West Confluence Park

Nose Creek winding across the valley floor.

• Washrooms: beside parking lot  
• Paved and Gravel Path
• Parking: Lot on Site

Hidden Valley 

Today I returned to finish my exploration of the west end of Confluence Park.  Excited by promises of streams and beaver activity, I was initially disappointed by the flat, dry land at the trail head and the two freeways bordering the park on the south and west.  Things began to get more interesting a few minutes later, though, when I found the 2002 Birthplace Forest (explained here), although it seemed a bit out of place sticking up out of the surrounding grasslands.  

Approaching the edge . . . 

After wandering through the trees for a while, I returned to the main path - which suddenly seemed to drop off over the edge of the world.  Sure enough, the land feel away before me, and there was the promised creek winding along the bottom of a wide valley.  As I descended, I left the sights and sounds of the freeways behind and enjoyed the birdsong and gurgling water below.  Much better!  

. . . of the golden valley below.

The valley floor is wide and flat at this end of the park, and the creek twists and turns through fields of silver wolf willow, the deepening red of rose hips, and swaths of yellow flowers. 

Dark red rose hips hint at the coming fall.

Unfortunately, there was no sign of the promised beavers, although it seemed like a pretty ideal location to me.  The sun was warm on the bottom of this sheltered valley, and the creek burbled and sparkled with abandon.  A perfect place to settle down with that special beaver friend and raise a bunch of kits!  

Hull Woods (Fish Creek Provincial Park)

Entering the forest.

• Washrooms: beside parking lot  
• Paved and Gravel Path
• Parking: Lot on Site (first left off the park road)

A Drowned Forest Comes Back to Life! 

Today I walked through the Hull Woods in the northeast corner of Fish Creek Provincial Park.  Turning right from the parking lot, I followed a newly refinished gravel path weaving between small meadows and old trees with wide trunks and generous canopies.  Unfortunately, the nearby river drowned this area in the 2013 floods, and left as many horizontal trees as vertical ones.  Long, dead trunks lay wedged in amongst the living forest, roots thrusting indecently in the air, and the ground below now looks like a dry river bed, covered with stones and gravel smoothly by the moving water.  It was as solemn as a graveyard.

The dead mingle with the living.

But life always returns.  Grasses and young trees have started to poke through this rocky overlay, the rotting trunks were covered with moss and lichen, and there were birds everywhere!  Pelicans above the river, a hawk, and so many songbirds that I had neither seen nor heard before.  Definitely full of life!

Determined ducks battling the river's current.

The path eventually brought me close to the river, where I watched even more birds.  Pelicans flying along the river valley, and a team of ducks struggling against the current, half-swimming and half-flapping, and eventually launching out of the water entirely to fly the rest of the way.  I even saw a flock of seagulls fishing in the shallow rapids close to the shore.  They darted in and out of the water, and one even came out with a fish!  Like many others, I've always dismissed the gull as a dirty annoyance, but seeing them at work in the river today was impressive.  In fact, it led me to some research, and I invite you to check out this post written by a very enthusiastic seagull enthusiast:  7 Habits Highly Effective Seagulls

North Glenmore Park

• Washrooms: by the Canoe Club   
• Paved and Gravel Path
• Parking: Lot on Site

Sunshine - at last!   

I woke this morning to sunny skies, and I just had to get down to North Glenmore Park and start this beautiful day beside the reservoir!  Although I could see the water from the parking lot, I first turned inland to follow a gravel path through some trees. The water would just have to wait, I thought, and besides, it's always good to save the best for last.








But just over a hill and around a bend - voila! - I found water anyways.  A storm pond was hidden away in the trees, sparkling in the sunlight.  Surrounded by evergreens and bullrushes, it seemed a quaint little sister to the nearby expanses of Glenmore Reservoir.  I had to leave the main path to walk around the pond, tiptoeing through the rocks and mud and mosquitos, but I finally made it back to my starting point, intact but now a bit dirty and itchy!

After that adventure, I stuck to the path and walked along the banks of the reservoir.  Wide open water, shining and blue under the cloudless sky.  On one side were the Rocky Mountains and Weaselhead Flats, on the other the docked white boats of Calgary's sailing club.  Between the two was just water, trees and sky - a great place to spend a sunny morning!

Tom Campbell's Hill

• Washrooms: None 
• Paved and Gravel Path
• Parking: Street Parking

Threatening sky over Calgary's downtown district.

