# Saskatchewan Highway 21

Highway 21 is a provincial highway in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It runs from Montana Secondary Highway 233 at the United States border at Willow Creek to Highway 950 / Highway 919 within the Meadow Lake Provincial Park. Highway 21 is about 715 kilometres (444 mi) long.
Along Highway 21's route, it intersects two interprovincial highways, provides access to multiple communities, crosses several large rivers, and travels through provincial parks. The highways include the Trans-Canada and Yellowhead while some of the larger communities are Maple Creek, Kindersley, Kerrobert, and Unity. Significant rivers include the Frenchman, South Saskatchewan, Battle, and the North Saskatchewan. Near the southern end, the highway provides access to Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, which is Canada's first interprovincial park; towards the northern end, it travels through Bronson Forest Recreation Site, which has a thriving population of wild ponies; and the northern terminus is in Meadow Lake Provincial Park, which is Saskatchewan's largest park.

## History

The original Provincial Highway 21 is between Highway 13 west of Robsart and Leader. It originally continued west from Leader to Estuary and Empress, Alberta, before it turned north and followed Range Road 3293, adjacent to the Alberta–Saskatchewan border. It followed a series of country roads through Loverna, Macklin, and Lloydminster to Onion Lake. In the 1930s, the Leader–Empress section was renumbered to Highway 32 while the Empress-Onion Lake segment was renumbered to Highway 17 (the section south of Macklin was later decommissioned).
At the same time, Provincial Highway 30 ran from Lemsford, through Glidden and Kindersley, to Kerrobert; the section between Lemsford and Glidden was decommissioned in the 1940s. In the 1960s, Highway 330 was commissioned between Kerrobert, through Unity, to Highway 40 west of Cut Knife. Provincial Highway 48 ran between Govenlock and Willow Creek; however in the 1960s, it was renumbered to Highway 348.
In 1971, the Chesterfield Bridge across the South Saskatchewan River was opened, extending Highway 21 to Eatonia. Bridges were opened across the Battle and North Saskatchewan Rivers later in the decade, and along with the renumbering Highways 348, 30, and 330, Highway 21 assumed its present length.

## Route description

Highway 21 has average annual daily traffic (AADT) of 500 vehicles a day and truck traffic is 30% of this total.
The south end of Highway 21 begins at the Willow Creek Border Crossing. From there, it heads north-west following Lodge Creek for about 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) before turning north towards Govenlock. At Govenlock, Highway 21 meets Highway 13 and begins a 44-kilometre (27 mi) long eastward concurrency that ends west of Robsart. Along this stretch, the highway crosses Battle Creek and provides access to the communities of Senate, Consul, and Vidora. At the end of the concurrency, Highway 13 continues east while Highway 21 turns north towards the town of Maple Creek. En route to Maple Creek, the highway crosses the Frenchman River, travels through the Cypress Hills, and provides access to Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park. Coming out of the hills, Highway 21 crosses Maple Creek and enters the town of Maple Creek. The highway runs along the western edge of town before turning east on Pacific Ave. After about one kilometre running concurrently with Pacific Ave, Highway 21 resumes its northerly routing for a further 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) as it heads to Highway 1 — the Trans-Canada Highway.
Once Highway 21 crosses Highway 1, it heads north towards Leader and the South Saskatchewan River. Along this section, the highway provides access to Fox Valley and Liebenthal. To the east of the highway are the Great Sand Hills. Access is from Highway 32 which intersects Highway 21 at Leader. North of Leader, the highway crosses the South Saskatchewan River via the Chesterfield Bridge and heads in a northerly direction to Eatonia. Just before Eatonia, the highway begins a 19-kilometre (12 mi) long eastward concurrency with Highway 44 that ends at Glidden. At Glidden, Highway 44 continues east while Highway 21 heads north to Kindersley and the intersection with Highway 7. From Kindersley, the highway continues north towards Kerrobert. Heading into Kerrobert, Highway 21 has a 14-kilometre (8.7 mi) long concurrency with Highway 31. At Kerrobert, it turns into the town and has a 2.4-kilometre (1.5 mi) long concurrency with both Highways 51 and 31 before heading north. Travelling north, the highway passes Grill Lake, Ear Lake, Muddy Lake, and End Lake before meeting Highway 14 and running along the eastern edge of Unity. It keeps its northerly routing and meets Highway 40 at Wilbert, at which point the two highways begin a 16-kilometre (9.9 mi) long concurrency to the north-west. Highway 21 leaves the concurrency and heads north crossing the Battle River, passing by Soda, Bryans, and Maidstone Lakes, and then meeting Highway 16 — the Yellowhead Highway — west of Maidstone.
After a short one-mile long eastward concurrency with Highway 16, Highway 21 once again heads north where it crosses the Battle River and then the North Saskatchewan River (via the Toby Nollet Bridge, which was named after Isidore Charles Nollet) en route to Highway 3. Communities and parks along this stretch include Silver Lake Regional Park, McLaren, Milleton, and Bolney. At Highway 3, Highway 21 turns west and has a 10-kilometre (6.2 mi) long concurrency with 3 that runs to just east of Paradise Hill. From there, Highway 21 heads north following the Monnery River to the Bronson Forest Recreation Site where it crosses the divide between the Saskatchewan River and Churchill River. For the final leg to its northern terminus in Meadow Lake Provincial Park, the highway crosses rivers, passes by several lakes, and provides access to Indian reserves and small communities. Some of the lakes and rivers include Cache Lake, Peck Lake, Little Fishing Lake, Ministikwan Lake, Mudie Lake, and Beaver River. Indian reserves and communities include Little Fishing Lake, Ministikwan 161, Thunderchild First Nation 115X, Ministikwan 161A, Mudie Lake, and Pierceland.

