Walking/Hiking/Biking Trails in Calgary

[curves2000]

Hi all,

So I am trying to try and stay as active as possible with all this Covid thing. Gym's are generally still closed and I am craving some good outdoor experiences.

I was recently in Vancouver visiting friends and everybody (all ex Calgarians) kept bragging and bragging and asking if I had done the Stanley Park loop and the seawall etc.

I will admit that Stanley Park is very beautiful and the seawall is also an excellent part of Vancouver. Why were all these ex Calgarians telling me how great a walking trail and a park Stanley Park was when we all grew up in Calgary? I am starting to wonder if we just don't appreciate what we really have in Calgary sometimes??

So to make a long post as short as possible, what trails and pathways are CP users using these days? I know and use a lot of the ones close to my home such as Bowness Park, Edworthy Park, Glenmore Park/Reservoir, Griffith Woods Park. Anybody got any other suggestions? I grew up next to Fish Creek so that's also another goodie.

Has anybody done the Douglas Fir Trail hike at Edworthy recently? I came across one of the signs today while out, I can't recall doing it but than again I don't remember every walk.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

[Pizza]

There is a paved pathway that follows the canal to Chestemere. A nice quiet pathway that leads out of the city. You see a ton of ducks hanging out in the water

So far, I've only made it to the golf course and back which is only 3/4 the way from downtown, but plan on building enough endurance to make the whole way by the end of summer

[habernac]

Canal path is a great one as it's mostly empty. Rode out past Chestermere earlier this spring. Some parts of the path are not as smooth as others, but its still one of my favourites.

[skudr248]

They say it to justify living in a shoebox rental in downtown Vancouver with rampant drug addition and mental health issue folk roaming the streets. Big ass circle jerk here among my ex-Calgarian friends here as well, drives me insane every time even though it's sunny for maybe 3-4 months of the year and only sees traffic then.

This is coming from someone who lives 20 steps away from Stanley Park. Great city and all and yes Stanley Park is great, but so is Fish Creek etc. I grew up biking in FC and it was awesome and a lot less Instagram b.s.

[hesh329]

Douglas Fir Trail by Edworthy is a nice little hike. I used to run it when i lived nearby. We now live in Valley Ridge and we have been finding lots of fun trails just through the neighborhood hear. There is another Douglas Fir Trail here down to bowness park as well on the other side there are some pretty cool walks through the trees. The Glenmore Reservoir trail is a nice loop as well.

[troutman]

You can go on some really long rides around Calgary, as most bike paths connect in some way.

Bow river paths - from Bowness to Deerfoot. From there, North can connect to Nose Hill, south connects to Fish Creek.

Elbow River path - connects to Bow, goes upstream to the dam, then around the reservoir, and can connect to Fish Creek paths.

https://maps.calgary.ca/PathwaysandBikeways/

[GGG]

Fish Creek is really nice for either paved or unpaved. The rotary Greenway is mostly done and encircles the city. The section out near Ralph Klein park is neat. Nose Hill if you like open Prairie like Sliver does is great. The bow river system is great. The East side of the bow after it goes up high has really good mountain views in the Douglassale area. Inglewood bird Sanctuary to downtown on the South side of the river is great.

Essentially everywhere along the various river systems is a massive linear pathway area. It doesn’t have the Ocean but outside of downtown it also not nearly as busy.

[RedHot25]

Hey, this is a great thread, and I'm looking to pick up some ideas as well.

We are a young family, and a few we like off the top of our head (besides the usuals/obvious like Nose Hill, Fishcreek, etc):

Up in Tuscany (NW), I think its called 12 mile coulee? Its great, as you have paved paths up at the top along the side, but then down in the coulee is where all the fun is - long paths, small creek, hills, bumps, etc. Don't feel like you are in a city.

Ranchlands (NW): when the area was developed, it was one of the first in the city that essentially didn't bulldoze down hills/fill in gaps and valleys (I think from glaciers way back). As a result, you get some real cool hills with fantastic views of the mountains/downtown/COP. For e.g., there is a whole section worth exploring just inside the corner of John Laurie & Sarcee. You don't even realize you are in the city, next to 2 major roads. Anyway, once you get in there, I recommend exploring around the community, as there is some really fun terrain and fantastic views.

[Swift]

Check out a book called Calgary Parks and Pathways by Terry Bullick if you can. I picked it up a decade ago and have used it to explore many parks in the city. I tend to stick to the south these days as I live right by Fish Creek. Ralph Klein is a neat walk. Very short but worth visiting. I've been meaning to do the Irrigation Canal to Chestermere, but it's 26km one way, so you'd almost need a car waiting for you at the other end.

