Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park

Listening to Mother Nature sing. . . 

• Parking: On site
• Washrooms: In the parking lot
• Paved and gravel path

Feeling Small    

I've found some peaceful places in my travels this summer, but this was the first truly quiet walk I've taken.  Well, quiet isn't quite the word, I suppose.  I stopped at one point to tie my shoe, and suddenly realized that all I could hear were the sounds of nature: birds, insects, leaves rustling, tree trunks creaking - and an absolute lack of machinery or traffic noise. It reminded me what a controlled and manufactured world we have built around ourselves.  Don't get me wrong - I'm a big fan of flush toilets and the automobile, but it was good for my soul to be surrounded by an environment that wasn't tailored to meet my needs.  I felt small and unimportant, and wonderfully free!

A gopher, checking me out.

I found this freedom while walking the Tiger Lily Loop in the Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park.  The pathways wander through the foothills of Alberta, usually offering great views of the surrounding ranches and the Rockies to the west.  But today the haze hid the mountains altogether, and each set of hills faded more and more into the distance, until it was a bit difficult to say just where the land stopped and the sky began.

Summer meets Autumn

This dim horizon was offset however, by the bright fall colors that have begun to creep in amongst the summer flowers.  An all-star line up of plants - the best of both seasons!  I'm a bit sad to see summer fade away, but the exploding seed pods, bright red rose hips and autumn leaves all have their own charm.  I can't wait to watch it all unfold!  

Panorama Hills

• Parking: On street      

  

  Crossing over the neighborhood creek.

• Washrooms: None
• Paved path

Taking time to smell the roses!

Today I returned to work as a teacher after the long summer vacation.  Not quite willing to let my holiday walking habit fade away, I went for a stroll in the neighborhood of Panorama Hills.  It's a typical suburban pathway system, following a ravine bordered by backyards and residential streets.  I walked under arches and over bridges, through the slowly ripening colors of late summer.  Nothing exciting, I thought.  All plants and birds I had seen before, but all in all, a very pleasant way to spend the hour before work.  

Examining the cattails, when suddenly . . .

I wandered over to the edge of a pond, taking pictures of the reflections, some ducks and a few cattails that seemed ready to explode.  Suddenly, I noticed some plants near the shore shaking back and forth.  I went to investigate, and it stopped, then started up again.  Mysterious . . .  I had just leaned my head over the edge as far as I could without falling into the pond, when something leapt out and swam away.  After the splash settled, I caught a glimpse of a beaver (or maybe a muskrat?), his nose making a neat little wake as he swam away.  Very exciting!  

This morning's adventure just confirmed an idea that I've been mulling over as my return to work has drawn closer and closer.  I seem to miss so much when I move fast, whether I'm driving, jogging, cycling, or even working efficiently.  As I've taken this time to slow down, to walk, delightful experiences just seem to bubble up around me.  It's not always as "splashy" as today's encounter, but I've really come to enjoy the little surprises that pop up here and there.

My mystery creature - in the water behind the ducks.

To all my colleagues heading back to work this fall - and to everyone who balances a life full of responsibilities - I invite you to take a moment now and then to slow down and enjoy the details.  It's a beautiful world out there!

Lindsay Park

• Parking: Street parking in front of the Sacred Heart Convent
• Washrooms: None



Eerily red river.

• Paved path

A Spooky Morning

A thick blanket of smoke from forest fires to the west covered the city this morning.  I had seen the beautiful red moon last night and the red sun this morning,  but I was surprised and a bit disturbed when I crossed the foot bridge and saw the blood red reflection of the sun in the river below me.  It was ominous, almost biblical in that no nonsense Old Testament way. But it turned out not to be a bad omen after all, and I very much enjoyed my walk along the Elbow River on either side of Lindsay Park.

Parish Hall... Train Station....Alberta Ballet...

The community has installed interpretive signs along the path to share the rich history of this, one of the oldest areas in our city.  I learned about the relationship of the original First Nation peoples with this land, the railroad that carried European settlers to the area, the Catholic missionaries and St. Mary's Cathedral, which is still active today.  

One of the most interesting buildings in the area was built in 1905 as the parish hall for St. Mary's, but was then sold the CNR 1911 to be used as a train station.  After it was gutted in a fire in 1985 the Calgary City Ballet Society raised the funds to restore the building, and it now houses the Alberta Ballet.  We should all aspire to grow so old and be so useful!

The noble squirrel.

Having had my fill of urban history, I wandered around Lindsay Park, tucked in behind the Talisman Center.  The place was seething with what many might call nuisances - squirrels, magpies, crows and pigeons.  I know I didn't have any magnificent wildlife encounters this morning, but I really enjoyed hanging out with these critters.  Overflowing with character and energy, I began to understand why they dominate our urban landscape - they don't take guff from anyone!  

Where has all the water gone?

Start at the buffalo.

