Highway 3 is a major provincial paved undivided highway in the Canadian province of

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a province in western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dak ...

. It runs from the

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

border, where it continues west as

Alberta Highway 45 Alberta Provincial Highway No. 45, commonly referred to as Highway 45, is an east-west highway in central Alberta, Canada that extends from Highway 15 northeast of Edmonton to the Saskatchewan border. It runs generally parallel ...

, to the

Manitoba , image_map = Manitoba in Canada 2.svg , map_alt = Map showing Manitoba's location in the centre of Southern Canada , Label_map = yes , coordinates = , capital = Winn ...

border, and then continues east as Highway 77. Highway 3 is about 615 km (382 mi.) long. The

CanAm Highway CanAm Highway is an international highway that connects Mexico to Canada through the United States. It travels along U.S. Route 85 (US 85) and Interstate 25 (I-25), passing through six U.S. states (Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, So ...

comprises Saskatchewan Highways 35, 39, 6, 3, as well as 2. of Saskatchewan Highway 3 contribute to the

between Melfort and Prince Albert. Major communities that Highway 3 passes through are Prince Albert, Melfort, and Tisdale.

Travel route

Travel continues west as

at the

– Saskatchewan border. The Saskatchewan portion of the route begins in the northwestern area of the

aspen parkland Aspen parkland refers to a very large area of transitional biome between prairie and boreal forest in two sections, namely the Peace River Country of northwestern Alberta crossing the border into British Columbia, and a much larger area stretchi ...

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of ...

, north of

Lloydminster Lloydminster is a city in Canada which has the unusual geographic distinction of straddling the provincial border between Alberta and Saskatchewan. The city is incorporated by both provinces as a single city with a single municipal administrati ...

the border city. Ttrembling aspen ''(Populus tremuloides)'' form bluffs (''small islands or shelter belts'') which are typical in this area. This area also marks the northernmost area of the Missouri Coteau which has produced the Thickwood Hills feature here. Reverend Lloyd and Isaac Montgomery Barr lead the Barr colonists here to Brittania in the early 20th century. Hwy 3 proceeds east just to the south of the

North Saskatchewan River The North Saskatchewan River is a glacier-fed river that flows from the Canadian Rockies continental divide east to central Saskatchewan, where it joins with the South Saskatchewan River to make up the Saskatchewan River. Its water flows event ...

. The river crossing is west of the Hwy 684 junction. Travel proceeds to the north east from here. Hwy 797 north provides access to Frenchman Butte and the Fort Pitt Provincial Historical Park () off Hwy 3. There is still evidence of the North-West Rebellion, Battle of Frenchman's Butte when the Cree and Major General T.B. Strange met on May 28, 1885 here. Paradise Hill, a village of about 500 people, had post office names of LeClair, Diggs and Archie before adopting the moniker Paradise Hill officially for the hamlet in 1928. Oil and gas plants provide the main employment to the area, followed by agriculture and farm machinery dealerships. A red river cart and ox statue are seen at the outskirts of the village commemorating the Carlton Trail which passed through this area en route between Fort Edmonton, and Fort Garry. The

Trans Canada Trail The Trans Canada Trail, officially named The Great Trail between September 2016 and June 2021, is a cross- Canada system of greenways, waterways, and roadways that stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific to the Arctic oceans. The trail exten ...

is a walking or hiking trail crossing Canada and it makes its way here as well. later is the junction with Hwy 21 north, the location of the Frenchman Butte No. 501 RM office. The Bronson provincial forest to the north provides incoming traffic during the fall

hunting Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products ( fur/ hide, bone/tusks, horn/antler, ...

season. Cattle farming predominates the area, supplemented by grain crops and the oil & gas industry. Hwy 21 forms a concurrency with Hwy 3. Traveling north on Hwy 26 provides access to St. Walburg and Makwa Lake Provincial Park and Steele Narrow Provincial Historic Park. Hwy 3 turn at the junction with Hwy 26 continuing south east. At the south east end of the concurrency of Hwy 3 and Hwy 26 is the village of

Spruce Lake Spruce Lake is a lake located northwest of Piseco, New York. Fish species present in the lake are brook trout, and black bullhead The black bullhead or black bullhead catfish (''Ameiurus melas'') is a species of bullhead catfish. Like other bul ...

and the junction with Hwy 796 west. The ecoregion has changed to boreal transition. Mixed wood boreal forest with jack pine, trembling aspen, white spruce, and tamarack (''Larix laricina'') furnish the forestry industry.

