If you’re new to the Calgary area, or perhaps just developing an interest in bird watching, this list will give you many places to go searching for our avian friends and other wildlife.

• Calgary Parks & Natural Areas

With approximately 7,742 hectares of land and over 700 Km of pathways available in Calgary, the opportunities to get out and look for bird life in our city are endless.

All Calgary parks are open from 5 a.m. – 11 p.m unless otherwise stated at the park.

List of all Calgary Parks and Natural Areas

• Inglewood Bird Sanctuary

This 36-hectare wildlife reserve offers more than two kilometres of level walking trails and over 1 km of nature trails, throughout the riverine forest, by the flowing river and alongside a peaceful lagoon.

The public is welcome to visit the Sanctuary during daylight hours, year-round but please leave your pets, bicycles, roller blades and bird food at home. Admission is free. Trails are open year-round, daily from sun-up to sundown, and are accessible through the gate on the south side of the Nature Centre.

More on the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary

Within the city there are two major rivers, The Bow and the Elbow; three large creeks, Fish Creek, Nose Creek and West Nose Creek; and a large man-made lake, the Glenmore Reservoir. There are also several man-made marsh areas. All of these locations provide excellent birdwatching for water birds.

• Weaselhead Natural Area

This park is located in S.W. Calgary, South West of the community of Lakeview and North West from the community of Oakridge. The park offers several pathways and hiking trails located amongst the Elbow river water shed. This is where the Elbow river flows into the Glenmore reservoir. Lots of nature to explore here and definitely feels like you’re in the outdoors.

More on the Weaselhead Natural Area and the Weaselhead/Glenmore Park Preservation Society.

• Fish Creek Provincial Park

This large provincial park arcs across the southern portion of the city. More than 1,348 acres cover a wide variety of habitats, from coniferous forest to deciduous woodlands, and open grasslands.  The park also has a variety of aquatic environments.

There are many locations to access the park:

• Bow Valley Ranch – 15979 Bow Bottom Trail SE
• Sikome Lake – 17221 Bow Bottom Trail SE
• Sundance – 4 Sikome Circle SE
• Hulls Wood – 16606 Bow Bottom Trail SE
• Boat Launch – 10 Sikome Circle SE
• Burnsmead – 2393-153 Ave SE
• Bankside – 3105-153 Ave SE
• Mallard Point – 2220 Canyon Meadows Drive SE
• McKenzie/Cranston – 17215 McKenzie Meadows Drive SE
• Marshall Springs – 1818-138 Ave SW
• Votier’s Flats – 13588 Elbow Drive SW
• Bebo Grove – 13610 – 24 St SW
• Shannon Terrace – 13931 Woodpath Road SW

More on Fish Creek Park, including downloadable maps

• Calgary Pathways

Calgary’s communities, parks and natural areas are connected by an extensive network of pedestrian and bike paths that are available for all Calgarians to use. In fact, Calgary has the most extensive urban pathway and bikeway network in North America.

Today, approximately 700 km of pathways connect along the Bow & Elbow Rivers, Fish Creek Provincial Park, Nose Creek, West Nose Creek, the Western Irrigation District Canal and the perimeter of Glenmore Reservoir.

See the Paths & Bikeways website for maps and more details

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