## Major intersections

From south to north:
| Rural municipality | Location | km | mi | Destinations | Notes |
| Reno No. 51 | ​ | 0.0 | 0.0 | S-233 south – Havre | Continuation into Montana |
| Canada–United States border at Willow Creek Border Crossing ||
| Reno No. 51 | Govenlock | 29.2 | 18.1 | Highway 13 west – Alberta border | South end of Hwy 13 concurrency |
| Reno No. 51 | Senate | 43.8 | 27.2 | Highway 615 north – Fort Walsh | |
| Reno No. 51 | Consul | 56.8 | 35.3 | Range Road 3271 | |
| Reno No. 51 | ​ | 73.1 | 45.4 | Highway 13 east – Eastend, Shaunavon | North end of Hwy 13 concurrency |
| Maple Creek No. 111 | ​ | 94.9 | 59.0 | Highway 706 east – Belanger | |
| Maple Creek No. 111 | ​ | 107.5 | 66.8 | Highway 221 west – Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park (Centre Block) | |
| Maple Creek No. 111 | Maple Creek | 134.1 | 83.3 | Highway 271 south – Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park (West Block), Fort Walsh Highway 724 (5th Avenue) | |
| Maple Creek No. 111 | ​ | 144.4 | 89.7 | Highway 1 (TCH) – Medicine Hat, Swift Current | |
| Big Stick No. 141 | ​ | 171.2 | 106.4 | Highway 728 west – Golden Prairie | South end of Hwy 728 concurrency |
| Big Stick No. 141 | ​ | 177.7 | 110.4 | Highway 728 east | North end of Hwy 728 concurrency |
| Fox Valley No. 141 | Fox Valley | 198.0 | 123.0 | Highway 371 west – Richmound | |
| Happyland No. 231 | Liebenthal | 221.9 | 137.9 | Highway 321 west – Burstall | |
| Happyland No. 231 | ​ | 234.9 | 146.0 | Mendham access road | |
| Happyland No. 231 | Leader | 247.0 | 153.5 | Highway 32 east – Swift Current | |
| Happyland No. 231 | Leader | 247.8 | 154.0 | Highway 741 west – Estuary, Estuary Ferry | |
| ↑ / ↓ | ​ | 256.6 | 159.4 | Crosses the South Saskatchewan River | Crosses the South Saskatchewan River |
| Chesterfield No. 261 | Eatonia | 288.0 | 179.0 | Highway 44 west – Alsask | South end of Hwy 44 concurrency |
| Newcombe No. 260 | Glidden | 307.2 | 190.9 | Highway 44 east – Eston Highway 649 south – Lemsford Ferry, Lemsford | North end of Hwy 44 concurrency |
| Kindersley No. 290 | Kindersley | 333.3 | 207.1 | Highway 7 – Alsask, Rosetown | |
| Oakdale No. 320 | ​ | 359.1 | 223.1 | Highway 307 west – Coleville | |
| Oakdale No. 320 | ​ | 369.3 | 229.5 | Highway 31 east – Rosetown | South end of Hwy 31 concurrency |
| Progress No. 351 | Kerrobert | 382.9 | 237.9 | Highway 51 east – Biggar | South end of Hwy 51 concurrency |