Turtleford Turtleford is a town in the rural municipality of Mervin No. 499, in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Turtleford is located on Highway 26 near the intersection / concurrency with Highway 3 and Highway 303. The nearest large communiti ...

is a town at the junction of Hwy 3 and Hwy 26 and is located along the Turtle River. In 1983, Turtleford became a town with 500 residents, and built the nation's largest turtle. ''Ernie'', a roadside attraction, is high. Hwy 3 arrived in Turtleford from the north west and takes a ''V'' turn and leaves to the north east. After traveling , Hwy 3 turns and continues its route east. from Turtleford, Hwy 26 north provides access to Livelong, north of Hwy 3. The Westside Turtle Lake Resort Area, home of the Turtle Lake Monster is north also along Hwy 26. Glaslyn is located south east at the Hwy 4 concurrency. The concurrency is along the north east side of the village. The main economy of Glaslyn and area are agriculture, forestry, ecotourism,

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...

, hunting and trapping. Glaslyn was a Welsh community which originally settled on the Meadow Lake –

Battleford Battleford ( 2011 population 4,065) is a small town located across the North Saskatchewan River from the City of North Battleford, in Saskatchewan, Canada. Battleford and North Battleford are collectively referred to as "The Battlefords" b ...

Trail. Turtle Lake, Meadow Lake Provincial Park and Jackfish Provincial Park are all popular destinations near this access point. After Glaslyn the highway continues on its route to the south east. Little Loon Regional Park is located south of Hwy 3. Cater and Belbutte area both unincorporated areas within Medstead rural municipality (RM). Hwy 696 north provides access in to Chitek Lake Provincial Recreation Site. The town of Spiritwood is in an agricultural community based in the north – central parkland area. Grain growing, ranching and tourism increase the traffic here. Mildred is a small unincorporated area which belongs to Spiritwood RM. The village of Shell Lake, the ''oasis of the parklands'', is accessed northeast of Hwy 3. The physiographic region is within the Saskatchewan plains region, more specifically the Saskatchewan River plain. The features include deep, terraced river valleys, as well as hillocky

glacial debris A moraine is any accumulation of unconsolidated debris (regolith and rock), sometimes referred to as glacial till, that occurs in both currently and formerly glaciated regions, and that has been previously carried along by a glacier or ice she ...

. The RM of Canwood provides civic governance to Hawkeye, and Ordale, both located just north of Hwy 3. Shellbrook is located southwest of Shell Brook, at the junction of Hwy 240 and Hwy 3. Crutwell is a part of Shellbrook No. 493 RM south of the Hwy 55 – Hwy 3 concurrency. This concurrency at is the longest of the route. The city of Prince Albert, Gateway to the north, is the third largest in the province and is located on the banks of the

. Highways 55, 302, 2 and 3 all meet here. Agriculture, forestry, mining, and tourism are the largest employers in this sector. Waskesiu Lake in the

Prince Albert National Park Prince Albert National Park encompasses in central Saskatchewan, Canada and is located north of Saskatoon. Though declared a national park March 24, 1927, official opening ceremonies weren't performed by Prime Minister William Lyon Macke ...

is located north of the city on Hwy 2. This city is centrally located along the highway demarks the transition area between the shield

boreal forest Taiga (; rus, тайга́, p=tɐjˈɡa; relates to Mongolic and Turkic languages), generally referred to in North America as a boreal forest or snow forest, is a biome characterized by coniferous forests consisting mostly of pines, spruc ...

to the north and the

prairie Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...

agricultural lands in the south benefiting from the best of both vegetative regions. Muskoday First Nation has reserved for itself the 9,686.8 hectare (23,936.6 acres) through which Hwy 3 travels from north west to south east. The

South Saskatchewan River The South Saskatchewan River is a major river in Canada that flows through the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. For the first half of the 20th century, the South Saskatchewan would completely freeze over during winter, creating spectacular ...

