Saskatchewan Highway 34

Highway 34 designates major roads intended for travel by the public between Highway 13 just to the west of Ogema to the US border. The highway used to connect to Montana Secondary Highway 511 at the Port of Big Beaver, however the port closed in 2011. Saskatchewan's main roadways are located in the central/southern geographical land area of rugged badlands, and rolling prairie and grass land in a western Canadian prairie province. This paved highway along with Red Coat Trail and Outlaw Tail, early Red river cart trails encompassed the Big Muddy Badlands.

Highway 34
Route information
Length62.3 km[1] (38.7 mi)
Major junctions
South end Canada-US border (S-511) at Port of Big Beaver (closed)
  Hwy 18 at Big Beaver
North end Hwy 13 west of Ogema
Location
Rural
municipalities		Happy Valley, Bengough, Key West
Highway system
Provincial highways in Saskatchewan
← Hwy 33→ Hwy 35

Communities

Communities along route 34 travelling from south to north includes firstly, the Port of Big Beaver, a community on the United States - Canada border. Big Beaver is a hamlet of about 21 people in southwestern Saskatchewan.[2] Bengough is a town of about 337 people in 2006.[3] Prairie South School Division No, 210 supports Bengough School which has about 180 students. This consolidated school K-12 supports children from rural areas via school bus. Bengough also is home to the SouthEast Regional College. Route 34 passes near Glasnevin, which is an unincorporated area.

Rural municipalities

A list of rural municipalities that the route enters from south to north would begin with Happy Valley No. 10. Happy Valley R.M. incorporated January 1, 1913[4] and serves 174 rural residents who live within its area encompassing 812.74 square kilometres.[5] Bengough No. 40 was also incorporated January 1, 1913[4] serving 337 rural residents within its area encompassing 1,036.91 square kilometres.[6] Key West No. 70 was incorporated December 12, 1910, serves 309 residents in an area of 825.26 square kilometres. [7]

Economics

Gas and oil exploration has resulted in large number of wells in the area.[8] Coal mining, tourism and agriculture are the main economic mainstays of the area.[9]

Nearby

St. Victor Petroglyphs[10] and Grasslands National Park [11] are in the vicinity. Bengough Regional Park offers Ball diamonds, horseshoe pitches, cook shack, swimming pool, paddle pool and whirlpool and golf course.[12][13] Big Beaver Regional Park offers camping and picnic facilities.

History

The Big Muddy Badlands were home to outlaws such as Butch Cassidy, Sundance Kid, Sam Kelley and Dutch Henry which came to Canada, across the border to escape from the U.S. marshalls.[14][15] Bengough was the western terminus of the Radville - Bengough CNR rail line in 1924.[16] It is still situated on the CPR/CN Railway. Glasnevin near the northern terminus of route 34 was located on the Assiniboia Branch CPR rail line.[17] This east–west route connected Weyburn and Altawan continuing westerly into Alberta to Manyberries. These rail junctions and highways combined to serve communities and industries in the area.

Major attractions

Big Beaver Regional Park west of highway near Highway 18 intersection. Big Muddy Badlands is a 55-km cleft (35 miles) long, 3.2-kilometre wide, and 160 metres (500 ft) deep valley of erosion and sandstone along Big Muddy Creek.[18] Big Muddy Lake lies to the west of highway 34. Route 34 passes through the Missouri Coteau which is a plateau of low hummocky, undulating, rolling hills, potholes, and grasslands.[19] Bengough Regional Park is west of highway 34 near Highway 705 19 km south of Bengough. Along this highway is Castle Butte a 60-metre (200 ft) high outcrop of sandstone and compressed clay which protrudes from the flat prairie.[18][20] Willow Bunch Lake is to the east of highway 34. Channel Lake to west of highway near Highway 13

Nature

Travel along the big muddy area on route 34 may give glimpses of wildlife indigenous to the area. Some may be Badger, Bobcat, Cottontail Rabbit, Coyote, gopher, Jack Rabbit, Lynx, Mule Deer, Pronghorn Antelope, Raccoon, Red Fox, Weasel, and White Tail Deer.[9]

Major intersections
Rural municipalityLocationkmmiDestinationsNotes
Happy Valley No. 10​0.00.0 S-511 (no access)Port of entry permanently closed
Canada–United States border at Port of Big Beaver
Big Beaver10.36.4 Hwy 18 – Coronach, Minton
Bengough No. 40​39.924.8 Hwy 705 west – HarptreeSouth end of Hwy 705 concurrency
Bengough46.428.8 Hwy 624 east – Viceroy
Hwy 705 east – Colgate		North end of Hwy 705 concurrency
Key West No. 70​62.338.7 Hwy 13 (Red Coat Trail) – Assiniboia, Weyburn
Hwy 334 north – Avonlea
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
  •       Closed/former
  •       Concurrency terminus

References
  1. Google (January 31, 2018). "Highway 34 in Saskatchewan" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 31, 2018.
  2. "Big Beaver". Aust's General Store. Archived from the original on 2007-01-11. Retrieved 2007-12-26.
  3. "2006 Community Profiles". Statistics Canada. Government of Canada. 2006. Retrieved 2007-12-26.
  4. "MRD - Municipal Status Information - Rural Municipality ..." Ministry of Municipal Affairs. Government of Saskatchewan. 2006. Archived from the original on 2008-03-25. Retrieved 2007-12-26.
  5. "2006 Community Profiles". Statistics Canada. Government of Canada. 2006. Retrieved 2007-12-26.
  6. "2006 Community Profiles". Statistics Canada. Government of Canada. 2006. Retrieved 2007-12-26.
  7. "2006 Community Profiles". Statistics Canada. Government of Canada. 2006. Retrieved 2007-12-26.
  8. "Big Beaver, Saskatchewan, Canada, North America". World Index. Rumbletum.org. 2004. Retrieved 2007-12-26.
  9. "The rural municipality of Bengough No. 40- Community Profile". Insask.Com. 17 July 2006. Retrieved 2007-12-26.
  10. "St. Victor Petroglyphs". Retrieved April 23, 3007. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  11. "Grasslands National Park". Retrieved April 23, 3007. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  12. "Bengough Regional Park". CanadianRooms.com, Inc. 2002, 2003, 2004. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 3007. Check date values in: |access-date= and |date= (help)
  13. "Bengough & District Regional Park". Saskatchewan Regional Parks Association. Archived from the original on November 5, 2005. Retrieved April 23, 3007. Cite journal requires |journal= (help); Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  14. "Virtual Saskatchewan - The Big Muddy Badlands". 1997–2007. Retrieved 2007-04-23.
  15. "Saskatchewan & Manitoba, Canada - September 2001 - BootsnAll.com". Archived from the original (– Scholar search) on 2008-07-25. Retrieved 2007-04-23.
  16. Adamson, J (January 16, 2005). "Canadian Maps: January 1925 Waghorn's Guide. Post Offices in Man. Sask. Alta. and West Ontario". Retrieved 2007-12-26.
  17. Adamson, J (January 16, 2005). "Canadian Maps: January 1925 Waghorn's Guide. Post Offices in Man. Sask. Alta. and West Ontario". Retrieved 2007-12-26.
  18. "Virtual Saskatchewan - The Big Muddy Badlands". 1997–2007.
  19. Richards, J.H. (1969). "Saskatchewan: Atlas of Saskatchewan". Saskatoon: Modern Press. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  20. "Marcel Granger – Big Muddy". August 31, 2000 – May 26, 2005. Retrieved April 23, 3007. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
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