Recreational Activities

Please review our park rules & visit tips and regulations.

Biking Birding Boating

Fishing Golfing Picnicking

Rollerblading Swimming Walking/Hiking

Wildlife Watching Winter Activities

Biking

• Biking is permitted on pathways in the park EXCEPT  those
  • Inside Sikome Aquatic Facility
  • In front of Bow Valley Ranch Visitor Centre
• All biking must be on designated pathways or single-track trails.
• All trails are for all users.  Review our tips for sharing pathways/trails.
• There are no bicycle rentals in the park.
• Bikes in the Park (Park Notes)

Birding

• More than 200 bird species have been observed here. 
• Great blue herons can be found along watercourses.  Ducks and geese can be seen on the Bow River year-round. 
• Bald eagles nest and even over-winter along the Bow River valley. Raptors common to the area include red-tailed hawks, Swainson's hawks and great horned owls.
• Dense spruce and aspen forests in the park provide excellent habitat for songbirds.

Boating

• Boat access to the Bow River is from a boat launch located off Bow Bottow Trail South, at the east end of the park in Boat Launch Day Use Area.
• The boat launch is open from April to October as long as safe access can be provided.
• The boat launch (during the season) and the parking area are open the same hours as the gate schedule.

Fishing

• Fishing is permitted in the Bow River and Fish Creek.  The Bow River is a world-class trout fishery.
• Check Alberta Guide to Sportfishing Regulations for times, species, bait restrictions and catch limits.

Golfing

• McKenzie Meadows Golf Course

Picnicking

• Many day use areas have picnic tables and firepits and are located close to parking lots.
• Fires are permitted only in designated firepits.
• Firewood is NOT provided.  Collection and burning deadfall is NOT permitted.  Please bring
• • Your own firewood and roasting sticks
  • A container to fill with water to extinguish the fire
• Washrooms with running water are located in many areas.  Some of these washrooms are only open seasonally.  Check the day use listing for details.
• Liqour is PROHIBITED in all public aresa.

Rollerblading

• There are many paved pathways and roads where you can rollerblade.
• Rollerblades are not permitted inside buildings or on pathways inside Sikome Aquatic Facility. 
• There are no rollerblade rentals in the park.

Swimming

• There is swimming in Sikome Aquatic Facility when it is open.

Walking/Hiking

• The park has more than 80 kilometres of pathways - 30 km paved & 50 km of shale.
• All trails are for all users.  Review our tips for sharing pathways/trails.
• Pathway Map
• Single Track Trail Map

Wildlife Watching

• The park is home to lots of wildlife - mammals, reptiles and amphibians, as well as birds.
• Please ensure you respect nature in visiting parks.
• Review our wildlife safety tips.

Winter Activities

• Some pathways in the park are cleared of snow during winter for easy access.
• If snow conditions allow, activities such as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are possible.
• Pathways are not groomed or maintained for cross-country skiing.
• All trails are for all users.
• Ice conditions on Fish Creek are potentially hazardous throughout winter.  It is not recommended that people walk, ski or otherwise traverse on the ice.
• Tobogganing is not encouraged in the park because of natural hazards.  Rocks and fallen logs found on trail edges and hillsides can cause accidents.