divides the reserve almost in half from north to south and also intersects with Hwy 3. Departure from the reserve is due south along Hwy 3. The town of Birch Hills, ''A Tradition of Pride and Prosperity'', is located at the junction of Hwy 25 south west. Travel from Birch Hills continues due east. Brancepeth is north of Hwy 3, a small

hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

of Birch Hills No. 460 RM. At the junction with Hwy 778, Hwy 3 turns south east. Kinistino, a town of 649, is located at the junction of Hwy 778. The Fort à la Corne Provincial Forest and the confluence of the North and South Saskatchewan Rivers are both located within the RM of Kinistino. SCAPEthe Study of Cultural Adaptations in the Prairie Ecozoneis studying the Forks of the Saskatchewan River area and Fort-à-la-Corne lands. The "Changing Opportunities & Challenges: Human-Environment Interaction in the Canadian Prairies Ecozone" program is delving into the archeology, ethnohistory, geomatics, geoarcheology, paleobotany, soil science, and oral traditions of the area. The village of Beatty, first named Stoney Creek, is located at the junction of Hwy 368. The ''City of Northern Lights'', Melfort is home to 5,192. The Agriculture Melfort Research Station is centered here along with many other agriculturally based industries. The Tiger Hills Uplands ecozone provides rich soil to grow a diversity of crops. The concurrency of Hwy 3 and Hwy 6 is a long concurrency at the Hwy 41 junction. Hwy 3 continues due east from Melfort. The town of Star City is north of the Hwy 681 junction. The village of Valparaiso, one of the few Spanish settlements of the province is just north of Hwy 3. The town of Tisdale, is surrounded by lakes Barrier Lake, Marean Lake, Tobin Lake, and Greenwater Lake Provincial Park. Agriculture and manufacturing are the dominant industries in the area. Besides the major provincial highways 35 and Hwy 3, both the Canadian National Railway (CNR) and the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) serve this town. Over 11,000 vehicles per day travel the two highways through Tisdale. At the intersection of Hwy 35 and 3 is the world's largest honey bee at high. Hwy 3 continues due east until the junction with Hwy 23 at the

of Crooked River. The Hwy 23 concurrency is in a north north east direction. At the end of the concurrency Hwy 3 continues due east. The hamlet of Peesane is located at the beginning of the Hwy 679 concurrency which is in length. Mistatim a village which is ''Proud of its Past ..... and Planning for its Future'', has an economy based on agricultural mixed farming, hunting trapping and forestry. Mistatim is located south of the Pasquia Forest Reserve, and north of the Porcupine Forest Reserve. The EDEN Regional Economic Development Authority (REDA) encourages tourism, investment, economic and recreational activities in the area. Hwy 3 continues south east from Mistatim for then turns due east for when there is a short stretch traveling north east. Prairie River of the Porcupine No. 395 RM lies to the north of this stretch of highway. Hwy 3 traveling east arrives at the junction of Hwy 9 at Hudson Bay. The Hwy 9 concurrency around the north west edge of the town is long. Hudson Bay is ''Moose Capital of the World'' due to the high presence of western moose (Alces alces anderson). At this site were a

Hudson's Bay Company The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC; french: Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson) is a Canadian retail business group. A fur trading business for much of its existence, HBC now owns and operates retail stores in Canada. The company's namesake business di ...

Upper Red Deer post, North West Company Upper Red Deer post. The Rendek Elm Forest is located north and the Hudson Bay Regional Park is located south of Hwy 3. Forestry is a main concern of the area served by Wizewood – MacMillan Bloedel – Weyerhaeuser for years. The highway continues east as Highway 77 after the

Manitoba , image_map = Manitoba in Canada 2.svg , map_alt = Map showing Manitoba's location in the centre of Southern Canada , Label_map = yes , coordinates = , capital = Winn ...

– Saskatchewan border.

Other information

The time zone in Saskatchewan uses Central Standard Time which is different from the time zone of Alberta which combines

Mountain Daylight Time The Mountain Time Zone of North America keeps time by subtracting seven hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) when standard time ( UTC−07:00) is in effect, and by subtracting six hours during daylight saving time ( UTC−06:00). The clo ...

or (Central Standard Time) with

daylight saving time Daylight saving time (DST), also referred to as daylight savings time or simply daylight time (United States, Canada, and Australia), and summer time (United Kingdom, European Union, and others), is the practice of advancing clocks (typicall ...

CanAm Highway

The North American Free Trade Agreement NAFTA super corridor CanAm Highway travels along U.S. Route 85 connecting

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

to Canada. The CanAm highway in Canada comprises Saskatchewan Highways 35, 39, 6, 3, and 2. The total length of the CanAm highway is , of which Hwy 3 contributes a segment length. The route designated as CanAm in the 1920s continues south in Mexico as Mexican Federal Highway 45, and north as SK 102 but are not labeled the CanAm highway.

Major intersections

From west to east:

References

External links