Nice park for a picnic with family! My best friend got married there back 45 years ago! I like the…read morelocation! I was born in Edmonton at the Royal Alex so many memories at this park as a teenager!

This is a lovely park that feels out of the way if you're coming from Parkdale, because of the way…read moreit's tucked under an industrial area. It's recently been redone, so everything is in great condition. It's got a lot of pathways lined with plants and grassy areas to wander around. While I wouldn't necessarily describe it as a sculpture garden, there are a number of pieces. Since going to art galleries and museums has fallen on a spectrum from impossible to ill-advised, Borden Park's sculptures gave me a chance to see some art while I'm in Edmonton. The centerpiece of Borden Park is the natural swimming pool. Unfortunately, this is closed for the 2020 summer season. More importantly, the washrooms are also closed for the season. If you have a strong bladder and/or are prepared to pop a squat somewhere (there are plenty of trees and bushes for privacy) there are lots of nice picnic areas. You already have hand sanitizer with you, right? There are some very cool looking playground structures, which are open. There are groups of tables of various sizes, some of which are wheelchair accessible, as well as ample grounds for picnics while conforming to social distancing guidelines. There's a save-on-foods on the other side of the parking lot in case you don't want to carry picnic foods from home.

I've stopped here several times over the years when my body needs a break from being in the…read morevehicle. Tonight I sat way too long in the lineup at Peter's, so naturally I thought of this location on my way home. It was super windy and quite chilly tonight. I debated just looking at the lake from the vehicle but I wanted to see what birds were out there. So I had a fast eating kind of picnic while watching the geese at the lake, checked out the playground to see if it's worth bringing the nephews and nieces (definitely cool!) and just enjoyed watching the sun set from different angles. It's a large park with the road dividing the off leash area from where the playground is. Trees look to be the boundary to the gold course further back in the park. If you're looking for well set up group spaces for picnics that are family friendly, I'd recommend this location. Lots of parking too. Oh

This park is OUT OF THIS WORLD!…read more There are so many playgrounds here, it is easy for me to get lost! TONS of parking, at least 5 separate playgrounds including - toddler playground, big kid playground, rock wall/climbing and rope course play ground, HUGE spray park, and a freaking monkey bars playground... that's right, I said a monkey bars playground with more than 20 different types/styles of monkey bars. This park is INSANE - if you haven't been here, you NEED to come. Get up, right now and go! So pray tell, why am I only giving 4 stars rather than 5 stars? Well... Okay, compared to my family's personal have spray park, this park does not offer concessions, is not staffed during all open hours, and has a lake that little ones could run off to quickly and possibly get wet or be in a dangerous situation. So... If coming here with only big kids that you trust not to go in the lake or run out in the parking lot, then this park may become your very favourite. If you are like me with two kids under 6, this park requires a 1:1 ratio of adults to children to be certain of safety. I will most definitely be coming back here again and again and again!

I really enjoyed this park in the past but I have to say when you're less mobile, it does take some…read moresleuthing to figure out where to access things to get a better walk close to the ravine. Beautiful at all times of the year and one of my most favourite winter events is held within this park. Being that I live decently close to this park, I was surprised the 3 access points to this park I've encountered were all massive stairs but none of them had signs for any options for accessible routes. Lovely benches always nearby the top of the stairs which I've enjoyed this summer and some being near smaller open parks, I've enjoyed watching the dogs. I wouldn't recommend using the stair routes unless you're looking for good cardio in your day otherwise after a long walk in the ravine, it is quite a hike back up (speaking from past experiences!). Today, I took a neighbourhood construction detour and wondered where everyone was going with bikes and dogs. It was like the whole neighbourhood was outside! I smartly followed the dog walkers and biker groups. Finally, flatter trails and easier slope access points to the park were wonderfully revealed. There's cement paths on the upper portions of millcreek and more gravel and dirt paths on the lower levels. Some beautiful places for photos - tons of people out there today for family and engagement photos with the beautiful fall colours and the lovely bridges. I really like millcreek ravine due to the mix use. There's a good mix of on and off leash trails for dog walkers. Good trails for all sorts of bikes. Decent paved trails for young families. Nice variation of walking paths for various fitness levels. Lovely way to connect with nature without driving out of the city. I do have to say with everyone outside, I was surprised that I was one of the few with a mask on in the park. Some areas the trails are so narrow, you're almost shoulder to shoulder passing by. The path I ended on was going in the direction of the pool but due to my limited walking distance stamina, I turned around way before reaching that. Had a great but unexpected chat with friends on my way back to my vehicle which of course was much closer than I actually thought (it's easy to loose track of how far you've gone so good to remember to charge up your phone before going into the ravine so you can check distances/path maps).