| Progress No. 351 | Kerrobert | 385.3 | 239.4 | Highway 31 west / Highway 51 west – Macklin, Major | North end of Hwy 31 / Hwy 51 concurrency |
| Progress No. 351 – Mariposa No. 350 line | ​ | 402.6 | 250.2 | Highway 771 east – Luseland | |
| ↑ / ↓ | ​ | 409.1 | 254.2 | Highway 374 east – Tramping Lake | |
| Grass Lake No. 381 – Tramping Lake No. 380 line | No major junctions | No major junctions | No major junctions | No major junctions | No major junctions |
| Round Valley No. 410 | Unity | 443.2 | 275.4 | Highway 14 – Macklin, Wilkie | |
| Round Valley No. 410 | ​ | 462.7 | 287.5 | Highway 787 | |
| Cut Knife No. 439 | ​ | 478.8 | 297.5 | Highway 40 east – Cut Knife, The Battlefords | South end of Hwy 40 concurrency |
| Hillsdale No. 440 | ​ | 489.0 | 303.9 | Baldwinton access road | |
| Hillsdale No. 440 | ​ | 494.3 | 307.1 | Highway 40 west – Neilburg, Wainwright | North end of Hwy 40 concurrency |
| ↑ / ↓ | ​ | 510.8 | 317.4 | Crosses the Battle River | Crosses the Battle River |
| Eldon No. 471 | ​ | 525.2 | 326.3 | Highway 16 (TCH/YH) west – Lloydminster | South end of Hwy 16 concurrency |
| Eldon No. 471 | Maidstone | 528.4 | 328.3 | Highway 16 (TCH/YH) east – The Battlefords | North end of Hwy 16 concurrency |
| Eldon No. 471 | ​ | 548.1 | 340.6 | Highway 303 west – Lloydminster | South end of Hwy 303 concurrency |
| ↑ / ↓ | ​ | 561.2 | 348.7 | Crosses the North Saskatchewan River | Crosses the North Saskatchewan River |
| Frenchman Butte No. 501 | ​ | 563.0 | 349.8 | Highway 303 east – Turtleford | North end of Hwy 303 concurrency |
| Frenchman Butte No. 501 | ​ | 580.3 | 360.6 | Highway 3 east – St. Walburg, Prince Albert | South end of Hwy 3 concurrency |
| Frenchman Butte No. 501 | Paradise Hill | 591.0 | 367.2 | Highway 3 west – Lloydminster | North end of Hwy 3 concurrency |
| Loon Lake No. 561 | ​ | 648.5 | 403.0 | Highway 699 east – Loon Lake | |
| ↑ / ↓ | ​ | 684.5 | 425.3 | Crosses the Beaver River | Crosses the Beaver River |
| Beaver River No. 622 | Pierceland | 691.9 | 429.9 | Highway 55 (NWWR) – Cold Lake, Meadow Lake | |
| Beaver River No. 622 | Meadow Lake Provincial Park | 714.6 | 444.0 | Highway 919 / Highway 950 | |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus Route transition ||||||

## Footnotes

* ↑ Four corners of the Rural Municipalities of Progress No. 351, Mariposa No. 350, Grass Lake No. 381, and Tramping Lake No. 380.