Calgary's Best Walks and Nature Strolls with Lori Beattie

If you aren't familiar with Lori Beattie's work, she's a Calgary author and has been walking her way across our awesome city in a quest to find the best urban places to explore on foot.  Along the way you might find your dream neighborhood to live in, you'll most certainly find a new favourite coffee shop (chances are it will have warm out-of-the-oven cinnamon buns for the kids,) and odds are pretty high you'll discover a new playground, off-leash area, green space, or environmental park to fall in love with.

We love hiking around Calgary and have been using  Lori's books to guide our footsteps over the past ten years in the city.  And true story:  I think my son has had a nap on almost every trail in Lori's original book while I scouted out new places to explore with the Chariot in the early years of being a mom.  Since then, we've hiked many of the trails in Lori's first book with our Outdoor Playgroup Community and have used it as a resource guide for the best family hikes close to home.

Exploring Calgary's Best Natural Areas and Parks

Lori's original book, Calgary's Best Hikes and Walks, has been invaluable to me and I'm excited to help her promote her newest book and sequel:  Calgary's Best Walks (35 brand new urban jaunts and nature strolls.)  Both books are great but the new one stands out with original art work, vibrant maps and photos, and some great new walks that have been recently added since the first version.

I could tell you about all of my favourite walks in Calgary but I figured perhaps I should let the expert herself tell you about her favourite walks instead.  I asked Lori to share with us her top 5 Favourite hikes for families in Calgary. 

Lori Beattie's Top 5 Family Hikes from "Calgary's Best Walks" Guidebook

Jackrabbit Trail, Glenmore Reservoir, SW

There is no Wi-Fi in the forest but trust me you’ll find a better connection.  This secret single-track wilderness gem is hidden below the very popular paved Glenmore Pathway. The dirt trail rolls along tucked into the trees with wonderful reservoir views. Kids love the chickadees that land on your hands. They also love the chance to stop at Glenmore landing for a pre or post walk treat. 

Hiking on the Jackrabbit Trail (photo:  Calgary Outdoor Playgroups)

Downtown Art Walk and River Walk, SW/SE

A public art treasure hunt is hands on and fun for kids. Create you own route based on which pieces of art you would like to see. Head north to Princes Island, the Bow River and the East Village River Walk or walk south to Memorial Park and 17 Avenue. Food trucks outside of the Bow Building and Memorial Park make a great mid-walk stop and for the teenagers in the group, a walk along 17 Avenue is sure to please. This people-populated street is full of energy.

Downtown Art Walk (photo:  Lori Beattie)

Briar Hill and Hounsfield Heights, NW

Single-track green space trails, varied and at times, quirky architecture, creative gardens, secret walkers-only connecting paths, the Bow River Pathway and a natural area park climb to spectacular downtown views. All this plus gelato and a diner stop with burgers and shakes! The variety on this urban walkabout keeps the kids happy!

Funky house in Briar Hill (photo:  Lori Beattie)

Sandy Beach, Elbow Park and Britannia, SW

Starting at a playground, you soon move past Sandy Beach. Kids love to rock skip and play in the shallow Elbow River during the summer and fall. A climb up the Britannia Slopes leads to Village Ice Cream Shop at Britannia Plaza and coffee options for the adults in two. Or stay low along the river and soak up the canopied streets of Riverdale Avenue. The Riverdale pedestrian bridge leads to Elbow Park and up the hidden staircase to Saskatoon covered slope trails through a mini natural area park. Eat your way along the trail throughout August when the berries are ripe. Travel through River Park off leash on the return loop and pat a few pooches before descending back to the river.

Playing in the Elbow River at Sandy Beach (photo:  Calgary Outdoor Playgroups)

Fish Creek Park, Bow Valley Ranch, SE

Annie’s Café! Artisan Gardens! Mule Deer! Wildflower meadows! Beaver Lodges!  All of these things make a walk from Bow Valley Ranch in Fish Creek Park a family favourite. Follow paved or shale pathways, play in Fish Creek, check out the beaver lodges and watch for the mule deer. At the end of it all you can enjoy lunch or a treat at Annie’s Café or bring your own picnic and settle in anywhere in the park to soak up the natural wonders of Calgary. 

