Calgary is a pretty big city on the prairies of Alberta, close to the Rocky Mountains. Unlike most big cities, however, Calgary offers a lot of “green” and great opportunities to get outside and enjoy nature within the city.
When you visit Calgary, you need a good plan to see the city while avoiding car fumes. Thus, I present to you a short but scenic 3-mile (4.8-km) walk that promises great views and lots of relaxation. I’ve also included a route map.
The walk itself is mostly easy, but it does include stairs that are somewhat steep and could be challenging for folks who are not in shape. I thought an ideal starting point would be Eau Claire Market. First, it has cheap parking on weekends and holidays. Second, it has nice shops and a food court, so you can go back there to rest after the walk.
1. From Eau Claire Market, walk in the direction of the river, then take the foot bridge to Prince’s Island Park. Prince’s Island is a nice little urban park with lots of green. If you’re lucky, you might even spot a coyote.
2. Keep walking to the Bow River, then take the next foot bridge over the river (and over Memorial Drive). Keep heading towards the hill, which has some mean-looking stairs going all the way up. If you find the stairs too steep, you could walk up the gradual slope and turn left at the top to get to the same endpoint, but this alternate route may not be any easier.
3. After climbing the stairs, you’ll arrive at a beautiful panoramic view of the city center. On a clear day, you’ll also be treated to a stunning view of the Rocky Mountains.
4. At the top of the stairs, go right and follow the picturesque skyline for a while, so that you can enjoy multiple views and take lots of pictures. When you stop seeing greenery and start seeing houses, just keep going. After 150 meters, you’ll see another green patch of land on the right. Get on this green patch, which will lead you to another set of stairs. This time the stairs go down (Phew!).
5. At the bottom, go right and go under the CTrain (Calgary’s LRT) line until you hit the main road (10th Street), then go left and follow the road. This area is called Kensington, and it’s one of Calgary’s treasures, with numerous little shops and restaurants.
6. Keep following 10th Street until you reach the river again. Now, turn left and you’ll see the CTrain bridge. Take the bridge, because the lower level is for pedestrians.
7. On the other side of the bridge, turn left and continue walking beside the river while enjoying the view. You’ll eventually end up at the same bridge where you started. Once there, you can head right back to Eau Claire Market.
I hope you enjoy this walk as much as I did. This walk is easy to do at any time of year, and you’ll discover different views as the seasons change.
Below is the route map to help you find your way around. Happy walking!
If you like nature and feel like having a cup of tea somewhere other than Starbucks or Tim Horton’s, then go for the Teahouse Hike in Lake Louise. From the Chateau Lake Louise, there are two hiking options to two different teahouses. The one described here is farther out and therefore the longer hike. If you really want a challenge, you can hike to both teahouses in one day.
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