It's kinda my Go-To because it's close by. Endless trails…read more Sometimes they are mucky. If you don't like dogs, stay off the lower South trail that allows off leash access. There is one porta potty in the parking lot beside the Mill Creek pool turnoff. Lots of cyclists. Most of them use their bells to give you heads up. Some will shout..."On your left!'... I shout back, "I doubt that, pal. I voted NDP". I can walk 10 km through this park which gives me a pretty nice, safe workout. I also stop and smell the roses.

Rundle Park is far from the closest river valley park to my home, but it's one that I frequent…read moreoften. Why? Disc golf! Rundle Park has the largest and most well-used disc golf course in Edmonton, and is home to Edmonton's disc golf league. For those that aren't familiar with disc golf, it's similar to traditional golf, in that you start at a tee, but the goal is to throw discs into baskets instead of hitting balls into holes. Disc golf has ramped up popularity since Covid restrictions were introduced, as it's an easy outdoor sport that has no green fees and allows for social distancing. I've played the course at Rundle many times and I still find it challenging. Some of the holes are fairly long, and have hazards like water or hills to keep you on your toes. Compared to the other courses I have played, Rundle could do a better job with signage to help players find the next hole, as some of the holes criss-cross each other a bit. The bathrooms in the family centre are open daily, and there are plenty of parking spots. Aside from disc golf, Rundle is huge. I've attended 5k races here, and they easily can stay within the park. There are playgrounds, and numerous picnic sites. On a recent Sunday, the park was full of people setting up makeshift picnic sites in the grass, and all the city-run picnic spots were fully of families. I will note that the mini-golf is no longer open, even though there are a few painted signs remaining in the park. Rundle is a wonderful place in the city to spend time with family and friends, and a perfect picnic destination.

LOVE me some Rundle Park…read more When I first moved to Canada, from Seattle, 14 years ago our townhouse was across the street. Now, the area is a bit rough but that's not Rundle Park's fault. The park itself is MASSIVE and contains the ACT pool, the clubhouse you can rent out for parties, paddle boats, lots of trails, views/access to river valley, and tennis courts open to the public for free. Not to mention the bumpy roller coaster feel of the road that will abuse your car but is oh so fun for bike riding. It's build on the old city dump so that's why the ground bubbles up all over the place! There's a golf course here though I've never had the pleasure. They also have outdoor mini golf but I've never tried that either. They also set up huge bails of hay here in the winter along the fence lines for awesome and relatively safe tobogganing! See you soon Rundle Park!

Bunchberry Meadows is a privately owned conservation area just west of Edmonton and north of Devon…read more From my home in the Windermere area, I was able to drive here in about 20-25 minutes, with easy access off the Henday. The turn in to the area from Range Road 261 is easy to miss, but once you make the turn, large signs tell you that you're in the right spot. The entire area is really well maintained, with a gravel parking lot, maps and concrete outhouses (which were very clean!). There are a number of trail loops, and if you do all of them, expect to walk about 9 km, or two hours. Depending on the trail route you select, you could walk much less than this.The trails are stamped down grassland or peat, and were easy walking, but I wouldn't recommend a stroller due to uneven ground. I was also more comfortable in hiking shoes than I would have been in sneakers or sandals. The whole trail system is very well marked throughout, with maps and pointers giving walking distances and times back to the parking lot at every trail fork. Along the trails there are placards with information about trees and wildlife in the conservation area, and I especially loved the birch forest - rare and beautiful. I visited in early September, and mosquitoes weren't an issue with some bug spray, but with marshy areas I would expect them to be out in full force during warmer months. I enjoyed my visit, and would definitely return, especially once the leaves start to turn in the fall. Note: dogs and bicycles are not permitted due to some of the sensitive habitats in the area.

