Even though the weather is a bit cooler, autumn can be a great time to be active in Calgary. Here is a list of ideas for outdoor family fun that you can do in the fall.
Try disc golf
Disc golf is similar to regular golf, but instead of a ball and a club, you toss a flying disc into a hanging metal basket. The goal is to get the fewest number of throws per ‘hole’. There are actual discs for disc golf, but you can also use a frisbee you have hanging around. For younger kids, a ball can be useful and a little less frustrating.
Calgary has a number of disc golf courses. The biggest and newest is at David Richardson Memorial Disc Golf Park located at the intersection of Country Hills Boulevard and Stoney Trail in Calgary’s northwest. This park offers a professional-level course as well as a smaller course for beginners and families. You can find a course map at the Parks Foundation Calgary website.
Take your bikes to a pump track
Pump tracks are starting to be more common in Calgary and fall can be a great time to check them out. Pump tracks are a fun place for kids to practice their bike skills, balance and gain confidence.
They are designed so riders can move around the track pumping up and down rather than pedaling and typically have different tracks for riders of different skill levels.
Inglewood Bike Pump Track
7 Avenue and 20 Street SE
The park includes two custom-designed asphalt tracks for varying skill levels; one for beginners and the other for more intermediate riders. The park also has benches, a picnic table and fencing around the track.
Fairview Bike Pump Track
7800 Flint Road SE
The Fairview pump track includes beginner, intermediate and advanced routes to accommodate all bike skill levels.
South Glenmore Park Pump Track
8415 24 Street SW
South Glenmore Park features one of Calgary’s first paved pump tracks. The park has two different tracks and plenty of seating. When you are done at the pump track, you can ride along the path to check out the Glenmore Reservoir and play on the fantastic playground.
West Confederation Park Pump Track
2836 Canmore Road NW
West Confederation Park boasts Calgary’s newest bike pump track. It can get pretty hot in the summer as there is not a lot of shade but that is much less of a problem in the cooler autumn weather. The park has a beginner and intermediate track.
Take a fall walk to look at the leaves
Calgary may not have the spectacular fall leaves you can find out east, but there are still some Calgary parks with great fall foliage.
Confederation Park
24 Avenue and 14 Street NW to 30 Avenue and 10 Street NW
This is my favorite park in the fall. It's a gentle walk with lots of great photo opportunities including a wetland pond with ducks, bridges, great climbing trees, a great playground and lots of yellow poplar leaves.
Edworthy Park
South Access – Bow Trail and Spruce Drive SW
North Access – Shaganappi Trail and 16 Avenue NW
Edworthy Park is densely forested with trees including aspen, willow and balsam poplar. Although the numerous picnic areas are close together, the trees provide nice separation between them.
The park also features pathways, flat grassy areas and four small playgrounds. The CP Rail line runs right through the centre of the park. You can often see a train up close while you’re there and get a great photo with the train as a backdrop.
Prince’s Island Park
4 Street and 1 Avenue SW (just north of downtown along the Bow River)
A trip to Prince’s Island necessitates a bit of a walk to get there as there is no traffic on the island; however, it is well worth the trip. The park has water all around with a wetlands area to the east and a lagoon area with ducks to the south.
There are also plenty of pathways, small rolling hills and a fantastic playground. The trees in Prince’s Island Park are varied and feature red and purple leaves in addition to the yellow leaves more typically found in Calgary.
Carburn Park
67 Riverview Drive SE
Taking a walk along the pathways in Carburn Park, it’s hard to imagine you’re in the middle of the city. In addition to the balsam poplar trees and colorful shrubbery, Carburn Park features man-made ponds, river access and picnic areas.
Explore the Calgary Greenway
The Rotary/Mattamy Greenway is a unique 138km pathway system that encircles Calgary. Construction began in 2010 in Calgary’s northeast and progressed to connect new and existing pathways all around the city. It is now one of the largest networks in the world with over 1000kms of trails, a number of different parks and amenities you can visit along the way.
The eastern sections don’t have a ton of shade, making for a pretty hot ride in the summer but a great destination in the fall. There are two unique playgrounds that make for fun stops on your bike ride.
Saddlebrook Playpark - Northeast
The Saddlebrook Playpark is a nature-inspired playground with natural-looking rock and log features. Some of the play equipment even looks like bears! It’s a great playground for older kids and younger kids alike.
CN Rail Playpark - Southeast
Next to the community of Applewood, you can find this nature-inspired playground with natural looking rock and log features. Some of the play equipment looks like creatures you might find in the wetlands. If you take a short detour into the neighborhood, you can also stop by one of the best playgrounds in the city located in Applestone park.
Dana searches out the best places to play, eat, and learn with her kids in Calgary, across Alberta, and beyond. Her three kids also contribute their unfiltered opinions to her reviews. To explore more, visit calgaryplaygroundreview.com and follow her on Instagram @yycdana.
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