Fish Creek Provincial Park is a place that the city of Calgary is so lucky to have . It is a…read morenatural reservoir that runs right through the city of Calgary. People can walk bike swim . There is two restaurants there and animals love it in there. I would never spend time personally alone in fish creek because it can be dangerous. Homeless people live in the park under trees, etc. That's why it got a 4 because if you are alone - it is not safe. I would always go with someone and never at dark !

Great place to visit with family. Has a variety of trails and entrances which makes it easy to…read moreaccess from different parts of the city.

the walkway system along bow river pathway feels like one of the features that quietly defines…read moredowntown calgary. despite running directly through the core of the city, the pathways create an atmosphere that often feels calmer and more open than many urban waterfronts. during my visit, there was a soft breeze coming off the river that made the entire area feel noticeably cooler and more relaxed compared to the surrounding downtown streets. even with office towers nearby, the pathways had a slower rhythm to them. runners, joggers, cyclists, and office workers on lunch breaks moved steadily through the space, but it never felt overly crowded or frantic. the area is clearly designed to function as both recreation space and everyday public infrastructure. there are playgrounds, public washrooms, plenty of seating areas, and multiple access points woven throughout the riverfront, making it feel genuinely usable rather than simply scenic. one of the more surprising details is how resort like parts of the riverwalk can feel during summer. sections with sand, bright yellow patio umbrellas, and pool deck style chaise lounges create an atmosphere that feels almost beach inspired, an unexpected contrast against the downtown skyline and surrounding office buildings. the wildlife presence adds another layer to the experience. i saw several goslings along the riverbanks, all impossibly fluffy looking while extremely protective parent geese kept close watch nearby. despite being in the middle of the city, the pathways still retain moments where urban life and nature overlap in a very visible way. that connection to nature is part of what makes the bow river corridor stand out at a larger scale. the pathway system stretches for hundreds of kilometres throughout calgary, linking together parks, neighbourhoods, bridges, wetlands, and green spaces across the city. it functions less like a single riverside trail and more like an interconnected urban park network. there are also ecological restoration and pollinator friendly areas integrated into parts of the river corridor, including bee friendly habitat zones and native plant spaces designed to support urban biodiversity. i think i may have even seen a beaver dam along the riverbank. another thing worth noting is how clean and maintained the pathways feel overall. even with heavy public use, the riverwalk manages to retain a sense of order and accessibility. signage, landscaping, bridges, seating areas, and surveillance presence all contribute to making the space feel comfortable and safe for both locals and visitors. what ultimately makes the bow river pathways memorable is the balance they create between urban energy and environmental calm. surrounded by downtown development, traffic, and office towers, the river corridor still manages to feel restorative, a place where people are not only commuting or exercising, but genuinely slowing down to enjoy the city around them.

I like it! Came here after dinner for a quick walk. There were quite a lot of people walking and…read morejogging at the River Walk. It can be a long walk from one end to another. Its beautiful. Yes its a very relaxing walk. Great to be able to take pictures. Also the walk is quite easy because there are hardly any elevation. Will head over to the River Walk more often, since I live within 3 mins walking distance from it now.

For those who are wondering about Nose Hill Park... it's a large park within the city (15 min drive…read moreaway) that covers 11 square kilometers! There are a LOT of trails up there which make it great for hiking and biking. I've gone multiple times this year and really enjoy it. There are also chances to see wildlife while up there (I've seen a coyote, but haven't seen the white tailed deer yet). It is also a great place to see the city from, and an amazing sunrise location! Super cool seeing it rise and light up the sky surrounding Calgary. Note that it typically is pretty windy up there.

When I first got to Calgary, I assumed Nose Hill Park would be like NYC's Central Park or Toronto's…read moreHigh Park in that you could easily walk into it. Sure, there might be certain entry gates, but they'd be easy to find. Nope! Not in Calgary, which is technically a walkable city, but has the soul of a highway interchange. The charming streets of Caglary's downtown have six lanes of one-way traffic, so of course there are several lanes of cars speeding around Nose Hill. There are quite a few pedestrian tunnels, just don't expect them to be easy to see with your eyeballs if you're in the area or think they'd be marked on Google Maps. Obviously, it's easy enough to get into the park. Lots of people manage it every day! If you have a car, if you get anywhere near the park you can enter any number of clearly marked parking lots. If you're on foot, however, you need to plan ahead in order to find a tunnel or an overpass. Don't assume there will be a way to enter the park or any sort of crosswalk. Once you've made it into the park, it's surprisingly lovely. There are gorgeous views of downtown, the Rockies on a clear day, and the surrounding farmland. Once you're in the park there's a ton of signage and clear paths. Plus, it's hard to get lost when you can see the whole city! Several of the parking lots offer toilet facilities and trash cans. It's interesting to see the grasses and wildflowers shift throughout the year. There's a surprising diversity of terrain for what appears at first glance to be a big hill. There are also historical sites within the park. There's a large off-leash dog area. If you're hoping to pet some stranger's dogs, alas, there is too much space and not enough dogs for it to not be a little weird. If you step off the trails, pay attention for poo and gopher holes. We're in Calgary, so the weather can turn at any moment. There are very few trees, so you'll be in the sun the whole time. Be prepared for it to be windy.

