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.

Could've been the lake, or it could have been the wonderful sunset watchin', star gazin' company -…read moreeither way, it's a solid 5-Stars. :) Not only is Ghost lake gorgeous, it's an excellent day use park, home to picnics a plenty and boats of all shapes and sizes. It's only a short an enjoyable drive from Calgary, making it an excellent spot to go for a Sunday cruise. Serene when looking one direction, as you can see the mountains beginning, and then excitingly badass when you look towards the giant dam that sometimes spews out hefty plumes of white water. Intense. If you've got wee ones running rampant (or just irresponsible/drunk adults), keep an eye on them. Since the floods, the Ghost Lake banks have turned into some rather stark cliffs! It's day use only, but there is a camp ground directly across the highway. It's also "Liquor Prohibited", so we definitely didn't enjoy a bottle of wine while sunset watching and star gazing... That would be bad.

Great man made lake. The lake is busy with people enjoying thier watercrafts and the shore is busy…read morewith onlookers. This is a beautiful lake with plenty of parking.

I'm so glad that Wendy reviewed this on Yelp! I didn't realize I could review parks (didn't think…read morethey had a specific address). I love Sandy Beach! I say this as a cyclist. This park is on the Elbow River Pathway between Stanley Park and the Glenmore Reservoir. When cycling through this park I have a few tips for you. #1 - Keep to the west side pathway. There are two paths that pass through the park, one of which is closer to the river. The one closer to the river is busiest with pedestrian traffic. #2 - Dismount on the suspension bridge, especially if there is another cyclist on the bridge. It's super narrow. There are signs that say to do this. #3 - When riding Southward there is a large steep hill at the end of the park. Go ahead and put yourself into low gear and challenge it! It's a toughy, but short and worth it! I always feel like Superman after I hit the top! I have visited this park a few times to use the outdoor grills. I typically bring charcoal briquettes because I'm cycling or walking in which is light and more compact that bringing firewood. I'd suggest using firewood when possible if you want to cook faster or your food is very raw, like steak. I typically bring hot dogs, marshmallows and quick to heat items. There are bon fire pits as well but you need to get there in the early afternoon in peak times to secure one. Be sure to bring your bathing suit! The beach is beside the suspension bridge which isn't particularly sandy, but a nice cool shallow dip in the Elbow River!

This is one of the best parks in Calgary! It is very central, quiet and on the Elbow River!…read more Being a regular dog walker, this off leash is a haven for letting your pup go for a big run. There are loads if dogs and lots of room for them to safely chase each other around. By sticking to the ridge, cars are a long way off and the gravel pathways keep cyclists and rollerbladers away, ensuring safety for your dogs. There are doggie water fountains and lots of trees and smells! Parking along the park is ample and easy to get to. Overall a mist visit!

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!

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.

Nice, neat, and relaxing. We were at the Farmers market and looked up on parks nearby. I'm so glad…read morethat we went here. It was covered with snow but the walk way was clear of snow. You could walk upto the Bow and listen to the relaxing sound of water. This is not an off leash park. I met a few furry friends who were on leash, of course. Park is better than a mall, no doubt:)

A really nice park on the Calgary / Bow River pathway system. All season. Skating in the winter…read more People seem to like Kayaking here as well. I've seen several people on the bigger pond kayaking around. Always good for people walking, jogging, spending time with family, kayaking, and taking pictures. Lots of people walk their dogs here, and as an In the fall, the changing colours are lovely to see here. It goes quickly though, so make sure you get down there when the leaves start to turn as they won't wait for you. It's a good area to see birds too. Geese are here it seems all year round. I think there are other seasonal / migratory birds which pass through the area as well. White American Pelicans summer along this stretch of the river during the summer. I've seen whitetail deer in this area a number of times. It's highly probably that there are occasional coyotes in the area and so like in many Calgary parks, be watchful of your dog. It's a wonderful park if this is your area.

A lovely, easy hike with a HUGE beautiful pay off at the end! It's a family friendly stroll with…read moreplenty of parking at the trailhead and it's easy to do in a couple of hours at most. The elevation is easy, and the stroll through the forest is leisurely and beautiful. In the winter you may want cramp ons or hiking poles since the packed down snow can get slick, but they're not necessary. At the end you'll find the beautiful Troll Falls. In the winter they're frozen the most miraculous bright blue and ice climbers have a great time climbing it's relatively easy verticals. Unlike the Johnston Canyon hike in Banff National Park, the Troll Falls hike allows you to get right up to the water falls, which makes for a truly special experience. Check my photos for proof!

In the mountains and wanna go hiking, but need a spot that's not too difficult and also…read moreentertaining for wee kids? This is it. We were looking at different trail maps and unsure where to take our two year old for a hike that would grasp her attention span and also would be able to drag her along in a sled if she gets tired from all the walking. When Troll Falls popped out and had everything e were looking for. It's right at the bottom of the ski slope so if you find yourself driving up the mountain, you've gone too far. There is a decent sized parking lot by the entrance to the trail. The secret weapon for kids entertainment (aside from nature chats) are the hidden Troll Dolls around. Fun for everyone to try to be the first to spot them along the way! Even in December this was a fantastic crisp walk to do and at the end you come to a frozen waterfall. It was the most amazing thing to see, and to be able to walk on the frozen river. Just breathtaking! My husband is a geologist so he gives me all the geology chat along the way too. Really fantastic walk, I can't wait to do it again in summer and have a totally different experience. We seen a wolf run across the main road as we drove down to the trail so remember to stay safe when you are out there!