Twelve Mile Coulee

• Parking: On the street
• Washrooms: None
• Dirt path

After yesterday's daring adventure into Kananaskis country, I was craving something close to home and familiar.  So I headed down into Twelve Mile Coulee, a path we visit often, hopping over the creek as it criss crosses the path.

Dry creek bed.

But today, the creek was dry - a first in the seven years I've been visiting the area.  It was unnerving to walk along the dry stones and watch bugs swarm the the pockets of mud where there should be pools of water.  I suppose that I had already known that we are in a drought, but today's walk really brought it home.

We started at the buffalo statue, and descended the wooden stairs into the valley.  Creek or not, the Coulee is still teeming with life, including birds,coyotes, deer, the occasional lost moose and a very healthy population of mosquitos!  Aspen trees and silver leaf dogwood dominate most of the area, although there's a dark patch of pine by a tall rocky outcrop near the south end of the trail.  

The path winds through a variety of ecosystems.

You can stick to the main path by the creek bed or explore the many little side paths along the way.  Keep an eye open for wildflowers and berries, and make sure to come visit next spring when the creek will hopefully return in all its glory!

Some of the colors along the path.

Big Hills Spring Provincial Park

• Parking: On site
• Washrooms: In the parking lot



Just one of many . . .

• Dirt path

Paradise - Cut out of Limestone   

Early this morning, I drove through typical Alberta countryside - cows and horses, crops in various stages of harvest, pumpjacks, and, of course, the unending folds of foothills.  It is these foothills, further carved by runoff and spring waters, that frame the steep-sided valley that leads to this small but gorgeous provincial park.  

Tufa formations and the life they support.

The dull roar of the falls can be heard from the parking lot, and calls you to follow the cascading spring water higher and higher into the hills.  At first, my attention was hijacked by the water tumbling down an seemingly endless series falls, and the crystal clear pools and streams between.  

But then I began to notice the rock formations that framed the spring.  Calcite from the falling water reacts with carbon dioxide to build tufa, porous rock formations that give these already beautiful falls an extra dose of character and energy.

This shot was taken underwater - very COLD!

After I passed the main falls, I turned to follow along the top of a natural tufa "dam", where the buildup has grown so significant that it has actually diverted the water that formed it.  The water was churning fifteen feet below me and the path was very uneven, so I found myself watching my footing very, very carefully, and was delighted to find countless microcosms tucked into the nooks and crannies of the tufa under my feet.  Needless to say, I've been inspired to learn how to use the macro setting on my camera!  

Whether you are examining the details of the rock formations, admiring the majestic mixed forest or following the waterfalls, I promise that  the Big Hills Spring Provincial Park will inspire you!

Reader Rock Gardens

• Parking: On site
• Washrooms: None
• Flagstone path

A Country Garden - in the City!

I've been toying with the idea of building a rock garden in my own backyard, so today's walk was intended as half exercise, half research.  Calgary's first "Legacy Park", the Reader Rock Gardens were established in 1913 by William Reader, the Superintendent of Calgary Parks.  He cultivated and tested thousands of plants that he had collected on his many travels, taking notes on each one's viability in Calgary's tricky climate.  Unfortunately, Reader's magnificent garden was neglected (and plundered!) in the years after his passing, until its restoration to the  original specifications in 2006 and its designation as a Provincial Historic Resource.  

At this time in the season, and after sustaining damage from our recent hail storms, the actual flowers are few and far between.  The grounds are lovely, though, with flagstone pathways running through several tiers of plantings.  Here and there you'll find quaint benches, bridges and a gazebo, all tucked away in little subsections that would each stand alone as a pleasant country garden.  

Each year, gardeners search out and restore some of the more exotic specimens that were lost in the decades before the garden's restoration.  I'm very excited to return in the spring to see the flowers in full bloom, and maybe one or two new additions to the collection!

A quiet place to rest.

Weaselhead Flats

• Parking: On site
• Washrooms: None
• Paved, gravel and dirt path

Looking out over the open water.

An Everchanging Landscape  

After trudging up and down all those hills yesterday, I decided to go "flat" today - Weaselhead Flats, that is!  Officially the Weaselhead Natural Environment Park, this interpretive walk takes you through the basin of the Elbow River just as it enters Glenmore Reservoir.  The richness of the soil, thick vegetation and abundance of water make this a popular hangout for the wildlife, and I startled a surprising amount of rabbits, deer, squirrels,  birds and I'm sure countless creatures that I never even knew were there in the first place.  I felt like I was disturbing the whole neighborhood!

Reflective illusion.

Speaking of disturbances, I was a bit alarmed to see multiple signs warning of UXO's (unexploded ordinances).  Apparently, the site was used by the military as a training ground before being opened to the public as a park, and dangerous little packages have been left just laying around.  Needless to say, I stayed on the path at all times.