Playing in Fish Creek near Bow Valley Ranch (photo:  Calgary Outdoor Playgroups)

For more information on Lori's new book, visit her website at Calgary's Best Walks.  Lori's book can be purchased off her website or at book stores around the city.  A complete list of bookstores can be found here. 

Lori's Guide Book will help you find spots like this in Calgary

  

My journey to become an outdoor mom

When I first started writing I actually came very close to writing a piece on how I didn't consider myself an outdoor mom.  I considered myself an adventure mom.  I had little interest in toddler hikes, playing in the mud, looking for tadpoles, or nature study.  I really didn't even like camping all that much.  (This from the woman who just wrote a whole series on camping).  A lot has happened in the last six months though and I can now proudly say that I love the outdoors!  I want to go camping every weekend!  And I have very little interest in doing big adventures, hikes, and climbing trips at this stage of our lives.

Looking for tadpoles

I started following many cool outdoor family blogs (see the blog roll at the side of my page) and the more I read about outdoor play, the more I started to appreciate the concept, to see the value in it, and to actually aspire to become a true outdoor mom.  Note that this does not apply to winter (yet).  I still wish I could get out to do big 20km cross country ski trips every weekend in winter and I still have a long ways to go before I truly enjoy playing in the snow.  Summer however belongs to the young - and the young at heart.

Kids running their crazy into the wind

In January, I started an outdoor playgroup that's now called the Calgary Outdoor Adventures Playgroup.  I'd read about groups such as this and my friend Lia from Alaska inspired me with her group called Skeaddle because I figured if she could run a playgroup that met outside year round with their weather, I could run one here.  It gets pretty cold in Calgary and when I started the group in the middle of winter, I was pleased that we actually had a consistent four or five families come out each week.

February in Calgary

 I started the group for a few reasons, the first being that I wanted to learn how to enjoy outdoor play in all weather.  I've always been a fair weather kinda girl and when it's raining, we stay home.  If it's -30C, we don't go to the playground.  That's changed a lot thanks to this group and we did go to the playground when it was definitely close to -20C.  We even stayed for an hour!  I also wanted my son to learn to enjoy playing outside in all conditions.  At the beginning of winter, he hated the snow, disliked the cold intensely, wouldn't wear mittens, and rejected much of his outdoor wardrobe.  By the end of the winter, thanks to the playgroup and some backcountry trips with family friends, he was happily wearing his outdoor clothing, had his favourite hat, favourite mittens, and even loved his scarf.  He'd ask me to put mittens on.  Success!!

Learning to like snow

Now it's Spring and we are averaging 20 kids out per week at our outdoor playgroup.  The kids have been playing in mud, jumping in puddles, hiking together and chasing each other down hills, exploring the best natural areas our city has to offer, and making new friends.  It's been a very rewarding experience for me and it's been wonderful watching my son learn to appreciate outdoor play.  There are days now when I can't get him to come inside.  We go from one park to the next and try to stay out as long as we can until dinner approaches.

Playing in the Ravine near our house

I used to enjoy indoor play parks, loved taking my son to the mall, and would frequent places with names like "Stir Crazy" or "Coffee and Scream."   Now, we plan our play dates outside and I meet girlfriends for coffee at outdoor playgrounds.  I avoid indoor playgroups and don't host large groups of moms at my house anymore.  All socialization is done outdoors with the kids running free and happy.  I am happier for the changes and my son is definitely happier!

Toddlers burning off energy outdoors

The month of May was a big month for me in terms of outdoor goal setting.  One of the main goals was to  get a bike and learn to enjoy cycling again.  It's a classic outdoor activity I could enjoy close to home, in the evenings, and as a family thanks to our Chariot that pulls our son along on our rides.  I've discovered that I actually love riding my new bike and we now have another family activity we like doing together in the city.  A rainy day can be salvaged by a quick family bike ride between storms.  That time before our son goes to bed is now filled with pleasant rides around the neighborhood instead of watching television.  And, nobody told me how much more you get to appreciate the smells of spring when you're on a bike!  Every flower, every bush, every new tree - it all smells so much better when the breeze hits you from your bike.