[Northendzone]

the large body of open water in vanocuver adds a dynamic that calgary can't offer.

fish creek, nose hill both offer up some good options. Depending on how big around calgary you want to make the circle I believe you could make an argument for considering Bragg Creek.

There are also many sections along teh bow and elbow that offer up pathways - some paved, some dirt ones

[Muta]

I walked around the Glenmore Reservoir the other week. It was gorgeous, especially the Weaselhead area. Although I was so sore by the end I could barely walk.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Muta

I walked around the Glenmore Reservoir the other week. It was gorgeous, especially the Weaselhead area. Although I was so sore by the end I could barely walk.

I talked to a lady who claims that she does that in 2 hours, so my wife and I decided to give that a shot. We've walked it a bunch of times and it just takes 3 hours. It's just not possible to walk it in 2...she has to be running.

[Northendzone]

^ is she able to drive from airdrie to downtown calgary in 10m as well?

[djsFlames]

Been doing a tour of the yyc trails lately

Weaselhead Flats is fantastic and my go to.
Nose Creek Park/trail, many bridges, nice streams
Fish Creek (Ranch area on the east side is best)
Bowness/Baker parks loop is a classic
Path on south edge of Discovery Ridge is worth checking out, mountainous forest feel with views of the elbow and lots of wooden bridges.
Glenbow Ranch Prov Park is the best walk/ride close to town, you can watch the trains up close and enjoy foothills, mountain scenery, coulees and the old farmhouses there.

[woob]

Originally Posted by Slava

I talked to a lady who claims that she does that in 2 hours, so my wife and I decided to give that a shot. We've walked it a bunch of times and it just takes 3 hours. It's just not possible to walk it in 2...she has to be running.

You need to up your game.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Slava

I talked to a lady who claims that she does that in 2 hours, so my wife and I decided to give that a shot. We've walked it a bunch of times and it just takes 3 hours. It's just not possible to walk it in 2...she has to be running.

It’s 15km for the loop so a brisk walk you can do it in 2. A relaxed walk would be about 3.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Slava

I talked to a lady who claims that she does that in 2 hours, so my wife and I decided to give that a shot. We've walked it a bunch of times and it just takes 3 hours. It's just not possible to walk it in 2...she has to be running.

Does she have a dog? I find those with dogs often jog/walk briskly on "walks" and don't really realize or notice they are doing it. They only identify and realize it when it is pointed out to them.

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Been doing a tour of the yyc trails lately

Weaselhead Flats is fantastic and my go to.
Nose Creek Park/trail, many bridges, nice streams
Fish Creek (Ranch area on the east side is best)
Bowness/Baker parks loop is a classic
Path on south edge of Discovery Ridge is worth checking out, mountainous forest feel with views of the elbow and lots of wooden bridges.
Glenbow Ranch Prov Park is the best walk/ride close to town, you can watch the trains up close and enjoy foothills, mountain scenery, coulees and the old farmhouses there.

Awesome. I've been wondering if this is a good hike and everything I've heard about it seems like it is. I was really curious though because even many avid self proclaimed hikers I know seems to have walked or hiked it before.

I know Nosehill has been mentioned and these other sections aren't really worth mentioning on their own, but the semi interconnected pathways between Nosehill, Edgemont, Hamptons etc. between communities are sometimes surprisingly beautiful. There are ravines, valleys and ponds in Edgemont which are really nice.

I know nothing of bikes, but I'm tempted to learn by refurbishing a 20 year old mountain bike that's just collecting dust in my parent's garage (probably just needs new brake line/brakes, cleaning/grease, helmet and I'm good to go). That way I can traverse more of these paths than I would normally just by walking.


A long time ago, I recall biking from Nose creek valley towards downtown. That was a nice ride as well.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by GGG

It’s 15km for the loop so a brisk walk you can do it in 2. A relaxed walk would be about 3.

I think that the average walking pace is closer to 4-5km/hr, which is more like 3 hours. I don't think that many people just walk at 7.5km/hr.

[Magnum PEI]

Check out Anne & Sandy Cross. Technically 2 miles past the city limits, but really it's about 5 from Bridlewood. Nice little 8 km trail with about 250 m of elevation. Also a good beginner trail running loop.

[Swift]

The Cross Conservation Area put a $10 (per car) charge in place at the start of the year. No idea how they collect it, if someone is there or not, or whether it's an honour system.