Grassi Lakes are amazing!!!! Truly emerald color and crystal clear waters. Since the easy trail was…read moreunder construction and closed, we took the difficult trail, which was much more steep. Totally worth the climb. Loved it.

So grateful for the recommendation we received from a local Calgarian Canadian to try this trail!…read moreThe views are absolutely spectacular!! This hike is located near a residential area in Canmore. Follow your GPS navigation which ultimately will take you down a single road, surrounded by tall evergreen trees, and a small dirt lot on the left for parking before you embark on the trail. A few recommendations: Park on the street as the lot fills up quick, bring sunscreen, and take the harder trail. Initially when starting the hike there will be two signs for the "Easy" and "More Difficult" trail paths. Trust me when I say the more difficult path is worth the extra strenuous steps. We had no idea that halfway through the path you stumble upon a gorgeous waterfall and incredible views of a giant lake surrounded by beautiful mountains. Then as you continue on this trail, you'll ultimately come to a clearing with emerald and turquoise lakes which is the perfect spot to stop, indulge in a quick snack, and soak in all those spectacular views. All in all if you take the not so easy trail you'll complete the entire thing within an hour and a half, including those moments where you stop and contemplate just gorgeous this country is. One final tip: bring Bear spray and attach bells to your hiking gear. The last thing you want to do is startle a bear and end up in a frightening situation. Luckily we did not see any bears on the trail, but we did see a Black Bear crossing the road as we were leaving the parking lot! We heard from locals that Canmore has a lot of Bear sightings so just plan ahead, be aware of your surroundings, and enjoy your fantastic hike on this beautiful trail!

Beautiful and exhilarating, the Canadian Rockies in general, and The Three Sisters in particular…read more When asked, a local tour guide said their individual names are Faith, Hope and Charity. Very nice. The second tour guide disagreed, saying their names are Big Sister, Middle Sister and Little Sister. I found this was repeated on Wikipedia ... and is there any higher authority? Why, yes, the lady at the Canadian Tourist Information Kiosk, who said the locals, the real people who live here, refer to the Three Sisters as Beebee, Ceecee and Deedee. So, what's in a name? The Three Sisters, by any name, are Beautiful and Exhilarating. Five-Stars.

As gorgeous as they are iconic - The Three Sisters stand guard over, no that's not right... The…read moreThree Sisters are all about fun, not protection. They're an icon for a town that exists for outdoor recreation and natural beauty. While The greatest cities in the world are know for and defined by their skylines, none of them even come close to Canmore's. Whether you'd prefer to enjoy them while camping, hiking, biking, or enjoying a glass of wine with a fine meal, Faith, Charity and Hope will make your experience all that much better.

Some Yelpers and I went on a snowshoeing excursion to the Hogarth Lakes Snowshoe Loop. The highways…read morethrough the park were ploughed, clear and well sanded. The signage on the highway was easy to read. The trail that we were on was active and it hadn't snowed in a few days so there was a solid path to follow, but if there hadn't been, the path was well marked with brightly coloured markers on the trees along the way. The trail was pretty easy and made for a nice little hike across a couple small lakes. The parking areas were clean which was a good sign as I didn't notice garbage containers provided which means people are packing everything out that they bring in.

This park is spectacular, literally words actually fail me I've never seen such beauty except in…read moreNew Zealand. I've been traveling around to provincial and national parks for 40 years, most of my time has been spent in Ontario in Algonquin, but my favorite country in the world is New Zealand, and this trip yesterday to best provincial park in Alberta literally is the only place in my life I've seen that rivals New Zealand. Anyway I don't even want to post this review because I don't want the place to get as popular as it deserves, But I just noticed I have over 20,000 viewers of my yelp page so I guess you guys deserve some rewarding gossip and advice. I highly recommend, it's absolutely gorgeous. Look at these photos and video. The only problem is meeting an obnoxious German Ranger lady who freaked out and screamed at me because I parked my car somewhere that said no picnicking... She screamed that I had to park it on the dam, which actually was much more convenient for where we were trying to get to, We were fishing at the dam but there were no sign saying it's OK to park on the dam. Why would it be better to park on a dam where there is very narrow road, versus parking way off to the side where there is a massive field and picnic benches that were deserted to come out enough room to park 100 cars and not a single person there. I pointed out to her that there is a sign that said no picnicking, but I'm not eating anything, she screamed that it says no picnicking which means also no parking and no nothing!!!!! I didn't realize that no picnicking meant no parking! How did I live on my life without realizing that signs that warn no picnicking mean actually no doing anything at all!? I felt like telling her she was totally living up to the stereotype of overregulated Canadian indentured civil servants but why waste my time when I have such beautiful mountains and turquoise lakes to look at!