Hiking is one way to get outside, get some sun and get some exercise after the most indulgent holiday of the year. You don’t have to travel far either. Here are three hikes you can do in the city.
1. Fish Creek Provincial Park – S.W.
Fishcreek is a great outing for people of any and all abilities. Accessible by transit it offers a southern view of the Bow river. Photo by Cassandra Woods.
Calgary has gotten a little bit more accessible with the addition of Fish Creek Provincial Park’s new one kilometre accessibility trail. The trail, which begins south of the Bow Valley South Visitor Centre at the east part of the park, is wheelchair friendly and equipped with tactile warning surfaces for people with vision loss and available generally to Calgarians who use door-to-door transit service for those with disabilities.
Fish Creek is also home to cross country skiing trails — both for beginners and the more experienced — and features paved walking and hiking trails. Various lookout points are scattered throughout the park.
2. Bowmont Park – N.W.
A beautiful view found right here in the city. A smaller trail at Bowmont Park overlooks the Bow river. Photo by Cassandra Woods.
Bowmont Park is home to Waterfall Valley, also known as Silver Springs Coulee, the perfect trail for both children and beginners. The trail is paved, with stairs leading down into the valley. Although it’s short (about one km), it’s well worth the trip out as it includes waterfalls and a lookout of the river at the very end. You can always loop around a few times to extend your walk. There is also a variety of smaller, unpaved trails for the more adventurous.
In total Bowmont Park includes 165 hectares of land and is dog friendly, both on and off-leash. The park sits alongside the Bow River and contains two playgrounds.
3. Weaselhead Flats – S.W.
A elevated view of Weaslehead Flats taken from the west entrance of the north Glenmore park. Photo by Cassandra Woods.
Containing one of the largest coniferous forests within the city, Weaselhead Flats on the west end of the Glenmore Reservoir has lots of trails for hiking, cross country skiing and is home to the only delta habitat within the city. A delta forms when the flow of a river (in this case the Elbow river) slows down and leaves deposits of sediment at the mouth of the river.
What does this mean for hikers? The opportunity to see a unique array of birds and other wildlife.
Editor: Huyana Cyprien | hcyprien@cjournal.ca