My new bike

Another goal I had for the month of May was to learn to like camping.  This is a whole story in and of itself, but we had a fabulous time camping in Dinosaur Provincial Park and I knew then, that in the right conditions, I loved camping.   I learned that I need to go camping with friends and that I need to slow down more when camping.  Camping isn't just about having a base camp for hiking adventures.  It's about setting up tents and trailers beside a creek so the kids can play in the mud while you sit in a lawn chair drinking coffee and soaking up the morning sun.  It's about short little walks and hikes around the campground.  And it's about s'mores, hot dogs, and fun around the campfire.

Playing in the mud beside our campsite in Dinosaur Provincial Park

The final goal I set last month was to learn how to slow down.  Camping taught me a lot about this but I also discovered it was easy to slow down when I stopped taking the Chariot on every walk or hike.  Now I let my son walk or ride his Strider bike and I enjoy the pace of a three year old.  I close my eyes sometimes and just let the moment wash over me.  We worked hard at turning our backyard into an outdoor play heaven and now I can just sit back in my lounge chair, watch my son play in his new 6x8 foot sand box, and relax in the sun.  It's my version of urban camping.

Our new sand box and backyard climber

I still have a long ways to go on my journey of becoming an outdoor mom but I feel like my whole personality has been transformed in a very short period of time.  I can only imagine the changes that will take place in the next six months.  Maybe I'll go back to school yet for that Outdoor Education Degree.

Nature!

I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments.  Have you had a similar journey since becoming a parent?

Nature isn't far away in Calgary

I was on my way to the zoo when my friend called me - the zoo is living up to its name - can't get in the parking lot - too busy - spring break - please, let's go somewhere else.  I looked back at my son, knowing I had promised him a trip to the zoo, and he was passed out sound asleep.  What to do?  Toddlers may be young but they have very good memories when it comes to things owing or promised them. This my friend found out the hard way as she turned away from the zoo and was hit with sobs from the back seat.  Her son definitely wanted to see some animals.

Fortunately, we live in a city full of nature and wildlife waiting to be explored.  You don't need a zoo pass to see squirrels, birds, deer, coyotes, porcupines, the odd  bear, and even the occasional cougar.  You can't drive more than fifteen minutes in Calgary without coming across a creek, ravine, forest, river, park or natural area.  I took these things for granted before I had a child and would drive over an hour to find nature in the mountains every weekend.  We still drive to the mountains a lot but we are exploring our city too every chance we get.

Seeing as Noah was sleeping, and we still planned to do something with our friends, we drove down to my favorite park in Calgary; North Glenmore Park .  I don't know how long it takes to cross your city, but it's a good hour at least to drive from North to South Calgary (in good traffic); the perfect distance to allow a child to have a nice nap.  Many if not most people who visit North Glenmore stick to the paved paths winding their way through the park.  Another percentage don't get past the playgrounds or the path above the Elbow River Delta.  Nature lovers though have discovered a secret gem in this park; the Weaselhead Flats Natural Environment Park. 

Why should you visit Weaselhead Flats?  The City of Calgary website describes this unique area in the following words:

Delve into the only delta in the city. As the Elbow River flows into the Glenmore Reservoir it slows down, thus depositing sand and gravel creating a network of bars, channels and marsh areas. This type of habitat is called a delta and is host to a relatively unique array of plants and animals. Weaselhead Flats also contain one of the largest stands of coniferous forest in the city.

If words aren't enough, photos usually do it for me.   I'll leave you with my favorite photos of Noah and his friend enjoying this precious part of our city.

Toddlers running free and happy

Playing in the meadow

You'd never know you were still in the city when you are in the Weaselhead

Mud, puddles, and snow - oh my (our mantra for the day)

What child doesn't love sticks!

Noah was fascinated by these branches

Waving his branches in practice for Palm Sunday

The boys had so much fun in the mud!

The puddle that was almost a lake for the boys

I'd love to hear about your favorite park or natural area.
Where do you go when you need to reconnect with nature?