Elk Island National Park is one of my favourite spots to visit…read more The park has many hiking trails ranging from a few kilometres to over 10. So definitely a variety for all fitness levels. Hiking can be done read round, and snowshoeing in the winter. The park has a visitor centre at the south entrance with Parks Canada staff, who are very welcoming, professional and very knowledgeable about the park and the wildlife. Speaking of wildlife, Elk Island is the home of bisons, which have been introduced to the area many years ago. They are impressive beautiful animals, that I've seen up close and personal (from my vehicle). They are impressive park also offers camping at the Astotin Lake area, but also backcountry camping. The park is a short hour (or less) east of Edmonton, and it is absolutely one of the best areas you can go to in Alberta to enjoy the outdoors, outdoor sports and activities, and wildlife. Ell Island National Park is also a dark sky area, where you can enjoy a starry night sky!!!

Located east of Edmonton in Alberta. Free admission for visitors thanks to Strong Canada Pass from…read morenow till Sept 7, 2026. Do not anticipate cell phone reception. You're welcome to try Satellite connection or SOS with the sun. If it's your first time, I highly recommend entering from south entrance, start at Wahkotowin Visitor Centre, read about history, familiarize with wildlife, campgrounds, and pick up a physical map of Elk Island National Park. Staff are very knowledgeable. I was hoping to see elk, yet didn't run into any during this visit. Our goal was to stop at these four lakes: Tawayik, Moss, Astotin, and Shirley. Surprisingly, we didn't see any bison on Bison Loop Road. As we turned left, on our way to Tawayik Lake, we saw a bison standing their ground and staring at us as our vehicle approached. We slowed down, stopped the vehicle from a safe distance. I zoomed my phone in, snapped a quick photo of the bison inside my car. Quick thinking and no other vehicles in sight, I instructed my husband to slowly reverse the rental, then do a u-turn. We didn't make it to Tawayik Lake. As we drove north on Elk Island Parkway, we saw three more bison within a 12 minute span. We passed by Moss Lake and Shirley Lake without stopping. We parked in the parking lot and walked around the grassy area fronting Astotin Lake. There's a blue and green algae warning on 7/24/2026. Do not enter the water. Yet, we saw a few people in boats on the lake. We got a great view of Astotin Island. Best to carry bug spray. We drove out via North Entrance.

A nice public park with picnic shelters which you can rent from the city. The pavillion is…read moreexcellently well maintained with washrooms, rooms for activities and rent and lots of open grassy area for activities. There's even a small park for children, decent parking, and it is located very close to the river if you wanted to go for a nice walk on the paths. It is also walking distance from downtown. There is a skating rink in the winter (which I've not visited as most of my visits have been in the spring/fall/summer) but the space is lovely for a picnic or other summer activities. A smaller park, it is often less busy than other more well-known Edmonton parks in the downtown accessible area.

A beautiful place to stop by and enjoy the river valley in the summer! Lots of trails to go for a…read morewalk/run down. In the winter, there's a skating rink where speed skaters go to practice. The ice is fairly well maintained. This year they added in the 400m Freezeway, which is an awesome starter project. The loop is still fairly short, but lots of fun to skate! There are slight slopes which make it fun, but also a little scary for newer skaters. The ice is rough. Very rough. So be careful! The areas with the lights are very pretty and are a perfect place to snap a picture. I'm really excited about this project and hope they expand it in future years! There's lots of parking to be found here, which makes it super convenient to visit. A great place to head for some free fun, a workout, or even a date!

I must say that I have thoroughly enjoyed spending many a lunchbreak at this park! I often meet up…read morewith a girlfriend to run the stairs and am definitely looking forward to the blooming of the donated rose bushes come warmer weather! You can connect up to Jasper Ave via the stairs at the Shaw or continue your trek across the river and over to the Muttart via the footbridge. There is even a little riverfront promenade down below with a view of the Edmonton Queen Riverboat!

At an event at the Shaw and looking for a few minutes away from the hustle and bustle? A short walk…read moresouth of the Conference Centre is the park which you can access by the doors out of the Shaw and down the stairs. It's easy to get to and away from the downtown activity and great for walkers and runners. There's the riverfront plaza and promenade where there are washrooms available. The Chinese garden is lovely and I have seen wedding parties take photos at this location. It's serene and a lovely walk on the trail beside the river. There can be a few runners but room for walkers and runners to share. You can also see the River Queen and I believe you can access it with a walk across the pedestrian bridge and then a short walk through the park on the other side. If you want to sit and relax, there are benches with the view of the river. One of the many great parks in Edmonton!