School’s out for the summer and a family road trip is calling! Fortunately, you don’t even have to take a long vacation or travel far when you live in Calgary, because we’re surrounded by great parks, destinations, and fun places to explore – even for a weekend or a Sunday afternoon.
Check out some of my family’s favorite places to visit in the summer below:
Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park is located west of Calgary off Highway 1A. A paved hill takes you down to the river and from there, you can explore both paved and natural trails as you hike or bike through this active cattle ranch through native grassland.
Alternatively, start in the new Haskayne Legacy Park in Bearspaw (visit the City of Calgary website for directions) and follow the paved pathway to Glenbow Ranch above the scenic Bearspaw Reservoir. This pathway provides a great way for families to explore Glenbow Ranch by bike (without having to go down the big hill from the main ranch parking lot). The trail is relatively flat between the Legacy Park and the Narrows in the provincial park. After that, expect a few short hills that novice cyclists could walk.
My family likes to hike around the Cochrane Ranche, where you’ll find a large parking lot off the 1A, east of the intersection with Highway 22. The highlight is a visit to the grandfather tree, a white spruce estimated to be over 300 years old. The tree is located uphill on a hiking trail that follows the creek flowing through the park (labeled on Google Maps).
My family also loves exploring the paved pathways along the Bow River in Cochrane, starting from Riverfront Park off Griffin Road. In this park, you’ll find a disc golf course, a natural playground, and beautiful paths to bike or walk.
Everybody loves heading out to Elbow Falls, but I recommend driving further along Highway 66 until you reach the Little Elbow Campground and the Forgetmenot Pond Day Use Area. My family loves playing in the river here, where there’s often a natural beach area with sand under the big suspension bridge.
Popular short hikes in Elbow Valley include the Fullerton Loop (across from the Allen Bill Day Use area), the Beaver Flats Interpretive Trail (Beaver Lodge Day Use Area), or the Nihahi Ridge Trail (parking at Forgetmenot Pond). You can also head out to the West Bragg Creek Day Use Area, where there are several trails to choose from.
My favorite short loop combines the Ranger Summit and Strange Brew trails.
Find each of these hikes on the All Trails app or website. Visit the Bragg Creek Trails website for information on the multi-use hiking and mountain biking trails there. Also, don’t forget that you must purchase a $15 Kananaskis Conservation Pass to park anywhere in Kananaskis. Alternatively, purchase an annual pass if you plan to visit Kananaskis several times this year. Both passes (day use or annual) can be purchased on the Alberta Parks website.
Back in Bragg Creek, no trip with kids is complete without a visit to one of the ice cream or candy stores!
There’s nothing like mountain water to cool you off on a hot day!
In Canmore, Quarry Lake is the place to be. Kids love playing in the sand and never seem to notice how cold the water is. A parking fee is in place for this park ($20 for up to four hours of parking in peak season).
If you have a National Parks Discovery Pass, there’s free parking at Johnson Lake in Banff, where you’ll find a great sandy beach area. This is also a great place to tour around on calm water if you have paddleboards, kayaks, or a canoe. Note you need to fill out a self-certification permit to use boats in a national park. Find more information on the Banff National Park website.
In Kananaskis, Barrier Lake is the closest you’ll get to an actual beach with several sandy areas along the shore. Arrive early to get a parking spot (visiting mid-week helps). There are two day use areas: one at the dam and one further down the lake. The Barrier Lake Day Use Area has several picnic tables, along with a boat launch. Paddleboarding, kayaking, and canoeing are popular activities here, but note that the lake can be quite windy, so careful supervision of your kids is required while on the water.
While in the Barrier Lake area, my family also likes to hike the trails near Kananaskis Village, including Troll Falls and Ribbon Creek (both on All Trails).
Solitude is easier to find if you travel further south in Kananaskis. Driving south on Highway 22, you’ll arrive in Turner Valley, where you can head west on Highway 546 towards Sheep River Provincial Park.
Your family will love stopping at the Sheep River Falls Day Use Area for a picnic and to see the beautiful waterfalls. Popular hikes in the area include the Foran Grade Loop (near the Sandy Mcnabb Campground), Dyson Falls (Indian Oils Day Use), and Missinglink Mountain (Gorge Creek Day Use).
