Calgary, AB, is an Outdoor Paradise

There are many activities you can engage in while in the outdoors, including hiking, exercising, and more. Calgary offers its residents and tourists multiple outdoor locations to spend time in nature or engage in physical activity. More can be found here.

Some of the outdoor spots in the city include. 

St. Patrick’s Island

After a comprehensive rehabilitation and reconstruction, St. Patrick’s Island Park reopened in the summer of 2015. The island park is located in the Bow River between the East Village to the south and the Bridgeland settlement to the north. Some of the park’s features include hiking and bike trails, a public plaza and amphitheater, a children’s play area, public restrooms, a small hill, and restored river channels. There is an observation point and dining area on the island’s westernmost tip with views of the river and downtown Calgary. Learn more about Calgary, AB, is a Shopper’s Paradise.

There is a reconstructed waterway where tourists can wade into the ocean and safely go onto a gravel bar. The island also boasts a nine-meter-high grassy knoll that provides an ideal site for community festivals, plays, and movies in the park during the summer and tobogganing during the winter. There’s a seasonal riparian wetland in the island’s heart, with an elevated boardwalk enabling no-impact entry into the wetland and the Gallery Forest, an important nesting habitat for eagles, owls, and songbirds. Moreover, there is a lookout plaza, which is a meeting spot with chairs, a small amphitheater, and water elements. 

You can also enjoy the bloom, a 23-meter-tall sculpture composed of linked streetlights resembling a rising flower. You can discover everything the new park has to offer through festivals, guided nature walks, and family picnics.

CarBurn Park

CarBurn Park in Calgary is a beautiful natural refuge that draws tourists for various reasons. Its stunning environment along the Bow River welcomes relaxation, with scenic walking routes, quiet ponds, and lush foliage providing a tranquil getaway from city life. It’s a birdwatcher’s paradise with a wide variety of avian species, making it a popular destination for ornithologists. The park also has recreational amenities such as picnic spots, playgrounds, and off-leash dog areas, making it a great location for families. 

Anglers can cast their lines in the ponds, and kayakers and paddleboarders can explore the river. CarBurn Park’s year-round beauty, including winter ice skating, makes it a year-round visit destination. Its accessibility and varied offers make it a must-see destination in Calgary for nature enthusiasts, families, and anyone looking for a rejuvenating outdoor experience in the city.

Canada Olympic Park zipline

Calgary’s all-season adventure destination, Canada Olympic Park, transforms from a ski hill to a summer adventure wonderland with various sports ranging from mountain biking to downhill karting. The “Monster Zipline” is an adventure many people are unaware of. The legendary ski jump at the 1988 Winter Olympics venue is home to Western Canada’s fastest zipline, Monster Zipline. A tour on the zipline will take you 500 meters from the top ski jump to an eight-story tower with spectacular views of the Bow River valley and northwest Calgary. 

The entire experience lasts around an hour and contains three ziplines, and you can practice your zipline techniques on the trainer line.