From Ellisboro to St. Lazare
The eastern section of the Qu’Appelle Valley offers some of the most remote and beautiful landscapes.
This is where navigation becomes most challenging.
Fort Ellis Trail The gravel route through this section is passable in dry conditions only. In wet weather, avoid it.
The trail offers some of the valley’s prettiest scenery with minimal traffic.
Ellisboro: Picture-Perfect and Tiny One of the valley’s smallest communities – two churches dating to the 1890s, two homes, that’s it.
Beautiful, isolated setting. Tantallon Tantallon (locally pronounced tan-TA-lon) sits in a dramatically beautiful section of the valley.
The historic bridge spanning the Qu’Appelle River is a landmark worth stopping for, and locals know several swimming spots along the river.
Services: Limited. Small population, few services.
Plan accordingly.
St. Lazare: The Eastern Terminus
St. Lazare, Manitoba marks where the Qu’Appelle River meets the Assiniboine.
The valley here is surprisingly dramatic – substantial hills and beautiful topography that defies expectations.
St. Lazare was featured briefly in the Stephen King adaptation The Long Walk (2025), filmed primarily in Manitoba.
The Gap Nobody Mentions
There is no maintained valley-floor route between Tantallon and St. Lazare.
To visit St. Lazare, you must exit the valley and approach from Manitoba highways.
Key Takeaway
The eastern valley rewards those who plan carefully.
Know where routes end, where you’ll be forced out, and arrange fuel and supplies accordingly.