Got a hankering for the best scenic views in Alberta’s Blue Sky City?
If you’re looking for suggestions for your next stroll in Calgary, you’ve come to the right place!
There’s nothing better than a walk along some of Calgary’s best trails and green spaces on a sunny day in the height of summer. Whether you’re a photographer, new to the city, or just want to catch a glimpse of our ever-growing downtown core, here are our suggestions for the best jaunts with the most jaw-dropping, elevated views.
Scotsman’s Hill — Ramsay, Calgary
No summer visit to the annual Calgary Stampede is complete without a stroll through nearby Scotsman’s Hill. Located in the neighbourhood of Ramsay, this elevated green space offers the best view of Calgary’s Scotiabank Saddledome, and during our annual yeehaw event, a birds-eye view of the Midway and accompanying carnival rides.
It’s also a fantastic spot to catch fireworks during the Stampede or Canada Day celebrations. Make sure you scope out your space early, though — parking spots at the top of the hill fill up quickly, to the chagrin of neighbourhood locals. Heading North, pop into Apprentice Café at the intersection of Bellevue and Maggie Street. This cozy corner café has a tasty light menu and a cool retro ice cream sign that nods to the neighbourhood’s history.
Crescent Heights to Rotary Park — Bridgeland, Calgary
This is one of Calgary’s most well-known walking trails, and for good reason. The view of the city from Crescent Heights may take the cake for the very best in YYC, especially at night when the light of the downtown core sparkles in the darkness.
If you’re feeling athletic, you can take the Rotary Park stairs just off of Centre Street to the top of the park and continue along the walking path. There are plenty of seating areas to stop and admire the views, plus an off-leash dog walking area if you keep heading west to McHugh Bluff.
Edworthy Park — Spruce Cliff, Calgary
B.C. to Alberta transplants will enjoy the Douglas Fir Trail at Edworthy Park, located to the south of the Bow River. You’ll normally find Douglas Firs in the forests of B.C.’s western coastline, but this dense park space in Calgary contains some of the only Douglas Firs found east of the Rocky Mountains.
The trail runs east along the Bow River from Edworthy Park and is closed in winter and early spring due to its steep cliff edge. You can catch a glimpse of the city’s stunning Bow River Valley looking north towards the Alberta Children’s Hospital and Olympic Oval from Dead Man’s Drop, the trail’s steepest point with an elevation of 200 feet.
You can also climb your way to the top of Edworthy with an athletic dog or two in tow. The park’s off-leash dog area is one of the best in the city and also offers a nice view of the city looking northeast.
Nose Hill Park — Edgemont, Calgary
This sprawling green space of preserved prairie grassland is also the fourth-largest urban park in Canada. A walk through Nose Hill will have you feeling like the only person in the world with wide-open vistas of Calgary, but you may run into a white-tailed deer tucked away in the aspen groves and coulees.
We recommend taking the southwest crest of Nose Hill before it slopes down to the John Laurie intersection for the most pristine views of the city. Don’t miss the Siksikaitsitapi Medicine Wheel, a peaceful spot built by members of the Blood Tribe in 2015. The wheel takes the shape of the Siksikaitsitapi logo, which represents the Blood, Siksika, Piikani and Peigan tribes, the four which form the Blackfoot Confederacy. This modern landmark pays homage to First Nations people who used Nose Hill as a lookout spot, encouraging visitors to appreciate their surroundings and their own relationship to the land.
Shay Trail to Sarcee Park — Patterson Heights, Calgary
This recommendation is a little more tucked away in the suburbs of Patterson Heights, but with plenty of walking trails abound, you’ll relish in the view of the city looking east towards the Alberta Children’s Hospital and north towards Canada Olympic Park.
A secluded lookout point can be found on Shay Trail heading north towards Sarcee Park. Keep heading northwest and you’ll hit Medicine Hill / Paskapoo Slopes, an area with significant archaeological history that was once used by local Indigenous peoples as a buffalo jump. Keep hunting through the woods and you might run into the Cars of Paskapoo, a handful of abandoned vintage automobiles.
The weather’s never been better to take in some of the city’s 360° views. We’ll see you out there!
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Em Medland-Marchen
Em is a Staff Writer for Curiocity Calgary. They are passionate about live music, rose gardens, iced coffee, their dogs Bandit and Stanley, and walks along the Bow River.
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