Saskatchewan’s Crooked Bush

In July we travelled to Meeting Lake to visit with friends and while there decided to take a short road trip and visit The Crooked Bush. It’s an amazing sight and one of only two unexplainable botanical growths in the world. Enjoy our photographs of the area but it is really one must see for themselves, you will not be disappointed . I have included the information from Tourism Saskatchewan write up on the area we visited. In our travels all over Saskatchewan it’s amazing the hidden gems once you get off the Trans Canada Highway and travel some less known roads. This one has been in our backyard and we finally got to check it out this summer.

The Crooked Bush, located in the Rural Municipality of Douglas near Hafford and Speers, is called a botanical mystery by the Friends of the Crooked Bush and was declared one of the ’54 Wonders of Canada’ by CBC’s ‘Morningside’ show. This trail tours a small cluster of aspen trees that are atypical as they do not grow towards the sky; instead, the branches twist and turn in horizontal and downward directions, giving the grove an eerie and, yet, mesmerizing appearance.

Scientists believe that the tree growth is a result of a genetic mutation, but they are unsure what caused the mutation. Meanwhile, local legend attributes the strange shaping to everything from a UFO landing to a lightning strike that affected the area’s soil. The legend also claims that people who enter the area experience dizziness and that, despite the lack of a fence, cattle will not travel through the trees. The peculiarity of the trees, which were first identified in the 1940s by local residents, is further increased by the fact that the trees grow less than 10 m away from other aspens that do not feature this mutation.

The trees are 15 – 20 ft. tall and are around 70 years old. Normal aspen trees usually reach this height after 15 years. What is truly intriguing is the fact that the trees are growing at a normal rate, their branches are just growing in every direction other than straight up. Although the trail is rather short, it features a wooden boardwalk and is a must-see destination for people of all ages and abilities.

This area is considered a natural treasure. It is located on private land. Please do not climb the trees, break branches, litter or leave the boardwalk. This will help ensure that the area remains intact for years to come.

Thanks for checking us out. I am so happy to be able to share our images and great travel locations with you. Perhaps we can entice you to check out these areas for yourselves. Please subscribe it’s free or sign up for email notifications of our new posts as we get them up. Always running a little behind on posts but after trying to catch up on a whole summer….if I am going to do this they must and will be more regular. All we need is internet and we tend to choose areas that are not internet or cell friendly so sometimes we will be running behind on posting.

As always your comments and questions are appreciated on the Crooked Bush, our travels or the Truck Camper our home on wheels. Thanks and hope to see you down the road….look for the Northern Light and the western hat we would love to meet you…Gerry  and Charlotte