Further south on the 22, you’ll arrive in Longview where you can head west on Highway 541 toward Highwood Junction. This creates a lovely scenic drive with Highway 40 if you continue over Highwood Pass towards the Kananaskis Lakes.
Popular hikes along Highway 541 and Highway 40 include the Cat Creek Hills (near Highwood Junction), Cat Creek Falls (Cat Creek Day Use), and Pickle Jar Lakes (Lantern Creek Day Use).
Consult All Trails for each hike and don’t forget your Conservation Pass for parking.
A short drive from southeast Calgary takes you to Chestermere, but my family likes to travel here by bike along the Western Headworks Canal, a paved flat pathway loaded with geocaches. The full ride is over 20kms one way if you start in Inglewood. My family likes to start farther east in Ralph Klein Park for a shorter outing of 24kms round trip. Google Maps will help you find other starting options, too.
If you want to visit the Anniversary Park Beach on Chestermere Lake, it’s easier to drive out for the day. You could also bike over and send an adult back for the vehicle, while the rest of the crew hangs out at the beach.
Airdrie is a gold mine for great playgrounds and parks! My family’s favorite, Chinook Winds, has a fabulous skate park, playground, and spray park, all located side-by-side. Your family can spend hours here.
Another park my family enjoys is Iron Horse Park, where you can pay for miniature train rides! Visit the park’s website to view schedules for the train rides.
To discover other great parks and playgrounds in the Calgary area, visit the Calgary Playground Review website. My family usually tries to visit several new playgrounds every summer.
You could plan a month’s worth of adventures in this area north of Airdrie, starting with a visit to the Discovery Wildlife Park. This large zoo has entertaining animal performances daily and large grounds to explore (golf carts are available to rent).
South of Innisfail, nature lovers will love walking through the sunflower fields at the Bowden Sunflower Maze, open late August through September. My family also loves day-tripping out to nearby Red Lodge Provincial Park west of Innisfail. The Little Red Deer River winds its way gently through the campground and the kids will love floating down it in tubes or inflatable rafts. By mid-summer, the river feels more like a creek and is a fun place to spend hours playing.
For a weekend getaway, there is camping at Red Lodge Provincial Park and at the Discovery Wildlife Park.
Drumheller is located 90 minutes north of Calgary, making it a great destination for a hike in the badlands at Horseshoe Canyon. Farther off the beaten path, Horsethief Canyon is much less busy and equally spectacular!
For cyclists, park at the giant dinosaur beside the Visitor Centre and follow the paved riverside pathway to the Royal Tyrrell Museum (a 14km round trip ride).
For a scenic drive with fun stops along the way, make a loop with the North and South Dinosaur Trail, crossing the Red Deer River on the Bleriot Ferry and passing by the museum, the Little Church, and Horsethief Canyon. Alternatively, head south of town on the Hoodoo Trail, which passes by the Star Mine Suspension Bridge and the Hoodoo Viewpoint, ending at the Atlas Coal Mine.
Heading south, you’ll also pass by the intersection with Highway 10X, which takes you to the ghost town of Wayne over 11 one-lane bridges. In Wayne, you’ll find a family-friendly saloon and a challenging disc golf course (maps are available at the saloon).
For a non-mountain adventure, consider taking a day trip north to Red Deer where you’ll find a variety of fun activities! Water lovers have options, including the Discovery Canyon Water Park just north of the city (where you can rent tubes for the day) or the outdoor swimming pool (with waterslides) at the Abbey Centre in the nearby town of Blackfalds.
Just to the west, Sylvan Lake is another great place to cool off on a hot day with a sandy beach and shallow swimming area at the provincial park in town. The Aqua Splash inflatable water park is also located in town.
For adventure lovers, you’ll find a great bike skills park in Blackfalds across from the swimming pool. My family loves walking around the Kerry Wood Nature Centre in Red Deer, where there is a bird sanctuary and a small nature playground. Visit the Tourism Red Deer website to discover more fun family activities in this area.
Happy day-tripping!
Tanya is a freelance writer and mom to a spunky boy. She loves hiking, camping, skiing, and all things mountain-related. She is the author of the blog Family Adventures in the Canadian Rockies, rockiesfamilyadventures.com. You can find her on Instagram @MountainMomYYC.
See our related articles:
Calgary’s Child Magazine © 2024 Calgary’s Child
