After living in a few different cities in Canada, I have to say: in my experience, people from the prairies have a much higher tolerance for long road trips than most. Maybe it’s because growing up, the closest and most exciting destinations tend to be 6-7 hours away, so we get used to hopping in the car for long periods of time.
A couple of weekends ago, when I suggested to my mom and sister that we drive four hours south of Saskatoon to do this photo shoot in the Big Muddy Badlands, they were (still surprisingly) up for it. I came across the location online over a year ago and thought it would be the perfect backdrop to shoot this navy satin dress against, not to mention, a great day-trip destination.
Every once in a while, when it comes to photo shoots, you’re able to capture exactly what you envisioned (or something better), and I think this was one of those times. The location played a huge part in everything coming together.
The Location: Castle Butte, Big Muddy Badlands
The Saskatchewan Big Muddy Badlands are part of the incredible landscape that makes up Southern Saskatchewan. From Saskatoon, Castle Butte Big Muddy is a four hour drive south-west through Moose Jaw.
Once you pass the city of Moose Jaw, the views are amazing. Rolling green hills, wide-open skies, and hardly a house in sight. That’s the other thing about Saskatchewan: it’s not exactly the most coveted, or well-known tourist destination, despite being home to so many gems. So when you get out and explore, you often have the luxury of enjoying places almost completely to yourself.
Driving into the Big Muddy Badlands was spectacular. Two and a half hours after leaving Moose Jaw, driving on a straightaway highway, there is a sharp bend in the road. Once you make your way around it there’s a steep drop, and the valley opens up. From there you get an amazing view of emerald green fields framed by a mountain-like horizon created by Castle Butte and the surrounding hills.
We went on a quick day trip, without knowing much about Castle Butte’s history. After researching later on, I learned that Castle Butte and the Big Muddy Badlands were once a hideout for outlaws in the late 1800s and early 1900s. We explored the area on our own, however, Coronach Tourism also offers tours of Castle Butte and the surrounding area. You contact them here.
If you get the chance to visit the Badlands, I would highly recommend it. It’s an incredibly beautiful place, not to mention a surprising sight in our famously flat province.
For an up-close view of Castle Butte, and the behind-the-scenes of how the photoshoot of this satin dress came together, follow @nomadeandmode on Instagram.
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