The Wood Mountain Hills are known locally as "the Bench" and, at a height of 1,013 metres (3,323ft) above sea level, are the second highest point of land in Western Canada east of the Rocky Mountains. The highest point is just to the west in the neighbouring Cypress Hills.[3]
Geography
The south-eastern part of the Wood Mountain Hills was one of the few places in Canada that wasn't covered in ice during the Last Glacial Period. This preserved tertiary sands and gravels at higher the elevations while other parts of the hills have glacial drift and deep-cut valleys and coulees carved by glacial meltwaters that are separated by flat-topped buttes. The Rock Creek Badlands, also called Killdeer Badlands,[4] were formed by these melting glaciers. The badlands run along the southern slopes of the plateau.
The highest point of the upland at 1,013 metres above sea level is Pinto Butte,[5] which is located at the western end and straddles the watershed divide. Most of the watershed to the north of the hills is in the Old Wives Lakeendorheic drainage basin with Wood River and its tributaries being the primary water course. The southern slopes drain primarily into the Milk Riverdrainage basin. Some of the tributaries that flow south from the hills include Frenchman River, Denniel Creek, Breed Creek, Little Breed Creek, Otter Creek, Bluff Creek, McEachern Creek, West Poplar River, Poplar River, East Poplar River, Weatherall Creek, Rock Creek,[6] and Johnson Creek.[7]
Throughout the hills and in the East Block of Grasslands National Park, wildlife such as bats, black-tailed prairie dogs, swift foxes, burrowing owls, greater sage-grouses, eastern yellow-bellied racers, and greater short-horned lizards can be found.[9]
Parks and recreation
There are several Saskatchewan parks located throughout the Wood Mountain Hills.
The East Block of Grasslands National Park is located at the south-western part of the hills and features the Rock Creek Badlands. The scenic 11-kilometre long, paved Badlands Parkway traverses the badlands.[10]
"Rockin Beach Park". Rockglensk. South Sask Ready. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
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