Visiting Roche Percee
My daughter watching me attempt to climb safely.
“You should visit Roche Percee, it’s only 15 minutes outside of Estevan!” was one of the comments I heard my first week living in Estevan. Obviously a quick search on my phone showed me that it was a historic site of rock formations that had some cool shapes that were caused by the elements. I was cautiously interested, but ready to go and snap some pictures. My daughter, a 9-year-old, wasn’t too sure about wasting a sunny Saturday on going to look at a few rocks. Since I’m the dad, I won! We hopped in the car and went on an adventure, not fully knowing what to expect.
Arriving in the little town, we parked on the side of the road and walked through the open cable fencing. Snow still blanketed most of the ground and from the road you can only see one large rock. While this one large rock is in a unique shape, I was beginning to think my daughter might win this one and I’d have to admit that it wasn’t worth our time. We strolled up the half mud, half snowy path and came to the crest of the roadside hill. It was at this moment that I began to win her over. The one unique rock that sat on the hill was an entryway to this whole area of unique rocks and elevations. I saw her little smile creep out as she asked if she could explore. I pulled my camera out and began snapping shots of the morning sun on these historic rocks. The way they twist and dance with the surrounding landscape is truly a sight to behold.
On the Saskatchewan Tourism site it estimates that this spot is roughly a .5 hour visit. I would have to agree that if you are simply out for a drive and happen to come upon this beautiful spot, that you might be content with spending a mere 30 minutes here, taking in the natural essence of such a unique spot. However, if you are like me and love to capture things with your camera, you can expect to easily wander around for more than an hour. I was a tad skeptical about going the first time, but I will definitely be going back again.
To sum it up, I think that if your travels bring you to southern Saskatchewan, you absolutely need to make the small trip out to Roche Percee and appreciate the beauty.
-Canadian James
