Tucked into the northwest corner of Saskatchewan within the Rural Municipality of Mervin No. 499, Turtleford sits along Highway 26 near the junction with Highway 3 and Highway 303. The two closest urban centres are North Battleford and Lloydminster, making the town a local hub for the surrounding rural area. The Turtlelake River flows right through town, and the recreational lakes of Brightsand Lake and Turtle Lake are situated nearby. The town takes its name from that early river crossing – a ford on the Turtlelake River – and was first settled in 1907 and 1908. A post office followed in 1913, and by 1914 a branch of the Canadian Northern Railway had arrived from North Battleford. By 1915, dozens of businesses had opened and Turtleford had grown into a significant centre for the region. That rail branch, which later became part of Canadian National Railway and served communities including Edam, Mervin, and St. Walburg, ceased operations by 2005 when the remaining grain elevators along the line closed.
According to the 2021 Census, Turtleford had a population of 503 residents living in 213 of its 228 private dwellings, a modest increase of 1.4% from the 496 people recorded in 2016. The town covers a land area of 1.66 square kilometres, giving it a population density of roughly 303 people per square kilometre. Turtleford is served by the Northwest School Division, with students attending Turtleford Community School, and residents have access to the Lakeland Library Region branch as well as The Northwest News, a local weekly newspaper. The town is perhaps best known for Ernie the Turtle, a statue standing more than eight feet tall that holds the distinction of being Canada’s largest turtle statue, positioned along Highway 26 near the south end of town. Nature enthusiasts may also be interested to know that Turtleford falls within the breeding range of the Sprague’s pipit, a small and vulnerable songbird native to the northern Great Plains of North America.