As I walked, I realized that today was the ideal summer morning in my books; the air was calm and warm, and the sun shone in a cloudless sky.  The perfectly still water acted as a flawless mirror, and the reflection was so exact in color and detail that I almost doubted which image was the original.  That is until a duck splashed down, shattering the illusion altogether!  

End of the line!

Having woken from my dreamy state, I continued along the boardwalk beside the pond until . . . it ended - in the pond.  No more path, just ankle deep water all around.  So I launched myself into the bush, swinging from tree to tree.  I almost made it, but as I leapt back to solid ground, I fell short and got what my husband refers to as a "booter".   A double booter, actually.  Ah well, it's all in the line of duty for a Calgary Walker!

Bowmont Natural Environment Park and Fournier Trail

Train bridge

• Parking: Free street parking
• Washrooms: None
• Paved and dirt path

An Evening Walk

It was hot, hot, hot today so I took my walk this evening, instead.  I left my car on the street and started down the paved trail into the Bowmont Natural Environment Park.  At first, my path led through mature poplar and willows, but soon I heard the snap, crackle pop of cariaganna pods exploding in the hot summer air.  I don’t know if these bushes are native to this area or not, but the sparrows sure seemed to love them!

Victim of last September's snow.

Once I reached the river, there was a whole web of pathways to choose from.  I started by walking the Fornier Trail, which led me alongside a wildlife reserve and pond waters.  After the finishing that loop, I spent some time skipping stones under a railroad bridge that crosses the little side channel of the river there.

I sometimes get distracted on these walks, and once again I stayed out longer than I had planned. The paths down here are endless!  But the sun was setting, and it was time to head back to the car.  I felt like I was walking through an inspirational poster on the way back up to the street - patches of sunlight cut holes through the clouds, sending golden beams of light through the dusky sky.  Mix that with evening bird song and leaves rustling in the wind and you get one happy walker!

Sunbeams lighting my way home.

Paskapoo Slopes

• Parking: Lot at the west entrance 
• Washrooms: None
• Rough dirt path (slippery after a rain!)

Vanishing Vistas

Folding hills.

I've driven by the slopes of Canada Olympic Park countless times, never giving it a second thought.  Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be the location of the next walk on my list! I began at the west entrance (one of five trail heads) and spent the next hour and half climbing up and down countless hills, all folding in on each other.  I felt like I was in a different ecosystem every five minutes - grassy meadows, low scrub brush, sturdy  ground cover, and pockets of trees in the lower, wetter areas.

Lost amongst the trees.

I like the trees best, though, and soon threaded my way into a dense forest along a very muddy trail, criss crossed with mossy tree roots and embedded with huge rocks.  Patches of moss and lichen competed for my attention with red and white berries and ripening rose hips.  The mud was very slippery though, and I had to take turns picking my way along the path and stopping to take in the beauty around me.  No multi-tasking today!

The distracting stream.

I could have wandered all morning.  But breakfast was calling, so after about a half hour I turned around to head back to the car. Or so I thought.  In a moment of spontaneity, I followed one of the creeks down the slope. It was babbling over a series of tiny waterfalls, sparkling in the morning sun -  I just couldn't resist!  But the creek led me astray and I admit I was lost for a while . . .  

I made it out eventually, though, and will definitely risk a return visit!  But it may have to be soon.  I almost marked this post as urgent, as the area is being developed.  I was sad to see sections that have already been dug up, and an ominous stake with the label "Strip Limit".  Ouch!  

For more information . . .

Glenmore Reservoir (near Heritage Park)

• Parking: Heritage Park lot
• Washrooms: None
• Paved and dirt path

Singing in the Rain

Rocky shore.

This morning I braved the rain and geared up for a reservoir walk.  We did make it all the way around in one trip a couple of summers ago, but I’ve found I’m much happier when I explore sections an hour or two at a time.  Today, I started off at Heritage Park and headed left/south down the rocky path along the water’s edge.  I passed the Sailing Club, sharing the trail with geese and ducks and some local song birds, and enjoying the sound of the waves lapping against the mossy rocks along the shore. 

Russian Olive.

The path led me beside a grove of aspens (strangely growing in in the water) and through a thicket of Russian Olive, whose silvery leaves and clusters of yellow berries formed both the walls and ceiling around me.   I emerged by the businesses at Glenmore Landing, and continued along the paved path.  I was surprised at how far I’d come - I could already see paddle boat and Ferris Wheel of Heritage Park across the water. 

Glamorous duck!

Here the path grew busier, and I was joined by a half dozen people and more ducks.

I know, I know, ducks don’t sound glamorous. But I was lucky enough to get close enough to this trio and I got a good look at their markings.  I don’t think I’ve ever stopped and really looked at one of these birds before.  I had no idea their colorings were so detailed and vivid.  Makes me wonder what other amazing things I’ve been missing, obscured and dismissed because of their familiarity.