Old Man on His Back Prairie and Heritage Conservation Area, Saskatchewan

Most places under NCC's care welcome visitors. Please check site-specific pages on this website for access information and any special restrictions.

Renowned as a nocturnal preserve and a stargazer’s paradise, Old Man on His Back Prairie and Heritage Conservation Area (OMB), located in southwestern Saskatchewan, has its charms even in the broad daylight. Stretching as far as the eye can see are rolling plains of native grasses on some 5,297 hectares (13,088 acres) of Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC)-protected land. Genetically pure plains bison have been reintroduced to the ranch since 2003 to graze the land as they have historically.

Visitors have a chance to set foot on mixed prairie grasslands that are rapidly disappearing in other parts of Saskatchewan due to conversion to croplands and settlement. Old Man on His Back will not disappoint any travellers wishing get a taste of the Great Plains of Saskatchewan.

Trail length: There are no defined trails at OMB.
Hike difficulty: Moderate - steep slopes, uneven ground and boggy areas are present at parts of the property

Amenities on-site:

Interpretive centre with public washrooms
Public parking lot

Points of interest

Bison rubbing rocks and wallows
Dedication rocks (NCC dedication plaque rock and engraved Peter Butala dedication rock)
Interpretive signage on restoration projects at OMB
Teepee rings, cairns and medicine wheel
Historic farm machinery and buildings

Species to look out for

plains bison
swift fox
pronghorn
mule deer
white-tailed deer
Sprague’s pipit
burrowing owl
chestnut-collared longspur

Directions

From Regina:

Travel west on Highway 1 to Gull Lake access road (Hwy 37).
Travel south on Highway 37 to Hwy 18.
Turn west on Highway 18 and follow to Claydon.
At Claydon continue west along gravel road for 15 kms. Don’t continue on Highway 18 past Claydon.
Follow the gravel road. The OMB Interpretive Centre and parking lot located to the south (on left hand side).

Note: The gravel road west of Claydon gets very slick when wet.

From Medicine Hat:

Travel east on Hwy 1 to Maple Creek access road (Hwy 21), approximately 97 km from Medicine Hat city centre.
Travel south on Hwy 21 and follow Hwy 18, approximately 8.5 km.
Turn east on Hwy 13 and follow to Hwy 18, approximately 6.5 km.
Turn south on Hwy 18 and follow to the Divide Road, approximately 38 km.
At Dive Road turn north and follow for approximately 6.5 km.
Turn east at the corner and continue along the gravel road for approximately 1 km. Look for the OMB Interpretive Centre to the south (right hand side).

Note: Some GPS units will direct you down a gravel road approximately 1.8 km south of Hwy 13. This gravel road quickly turns into a trail that is impassable when wet and requires significant vehicle clearance. Travel on this road is not advised.

Contact information

As a result of the current impact of COVID-19, NCC urges you to follow public health advisories. NCC’s Old Man on His Back Interpretive Centre is now closed for the remainder of 2020. For any inquiries, please call 1.866.622.7275.

Visitor information

When visiting the property, please:

Respect the wildlife and other visitors.
Drive on main access roads only.
Explore the property by foot only.
Stay a safe distance from any livestock on the property. OMB interpreter can direct visitors to areas of the property without livestock.
Leave all gates as found (OMB is a working ranch).
Refrain from bringing pets on site.
Refrain from lighting fires or smoking.
Remove your own garbage.
Respect that the property does not permit the removal of any plants or animals.

All visitors to NCC properties do so at their own risk.