Look Out Point   

I drove out to Prairie Winds Park this morning, excited to start my walking week under a (finally) sunny sky.  I was dismayed to find a sign explaining the park was closed to the public to prepare for a music festival.  But, assuming no one would be working this early, I snuck in anyways.  Filled with daring and rule-breaking adrenalin, I jogged across a wide lawn and over a hill to discover . . . construction.  Apparently, the city is redeveloping the creek and walking paths this summer, and all that was left to experience was tractors and mosquitos.  Since neither are photogenic or interesting, here's an account of a walk from last week instead:

The golden fescue seeds.

Ask Calgarians what is west of downtown, they'll likely come up with the zoo or the science center.  But sandwiched between them is Tom Campbell's Hill Nature Reserve, perched high on a hill overlooking the river valley.  I followed a tree-line colonnade out to the south end of the ridge, where I found an expansive view of the city around me.  It was interesting to see how effectively this hilltop shielded the quiet neighbourhoods on one side from two busy freeways on the other.  But even more interesting was the afternoon sky, transitioning from fluffy white clouds in the east to the dark thunderheads looming out to the west.  

When the sun peaked through the clouds, though the rich colours of late summer shone out from between the ripening grains of the fescue grass.  Amongst it all were giant boulders strewn here and there, some of which have been co-opted into benches and trail markers.  

Flowers shining in a brief sun burst.

The main path around the perimeter of the hill is relatively short, but there's lots of informal trails to explore on the slopes.  The grassland may seem monotonous from a distance, but once you're in the middle of it, there's lots to see close up!  In fact, I was so distracted that I went well over my aloted hour, and found myself standing on an open high hill in the face of an imminent thunderstorm.  Ack!

I hustled back to my car just in time for the downpour, and was treated to an exuberant lighting display as I drove west.   The storm passed quickly though, and a lovely rainbow emerged just as I was pulling into my neighbourhood.  Sunshine to thunder storm to rainbow to sunshine all in 35 minutes!

Riley Park

• Washrooms: North East corner of the park  
• Brick, flagstone and gravel paths
• Parking: Parking lot on site

A Hillside Garden  

This morning I walked through Riley Park in the center of the city.  In addition to the cricket pitch, playground and wading pool, there is a large open lawn space dotted by old growth trees and secluded picnic tables, all bordered by a wide gravel path.  On the east side of the park is a formal symmetrical garden and a sundial - that actually pointed to the approximate time!

Unfortunately, the park is sandwiched between two busy commuter routes, and the traffic noises dominated the soundscape of the park.  No bird song or buzz of insects this morning - I didn't even hear the chatter of the squirrels scampering from tree to tree.  But although the sound of the city wafts through the space, the beautiful landscape more than makes up for the noise.








On the steep hillside on the northwest corner of the park I found the Senator Patrick Burns Memorial Rock Garden. It is a very small area, but it sure packs a punch!  Colourful leaves and flowers line the labyrinth of brick and flagstone paths zigzagging across the slope.  I was amazed at how well the plants thrived, given that most of the garden is heavily shaded by the evergreens above.  Vibrant colour everywhere!  


I was approaching the far end of the garden when I heard the sound of running water, which led me to a charming waterfall tumbling over several levels of rock, under a foot bridge and into a shallow pool below.  How lovely to find this little gem tucked away in this already tiny garden!


Caught somewhere between a sprawling suburban green space and the compact downtown parks, this little area make excellent use of it's limited space.  It offers everything from luscious gardens to quiet walking paths to cricket pitches to a playground - a wonderful gift to the community of Hillhurst!

Sue Higgins Park

Heavy skies and mist lend a magical quality to the morning.

• Washrooms: Port-a-Potties in the Lot
• Paved and Dirt Path
• Parking: Lot on site
• Magically Misty Morning    
  Heavy clouds covered the sun today, and I wasn't terribly excited about my daily walk this chilly morning.  It didn't help that there wasn't a clear path from the parking lot, just a fenced off-leash area, patches of gravel and a couple of port-a-potties.  Not my most inspiring trailhead!

Even the nearby island is hard to see clearly.

Trying to keep an open mind, I cut across the off-leash area towards the river.  Suddenly I realised how subdued everything was - even the few dogs seemed to be content just nosing at the fence posts.  As I walked, I began to warm up and started to enjoy the mist washing my face.  The dark closeness of the morning became cozy and peaceful, wrapping around me like a quilt.

A splash of colour in the darkness.

There turned out to be a path after all, running alongside the river and bordered by patches of yellow flowers.  Areas on both sides are cordoned off to protect the new growth, nourished by the the rich deposits left behind by the flood waters a few years ago.  Between the few old surviving Balsam poplars there is a thriving crop of new seedlings, grasses and bushes.  Very green!

A footprint in the stairs.

Pelicans!