Sadly, underwhelmed. Maybe it was a bad day? We'd been told now was the perfect time (May 29), it's…read morebeen in the 80s these past couple days. It just sorta felt like a basic walk in the park and I didn't see anything more than I would have at any green spot/ park. Bummed because I was so looking forward to it. Did enjoy the teepees and thought they should have put a sign/ explanation along the path for the Colonels house. On the upside it was free.

This is a nice little escape inside the city. There are no joggers, cyclists, dogs being walked…read more We saw a lot of Canada Geese and deer frolicking in the water and near by bushes among other small birds. It's free to enjoy and the paths are well kept. The building houses some information on the birds that we might come across as well as it offers rest rooms and a water fountain. It's just too bad Deerfoot is surrounding it to take away from the peacefulness and drowns out the sounds of nature.

Very fun place to take the kids on a hike Natural park…read more Water spring water Trails Natural woodsy park Me Trial trees are planted there too

Hike in the woods along the stream and then climb the hill up to the flower fields. The hill is a…read morelittle steep but do able. Finish off with a picnic at the picnic tables right when you enter.

This is a really great park I don't really understand why there's a stereotype that it's full of…read moredrug addicts and homeless people and you have to watch out where you want because it's full of used needles... That has never been my experience so I suggest you give it a try and don't listen to the stereotypes

Edworthy Park is an Aboriginal heritage site with a rich history that I first discovered while…read moretaking a summer course in University. Unfortunately now it's mostly regarded as a glorified dog park and not always fully appreciated. I'm surprised anyone would call it small though, it's rather large, and actually contains the most edible plant life in Southern Alberta in one little space. This is a herbalists dream park really, and I know many people who have come here to study plants. Try not to take anything from the land without making an offering though; bad form. When it's nice out, I love to come here with a book and a cup of tea from Lazy Loaf, put on some headphones to drown out the yuppies with strollers doing outdoor aerobics, and read next to the river. When it's cold outside, I like to come here in the winter and watch the river freeze over, then thaw in the spring. I love you, Edworthy, a little bit. *Review 14/30 of Yelp's 30 day Challenge 2012

North Glenmore Park is an idyllic oasis in the city overlooking the Glenmore Reservoir. This vast…read morecity park boasts numerous walking/biking paths, lots of picnicking areas, and a big, brightly coloured playground for the kids. There are lots of wide open fields, perfect for flinging a frisbee around. There's plenty of parking, and this park is also home to the Calgary Canoe Club. It's a great place in the city to escape the hectic pace and unwind. Unfortunately, as I am writing this, there is an extensive construction project at the entrance to the park. No big whoop once you're in, but one wonders if the urban sprawl might not be creeping into this great green space.

I simply love this park, and I've yet to properly explore it still. Being a member of the Red Eyes…read morePaddling Club, I'm here twice a week to train on the Reservoir and get to see the park from it's heart, that is, the beautiful man-made lake that services the drinking water of 1/2 the city. From the cute domesticated ducks that follow the boats around (I named these 2 particular ducklings, L'Orange and Peking), the long paths that wrap all over the place and the interesting waterways to explore, it's a wonderful place to just spend a quiet day or train intensively for victory. Near the center, there's a huge children's park, surrounded by fire pits all over the place (they can be rented out for group events online with the City of Calgary Recreation website), so it's ideal for families to explore and enjoy. Bike paths are everywhere, as well as running paths, and unfortunately cops with radar traps (speed limit is 30...ah well), but that's how it should be I suppose. The only annoying thing I might say about it is that there's virtually few resources like public washrooms for the most part. Forget about snack shops or anything, it's mostly wilderness which is surprising for its size since it's just south of the middle of the city. And when there are special events, like the annual Loops for the Troops or the Betty Run for ALS, forget about parking. Just park a kilometer away and factor that it to your time. To me, my summer begins in April, when I step foot inside the park to start training with my beloved Red Eyes. And I dread when I leave it in October when the season is over. But every time I'm there, no matter how wet, cold, cold or stormy, it's still the place I probably love the most in this city.

I visited Prince's Island Park while on a work trip in Calgary. Wow. What a beautiful park. I went…read moreon a jog from downtown Calgary where my hotel was and it is so nice to have a large park so close to the city. I think there's ~50 acres of land with plenty of well-maintained walkways for walking, jogging, biking. This seems like a perfect place to go on a date, walk around a bit during a work break, read a book on the many places to sit there, or just walk/jog like I did. There is also a cafe located near the center in the park. Unfortunately it was closed when I visited but I heard it's good!

This beautiful, 50 acre"urban park" is found on the north side of downtown Calgary by the Eau…read moreClaire neighborhood and is a fantastic place to get out in nature - even though it's in such close proximity to the city. There are paved walking paths and gravel trails - all very well maintained. We saw lots of geese and ducks and butterflies too - it was surprisingly peaceful! I imagine this would be a great place for migratory bird watching when the time is right! Lots of articles call this park the "heart" of Calgary...it certainly is popular but I can see why. It's lovely - there's tons of flower gardens, some native bee habitats, and it's surrounded by the Bow river on all sides and even has a lagoon that you can ice skate on in winter. Calgary holds lots of festivals here. There are picnic areas and playgrounds and even a cute little cafe. Several bridges connect it to downtown Calgary and one of them connects you to the other more northern side as well. It's very walkable and easy to access - I'd definitely say it's handicap accessible as a good portion of the paths are paved and flat. There are lots of info signs dotted around the island as well. Definitely a must see when visiting the city! We loved it!