "Meota Regional Park". Tourism Saskatchewan. Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  8. ^ "Central - Vawn - Hwy 26". Tourism Saskatchewan. Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  9. ^ "Central - Mervin - Hwy 26". Tourism Saskatchewan. Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  10. ^ "Central - Turtleford - Hwys 3, 26, 303". Tourism Saskatchewan. Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  11. ^ "Central - St. Walburg - Hwy 26". Tourism Saskatchewan. Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  12. ^ "North - Loon Lake - Hwys 26, 304". Tourism Saskatchewan. Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  13. ^ "North - Goodsoil - Hwy 26". Tourism Saskatchewan. Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  14. ^ "Goodsoil Historical Museum Site". Canada's Historic Places. Parks Canada. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  15. ^ Yanciw, David (20 July 2004). "Town of Turtleford, Saskatchewan". Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  16. ^ Yanciw, David (20 July 2004). "Village of Edam, Saskatchewan". Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  17. ^ a b Sask Tourism. "Heart of the Old Northwest" (PDF). Retrieved 17 April 2007.
  18. ^ MapArt (2007). Saskatchewan Road Atlas (Map) (2007 ed.). 1:540,000. Oshawa, ON: Peter Heiler Ltd. pp. 10, 16, 17, 23. ISBN 1-55368-020-0.
edit