RADAR | HOT SPOT
The Trailhead Café
Buffalo Pound Provincial Park
Before starting your hike across Buffalo Pound Provincial Park in the Qu’Appelle Valley, you’ll need fuel. Drop a pin on The Trailhead Café, which is located inside the visitor centre. Opened in mid-2025, the family-owned hub is the ideal pitstop, with caffeine and bistro offerings to fuel up for your outdoor adventure. From signature dishes such as artisan pizzas — The Trailhead Special is a local take on the Hawaiian pie — to cinnamon buns (baked daily, no less), this is an elevated menu to enhance any hiking, biking or camping experience. The café is the delicious anchor of a park revitalization project that includes luxury glamping domes and tipi-style cabins for nature enthusiasts. — Cassandra McCalla
The Trailhead Café is located inside the visitor centre at Buffalo Pound Provincial Park. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE TRAILHEAD CAFÉ
RADAR | THE END OF THE ROAD
The Great Sand Hills
Sceptre, Sask.
The Great Sand Hills near Sceptre, Saskatchewan — about 160 km from Swift Current — is a 1,900-sq.-km desert-like landscape hidden right in the middle of the flat prairie. It’s a stirring landscape. It’s also one of the few places in Canada where the endangered Ord’s kangaroo rat can be spotted. It’s a gerbil-like creature with a long tail and a powerful jump. You might also see a pronghorn antelope, mule deer and any of the more than 150 species of birds. The wind continuously shapes the landscape here, which is why the sand dunes are called “active.” The view you see today may be gone tomorrow. Get some background on the area at the Great Sandhills Museum in Sceptre. — Will Scott
The Great Sand Hills in Saskatchewan — like a desert surrounded by prairie. | PHOTO: DAVE REEDE/ALAMY
RADAR | THE ONE
The Arianna Cloche by Canadian Hat 1918
This summer, go with a vintage look with modern features. Adjustable in size, the Arianna Cloche by Canadian Hat 1918 is made from 100% natural raffia straw — a resilient, sustainable and water-resistant material. The classic 1920s-inspired silhouette, which fits close to the head, gets a modern twist with a slightly larger, asymmetrical brim that provides more coverage for the face and neck than a traditional cloche. With a looser weave on the crown for breathability and a tighter weave on the brim to better shield from the sun, it’s rated at 50+ UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor). — Sean Deasy Members earn 4% back in CAA Dollars on the purchase of technical clothing, shoes, running, cycling and camping gear, plus much more from Altitude Sports.
The vintage-inspired Arianna Cloche hat has modern twists. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF ALTITUDE SPORTS