I love going to the promenade any time I need to clear my head or just step out for a moment to…read moreenjoy the sunshine. It has a picturesque view curving up from 100 Ave and stretching from 117 Street to 121 Street. The sidewalk is very wide which allows for a variety of non-motor activities. There is also a bike lane that runs its lengths so it helps alleviate the tension between motorists, cyclists and pedestrians; making it a very popular commuters route. In the summer if you time it right you can snag one of the benches to watch a river valley sunset which goes on my list of top free views in the city. Its a very friendly area as almost everyone you pass has a smile on their face and a spring in their step. Mostly it is walkers or joggers that live around there but my person favourite is seeing the grannies decked out in their Sundays best going for a stroll in the sunshine. I hope when I reach their age that I have that good of taste in clothes and and still able to walk with that kind of swagger. My favourite recent addition to the promenade is the Fresh Cafe which is a perfect compliment to the area just located off of Jasper and 116th in The Elmhurst Apartments. Now I have somewhere close enough to buy gelato with out worrying about it melting before I have a chance to find a bench. I hope that they continue to maintain this gem and preserve it for generations to come. I am reminded of all those who were kind enough to preserve it for me to use every time I sit on a bench and ready the plaque inscribed on it. I hope they continue this model else where in the river valley as there are not enough places for one to sit and enjoy the amazing park system that we have in this city.

Victoria Promenade is the kind of thing that's missing from a lot of our river valley. It runs…read morealong 100 Ave from 117 St to 121 St, with a nice wide sidewalk, lots of benches, and great views of the river valley. On a nice day, it gets pretty busy and is popular with walkers, runners, and those of us who get our exercise by sitting on a bench, eating gelato. I would love it if there was a little cafe around here... even just a kiosk in the summer.

Chickakoo Lake is such a gem! I visited here in a warm weekday afternoon in the fall and had a…read morewonderful time exploring the trails. There's a large parking lot for day hikers and picnickers, with clean washrooms and a some picnic table sites right on the water. There are a number of trail loops, all with fantastic signage and maps at every trail junction. Trails are ranked according to difficulty, with the advanced trail presenting some serious up and down hills to get your legs burning. The less hilly trails are great for families, and there are different lengths of trails depending on how much time you want to spend. The views of the different wetland areas along the trails were really beautiful, and we were even able to see a moose across one of the water bodies taking a drink. We loved hiking here for a couple of hours, and I saw some runners tackling the trails and hills - good for them!

How has no one written a review of Chickakoo lake yet?! This is an amazing multi use area just west…read moreof Edmonton. It has great trails of various lengths for walking, running, biking (off road trail use) and in the winter snowshoeing and some tracks for cross country skiing. You can also bring your horses here to trail ride as well. Keep in mind as I said multi use. They have information boards about local wildlife and plant life and boards throughout pin pointing where the trails are and their difficulty ratings. There is a lake you can fish in or just canoe or kayak on. Also available are above ground fire stands you can BBQ on. There is a playground for the kiddies and picnic tables available. Ample parking, camp ground style bathroom facilities as well. It's worth checking out anytime of year!

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!

It is a nice place for city apartment dwellers to see a few man made lakes and bike paths. Plenty…read moreof parking. But I have found it always too busy, too many people. Some people fishing. What is worse is the goose poop that is everywhere, and you cannot avoid stepping on it. Forget about sitting on the grass! The city should intervene. Lots of people honking their car horns to lock their doors which takes away from the ambience (people are very inconsiderate these days). For a better experience get out of the city.

Hermitage Park is an urban outdoor lover's paradise. The paved trail that runs through it is…read moreperfect for biking, hiking, and rollerblading. Dog lovers will enjoy the hug off-leash area. The park is picturesque, with several man-made lakes, including one stocked with fish. It is also close to the North Saskatchewan River. As Jeanette pointed out, there are a lot of geese here, so in some places you have to watch where you step -- but I personally think Canada geese area beautiful and it is wonderful to see so many of them at once. Hermitage is also home to the memorial for the tornado that took place in 1987. If you head south in Hermitage, you end up passing the Rundle Golf Course and eventually ending up in Rundle Park itself. To the north is a steep hill worth the climb for the incredible view. Unless you live in the north, Hermitage can be a bit of a trek to get to, but it is worth the effort.

