This walk has it all: gardens, wildflowers, waterfalls, Rockies & Bow River views, lots of off-leash areas, a Little Gallery on the Bow, and a mix of paved and single-track trails. Let’s walk!
Tucked in between the community of Silver Springs and the Bow River, Bowmont Natural Environment Park offers a nature break. Start the walk on the paved Bow River Pathway and watch for silly signage on park benches, like “Humans first invented fire right here in 1903.” Someone with a sense of humor has placed placards on benches throughout the park.
Connect to Dale Hodges Park and walk the boardwalks and trails past polishing marshes, wet meadows, and the Nautilus Pond, and learn about the storm water treatment process as it flows to the Bow River. This process is estimated to reduce sediment in stormwater by 50 percent, helping to protect our river system. Continue past the Nautilus Pond and onto the roller-coaster grassland pathways. A climb from the ponds on one of many single-track trails leads to stunning Rockies and Bow River views as walkers dip and climb, working up an appetite for a post-walk treat.
From the top, take any single-track trail northbound into the greenspace alongside Silverview Way, then cross Silver Springs Gate to enter the Botanical Gardens of Silver Springs. Follow the forested pathway trails that lead to 20 different specialty gardens, including a themed garden that pays tribute to Shakespeare and his writing, a low-water garden featuring plants that require little moisture, and Canada’s largest labyrinth that is a swirl of flowering wild thyme. Circle inward among the masses of delicate, star-like flowers offering up spicy and therapeutic scents. Over a hundred species of roses bloom in the summer in the rose garden, and a rock and crevice alpine garden hosts the hardy plants that survive harsh climates and short summers. Be sure to visit in September when the cheery sunflowers are in their towering golden glory.
Backtrack through the gardens to see all the flowers, then travel along Silver Springs Gate to Silver Springs Boulevard. Take the pathway and stairs into Bowmont Park Waterfall Valley. Follow the boardwalk trail to the Bow River to see the cascading falls that flow over a spongy-looking deposit of tufa. The tufa is composed of mineral deposits that result when spring water precipitates calcium carbonate over algae-covered rocks. Climb the escarpment staircase out of Waterfall Valley and choose between two return routes. Follow the paved Bow River Pathway west and cross the Bow River on pedestrian bridges into Bowness. Then, continue on Bow Crescent, a 3km side street that hosts a mix of modern and heritage homes, and the Little Gallery on the Bow at the south end of Bow Crescent. Alternatively, return along the paved pathway on the north side of the river. Both routes offer up tasty pit-stop options!
Starting Point: Bowmont Park: Park at the official parking area on 52 Street (one-way) just off Home Road, or park in Silver Springs on Silver Springs Boulevard at 54 Avenue for immediate access to Waterfall Valley. Botanical Gardens: official parking at the end of Silver Springs Drive. See bgss.ca for more information.
Tasty Pit stops: Cadence Coffee, 6407 Bowness Road NW, is a local Bowness hot spot. Café Le Matin, 5720 Silver Springs Boulevard, is the perfect stop just a few steps from Waterfall Valley. Both spots are popular for big breakfasts, lunches, or a cup of coffee and a freshly baked treat.
Lori is the author of Calgary’s Best Bike Rides: 50 urban cycle tours and pathway pedals and Calgary’s Best Walks: 45 urban jaunts and nature strolls. She is the owner of Fit Frog Adventures where she leads year-round urban walks, hikes, and snowshoe days. Lori presents about all things walks and biking and she partners with the Calgary Library to offer free guided urban walks every month. Connect with her, see upcoming events, and get signed copies of her books on Instagram @lorifitfrog, at fitfrog.ca, and at bookstores and cool shops throughout Calgary.
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