Saskatchewan Highway 13
Highway 13 is an east–west provincial highway in the southern part of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The highway runs from the Alberta border until it transitions into Highway 2 at the Manitoba border east of Antler. It is about long and passes through the city of Weyburn and the towns of Shaunavon, Assiniboia, Redvers, and Carlyle.
Highway 13 is part of the Red Coat Trail that runs through the southern parts of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Much of the length of the Red Coat Trail follows the route taken by the North-West Mounted Police on their historic March West in 1874. It is also known as the Ghost Town Trail between Govenlock and Wauchope due to a significant number of ghost towns along its route.
Route description
Highway 13 runs the width of the province from the Alberta border east to the Manitoba border. It traverses the Missouri Coteau and the Laurentian continental divide in a semi-arid region known as Palliser's Triangle. The terrain of the Missouri Coteau features low hummocky, undulating, rolling hills, potholes, and grasslands.The western terminus of Highway 13 begins at the Saskatchewan–Alberta border south of the Cypress Hills. Alberta's Highway 501 continues west from that point. Highway 13 travels north-east then east for to Govenlock and the intersection with the north–south Highway 21. The two highways have a long north-eastward concurrency that ends a few kilometres west of Robsart. Along this segment, the highway provides access to Senate and Consul and crosses Battle Creek. About west of Robsart, Highway 21 turns north while 13 continues east. Heading north on 21, the highway traverses the Cypress Hills, provides access to Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, and meets Highway 1 north of Maple Creek. At Robsart, Highway 13 is met with the western terminus of Highway 18. Highway 18 — also an east–west highway — parallels Highway 13 to the Manitoba border. Continuing east, Highway 13 skirts the southern slopes of the Cypress Hills to Olga. At Olga, it turns north for several kilometres where it intersects with Highway 706 before resuming its eastward heading. After travelling east for about, it turns north and drops into the Frenchman River Valley where it enters the town of Eastend, intersects the east–west Highway 614, and crosses the Frenchman River. Through Eastend, Highway 13 is known as Red Coat Drive. On the north side of Eastend is the Royal Saskatchewan Museum's T.rex Discovery Centre and "home of the world's largest T. rex". The highway then leaves Eastend, climbs out of the valley and heads north-east to Shaunavon. Dollard is the only community on this stretch. At Shaunavon, it meets the north-bound Highway 37 where it begins a long concurrency. From the end of the concurrency, 37 continues north to Gull Lake and Highway 1 while 13 travels east to Assiniboia.
From the junction with 37, 13 heads east for about where it provides access to Instow and crosses Grassy Creek. East of the Grassy Creek crossing, and about west of Scotsguard, the highway crosses Notukeu Creek — a tributary of the Wood River. About downstream, the abandoned Highway 13 six-arch bowstring bridge crosses the creek and the Great Western Railway shortline railway tracks. The bridge, built in about 1936, was part of the original routing of Highway 13 until it was decommissioned. From that crossing, the highway and creek then roughly follow each other, criss-crossing several times, eastward to Ponteix. At Ponteix, along the Notukeu Creek, is Notukeu Regional Park. Several communities are along this segment of highway, including Admiral, Crichton, and Cadillac. It also intersects Highways 631, 4, and 628. Continuing east from Ponteix, Highway 13 provides access to Aneroid, Hazenmore, Kincaid, Meyronne, Woodrow, Lafleche, Melaval, and Limerick. About east of Woodrow, the highway crosses the Wood River, which has its headwaters to the south in the Wood Mountain Hills. Highways that intersect 13 along this stretch include 612, 19, 611, 610, 58, and 358. From the 358 intersection at Limerick, Highway 13 travels west for a further to Highway 2 at Assiniboia. Highway 2 and 13 share a long concurrency through Assiniboia. Highway 2 splits off south at Centre Street while 13 heads south-east out of town. Assiniboia Regional Park, accessed from Highway 13, is split into three sections — Centennial Park in town, a 9-hole golf course south-east of town, and Willows Dam east of town.
Highway 13 continues south-east to Highway 36 at the northern edge of the Big Muddy Badlands. Highways 36 and 13 share a long east-bound concurrency that passes just north of Verwood. South on 36 heads to Willow Bunch and the U.S. border while north-bound heads to the Dirt Hills and Highway 2 south of Moose Jaw. Leaving the concurrency, 13 heads east to Highway 35 on the west side of Weyburn — the only city on Highway 13. Communities from the intersection with 36 to Weyburn include Horizon, Glasnevin, Ogema, Amulet, Pangman, Khedive, Forward, and Trossachs. Highways that intersect 13 along this portion include 334, 623, 6, 28, and 621.
In the spring of 2025, the construction of a roundabout was begun at the intersection of 39 and 13. Completed in the fall of 2025, it cost $29 million and included a further of twinning on Highway 39. Continuing east from the roundabout, Highway 13 crosses the Souris River and enters the city of Weyburn. It runs east through Weyburn as 1st Avenue NW until the intersection with the north–south Hwy 35, at which point it becomes 1st Avenue NE. Exiting Weyburn, the highway intersects with Range Road 2142, which north-bound goes to North Weyburn and south-bound to Highway 39 south-east of Weyburn. Travelling east from that intersection, Highway 13 continues towards the Saskatchewan–Manitoba border. Hume, Griffin, Froude, and Stoughton are the next communities east of Weyburn. At Stoughton, 13 intersects with 47, which is a north–south highway. South on 47 is Estevan and the U.S. border while north is Highway 1. Continuing east, 13 provides access to Forget, Kisbey, Arcola, and Carlyle and crosses Moose Mountain Creek. Through Carlyle, 13 shares a short long concurrency with the north–south Highway 9. North-bound on 9 travels through Moose Mountain Provincial Park en route to Whitewood and Highway 1 while south-bound heads to the U.S. border. Continuing east to the Manitoba border, 13 passes by Manor, Wauchope, Redvers, and Antler and crosses the Antler River and Gainsborough Creek. It intersects Highways 603, 601, 8, and 600 en route. Once at the border, it crosses Graham Creek and transitions into Manitoba Highway 2, which has its eastern terminus at Winnipeg's Perimeter Highway.