I could see the river through the trees, but the fencing restricted access to just a few structured points.  In one area, wide concrete steps, stamped with the prints of local wildlife, lead right into the river. A great place to just sit and watch the water flow by!  I also had a great view of the river from the footbridge, where I was lucky to see four pelicans fly over my head and land between me and the nearby island.  

The footbridge disappears into the trees.

So today's trek was a success after all!  In the end, I was completely overwhelmed by the calming effects of this misty morning.  And I wasn't the only one - the dog walkers, joggers and even the fisherman on the bank seemed to be in the same peaceful, almost dozy state that I was in.  What a great way to start the day!

Beaver Lodge and Elbow Falls

The result of the beavers' hard work.

• Washrooms: In the Elbow Falls parking lot
• Paved and Dirt Path
• Parking: Lot on site

Standing and Running Water     

For today's walk we headed out to Kananaskis Country, just 40 minutes west of Calgary.  On drives like this, I'm always surprised how quickly the relative flatness of the city grows into foothills and mountains, with rocky outcrops peeking through the trees crowding the road.  Happily, we arrived at the  well-marked parking lot without incident (despite the distracting scenery), and started down the trail.  I could hear the noisy Elbow River rushing nearby, but when the trees thinned, it wasn't the river that I saw but a beautiful pond, as still and clear as glass.

One of several dams holding back the water.

The dams that formed this natural mirror were just up the path.  The beavers had woven together sticks and mud to block the flow of the creek, just like the sketches in my childhood textbooks.  I never thought much of it as a student, but seeing it with my own eyes was impressive.  How amazing that these awkward little creatures can make such enormous changes in their environment!  Dam after dam slowed the water, and at the edge of the resultant pond we found what looked to be a lodge built up around a dead tree.

Elbow Falls.

We may have missed a turn off, but the path turned out to be closer to 1km (rather than the 5km we were expecting) so we stopped in at nearby Elbow Falls on the way home.  I had heard that the area had been decimated by the 2013 floods, but it was shocking to see it for myself.  A huge area, once busy with picnic tables and open lawns, has been washed away.  The original asphalt path has been ripped in half and hangs like a gang plank over a six foot drop.  Green grass has been replaced by a rocky expanse.  

A butterfly posed for the camera!

But the Falls are still there, and now seem even more powerful as they burst out of this barren landscape.  The water is mesmerising, first tumbling over the low rapids of the upper river, then cascading over the cliff into a churning, misty cauldron below.  The colours change from black to white to blue to green, and then settle into a peaceful sparkling silver in the river downstream.  Quite the contrast from that quiet pool at the beginning of the walk!

Edgemont Coulee

The inhabitants of Rabbit Rise.

• Washrooms: None   
• Paved Path
• Parking: Street Parking

A Surprise at Rabbit Rise!   

This morning I started my walk at the south end of Edgemont Coulee.  It was tempting to explore the west side of the ravine which has been left in its natural state, but it was very muddy and thick with mosquitos after all this rain, so I made my way through the park on the east side.  The word "undulating" immediately came to mind.  The path meandered back and forth, rising and falling with the contour of the ravine bottom.  The gentle slopes on either side folded into themselves, forming little hills and valleys.  Plant stalks were bending in the breeze, and worms slowly zigzagged across the asphalt.  Everywhere I looked there were soft curves and graceful lines.

Gentle slopes and soft curves.

Around every bend was a little surprise: a swath of purple flowers on the hillside, a gnarled tree trunk covered in moss, a gazebo or picnic table tucked away in the foliage - and rabbits!  In 1999 Isabel Cole donated a series of three bronze rabbits (created by Garry Williams) as "a gift to the people of Edgemont for the enjoyment of all who come here."  Larger than life, each one has its own name and distinctive "rabbity" pose, a fitting tribute to their many, many real-life counterparts that run rampant through Calgary's northwest.

One of many places to sit and enjoy the morning.

Statues aside, the coulee is full of life.  The plants are already preparing for the change of seasons, as the early summer flowers begin to give way to developing seeds.  The trees are full of birds, and there are signs warning of recent moose sightings.  And did I mention the very healthy mosquito population?  All signs of a healthy, vibrant park tucked away in the heart of Edgemont!

Baker Park

Morning sunlight filtering through the leaves.

• Washrooms: Just west of the parking lot
• Paved Path
• Parking: Parking lot on site

The Quiet Sister
The colours in the park were just amazing this morning!  The dew-coated grass shimmered in the sunshine and the leaves glowed, backlit by a deep blue sky.  The river couldn't decide whether to be green or blue or silver, and the flowers more than filled in the rest of the spectrum.  It was as if nature amped up the saturation level on her canvas today!