I live down the road from this place. Every year I have to stop for goslings crossing the road…read more Gets filled up on Mothers Day and such which makes for a slower ride home. Just blessed to have it so close.

I've been coming here with my family for years. Its such a special place. Well maintained paths,…read moreboardwalks and lookouts. Wealth of bird life. Quiet spot. Definitely worth the trek from the city because you feel waayyyy out in the countryside.

What a nice park! I have gone there in winter time but this was my first time in spring. It's a…read morebeautiful place and it attracts a lot of people and runners. We had a long walk and enjoyed the weather, beauty of the park and people's energy! It's a great place for walking your dog too. I enjoyed my walk and I'm sure I'll go back there for walking again!

Maybe it's being close to the whitemud equestrian centre (after all I'm a farm kid lost in the big…read morecity) but I really enjoy the layout of the surrounding park area. The closeness to the river let's you enjoy the sound of water plus the trees and birds while drowning out the busy main roads that run past. If you have the ability to hike into other parks, I'd highly suggest taking a few hours and bring a picnic with you. It's well worth the time to loop around the river valley in a circle and enjoy a picnic at the end. Lots of randomly placed picnic areas and benches throughout. Some areas more accessible than others. If you're looking for scenic area that has a flatter path to start improving your waking distance, I'd suggest this as one of the better places in the city. I also see a lot of parents helping their kids ride bikes along the paved road over the years. Smaller parking lot at the front but that takes you directly to the main paved path which makes sense why it fills up on the nice days. If you keep driving along the loop, you'll find a few more additional parking spots. Under the bridge might be a different park but allows access to parking too. I believe there's access to a stairwell on that side (but that's the last thing I'd go looking for with my bad knees!). Newer bathroom facility that even has a bottle filing area inside. No more need to desperately try and fit your reusable bottle under the tap of warm water. If you go over the grassy hill (opposite of the path) there are outdoor arenas and further along the gravel road, the newly built equestrian arena and horse pens. There's usually a fruit stand parked on the corner during summer, which is nice to grab a snack if you're sitting outside enjoying the sun. In summer you'll also see horse trailers lined up along the grass area & dirt road. As they hold shows at this location, it can get quite busy. Signs are posted for the events well in advance, just in case you wish to walk where there's less people around. Please do remember to keep dogs on leashes and bells working on your bikes (on and off the main path), as horse riders share the paths too. It really is wonderful to see so many ages and levels of physical activity enjoying one area of the river valley. Now thinking about it more, this is probably why I find myself revisiting this park at least several times from spring to fall.

I love this lake! The ducks are a must see, and sometimes you would see some storks! The Path is…read moreawesome streaching around 15k, 10/10, will come back!

I absolutely love this park/lake/walking path. Whatever you want to call it, I love coming here…read more It's beautiful, it's peaceful, and it's great for a walk or a jog. It reminds me of a gorgeous lake front park in Toronto, lots of wildlife and trees, some nice deck lookouts and spots to sit and take a rest or just sit and listen to the birds. I also did a photo shoot here in the fall, the pictures were gorgeous. I come here whenever I can, and when the weather is good.

I'm pretty new to this place but excited that we have local skiing and plenty of parking. It's…read moreeasy to access off of the Yellowhead - though you can get stuck waiting for a train! I've seen signs here for Biathalons, Alberta Safety Council, a Park (leashes required for dogs), and of course Sunridge Ski Hill for Skiing, Snowboarding, Tubing, etc. We've only frequented Sunridge at this point - my 4 year old is taking ski lessons and so far so good! I think I will come take a peek here in the summer - maybe some great trails and a scenic view overlooking the North Saskatchewan River.