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.

As stated in the City of Calgary invite:…read more "A unique and progressive collaboration between artists, architects, landscape architects and engineers, Parkdale Plaza features benches and bike racks, native vegetation, sweeping river views, an upgraded stormwater outfall and an integrated public art piece. The Outflow artwork is a sculpture of an inverted mountain, namely Mount Peechee, which is just north of Canmore in the Bow River watershed. Also a functioning component of The City's stormwater system, the artwork invites visitors to explore the delicate balance between our natural and built environments. It encourages Calgarians to think about the origins of our water and our role in its protection. Visitors will take an inside look as water travels from our streets and back out to the Bow River." I've watched the progress of this new park and art installation over the past months and have been exited for it's completion. The park is nicely situated and provides a good spot to relax and enjoy the river view. There are comfortable benches and the pathway is individually placed cobbles for a very rustic finish. The art installation "Outflow" is both functional and visually impacting. As a component of the stormwater collection system it stands out as the prettiest storm water retention system I have ever seen. I love the inverted mountain idea and while I have heard a few people say they just don't get it, don't overthink it. The Peace Bridge took a lot of heat and some have been able to shift their view to see the asthetic it adds and I hope they see the same with Outflow.

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.

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!

A really good place to go if you're photographing a family or couple. There's some really good…read moresettings and backdrops to place and pose people. The park itself is pretty large so there's always a spot to be alone. The sunsets around the Ranche restaurant are pretty spectacular with wide open views.

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 !

If you ask around for hiking suggestions near Calgary, you'll get sent several hours deep into the…read moreRockies. If you're not looking to spend half the day in the car, this park is just outside of Calgary's city limits. The trails are very well marked and maintained. One of the trails leads up to a ridge with views overlooking the city on one side and the mountains on the other. The 12km of trails make for loops of varying lengths.

Lack of parking is a big problem. Parking lot needs to be expanded now they won't allow road…read moreparking

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.