The amphitheatre gardens.

I often think of Baker Park as the quieter, more dignified sister to Bowness Park across the river.  While Bowness is overflowing with splashing paddle boats, boisterous family BBQ's and playgrounds, Baker offers tree-lined walking paths, flower gardens and a beautiful disc-golf course.  The pathways criss-cross the park, leading you either inland through gazebos and archways or along the river, with peak-a-boo glimpses of the water that you can hear flowing just a stone's throw away.  

Playful bears.

All paths, however, lead to the central Bowl, a grassy amphitheatre bordered by luscious flowerbeds and opening onto the water's edge.  At the East and West entrances to the area you'll find a pair bear cub sculptures, playfully wresting on their stone pedestals.  It's popular venue for summer weddings, and you can spot freshly minted newly-weds almost every Saturday.

The hidden beach at the west end of the park.

As part of the Bow River Pathway system, and now a link in the new Trans Canada Trail, the path can be a busy place.  You might be tempted to turn around at the west end of the park, faced with boat launch and pump station.  But if you walk just a little farther, you'll find a quiet little backwater in the river, complete with a miniature beach and lagoon.  Take off your shoes, enjoy the water and soak up some of this glorious, but short, Alberta summer!

Votier's Flats (Fish Creek)

Splashing through the puddles!

• Washrooms: Just west of the parking lot
• Paved and gravel paths
• Parking: Parking lot on site

The Sun Can't Shine Everyday!  

This has been one of the wettest July's on record and this morning's walk captured the essence of the perfect rainy day.   Rain drops left dimples in the puddles and pitter-pattered through the leaves.  There was no wind at all, and the air was heavy with the steadily falling water, muting the view with a silvery veil.  And what a view it was!  The plants have grown lush with the heat and moisture from our almost daily thundershowers, and the ponds, creeks and river are all full.  

The view from the Perfect Picnic Spot.

I began walking west from the parking lot, and immediately came across the ideal picnic spot, perched on the bank of a bend in the Elbow River, overlooking a tributary, some rapids and of course the scenic river valley.  But seeing as it was raining and I had already finished my breakfast, I bypassed the picnic table and followed the path beside, and then over, the river.  At first I wandered through Votier's Flats, a wooded flood plain dotted with flowery meadows.  Just on the other side of the bridge, though, the north river bank suddenly rose up at an area known as Raven Rock.  The steep rocky cliffs were impressive, although the birds themselves were no where to be found.

The meadows of Votier's Flats.

In fact, all of the creatures were quiet this morning and I assumed everything was hunkered down, waiting out the rain.  Near the end of my walk, though, I did catch some movement out of the corner of my eye, and was surprised to find a deer walking beside me through the bush.  Just me and my new friend, taking a stroll through the forest on this rainy morning - how delightful!

Shouldice Park

• Parking: Parking Lot on Site
• Washrooms: They're there, but I couldn't find them!
• Paved and Dirt Paths

Caught between bridges  

The open lawns and old poplars in the north end of the park.

Mostly known as a athletic hub, Shouldice Park houses soccer fields, baseball diamonds, batting cages, and tennis courts, as well as the Shouldice Aquatic Center.  But at the bend of the river at the north end of the park, there is a wide open lawn between beautiful mature poplars.  It's a busy place on weekends, packed with family BBQ's and folks walking or cycling along the pathway system that cuts through the park, but early on this weekday morning, it was just me and the magpies.  It's easy to see why it's so popular with families - lots of space to run and play, picnic tables, fire pits and lots of river access, although the current is quite strong here.  It's one of the few places on the Bow River that the water forms white caps as it tumbles over shallow rapids.  

The work of a beaver.

Unfortunately, this beautiful space is located between three busy bridges, so there's a lot of traffic noise.  But all that changed when the formal park came to an end at Memorial Bridge.  At that point, I had to turn either left to follow the paved Bow Valley Pathway, or branch right onto a dirt trail.  I went right of course - dirt is always more fun than asphalt!  It was a great choice. After just a few minutes of walking, the traffic noise was replaced by bird song and the sound of the river.  And then another sound - I came across a lady sitting beside the path, playing her flute for her two lap dogs.  What a charming surprise!

A gentle pebble beach belies the rapid current of the Bow River.

In this short walk, I had the chance to experience both a structured urban park and the chaotic abundance of the native river bank.  While I very much appreciate the spaces set aside and groomed by the city, I realised that I much prefer the wildness of the natural landscape.  Just as long as there is a well marked path and a cup of coffee close by - everything in moderation of course.  I am an "urban walker" after all!