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Fish Creek Provincial Park

Fish Creek Provincial Park cuts across the south end of the city, following the creek east until it meets the Bow River. It has been a provincial park since 1975, and at about 1,356 hectares, Alberta Parks calls it one of the largest urban parks in Canada.

Operated by
Alberta Parks
City district
Fish Creek Park — provincial parkland, not a residential community
Photographed at
Glennfield day-use area
Bordering communities
16, from City of Calgary community boundaries

History in the Valley

People have lived and hunted here for thousands of years, and Alberta Parks records bison pounds in the valley from about 2500 BC. The area's first European settlers, John and Adelaide Glenn, arrived in 1873; Glennfield carries their name. At Bow Valley Ranch, the ranch house dates from 1896, built by William Roper Hull before Pat Burns bought the property in 1902.

How I'd Spend a Day Here

I'd start at Glennfield or Bow Valley Ranch, where there's parking, washrooms and easy trail access, then follow the creek on foot or by bike. The main Central Corridor Pathway runs about 19 km through the park. In summer, the Sikome Aquatic Facility is the place to swim. Birders come year-round, and many pathways stay in use through the winter.

Good to Know

  • Parking lots and day-use areas: 8 a.m.–10 p.m. April to September, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. October to March
  • Pathway refurbishment is under way in stages into 2027, so watch for detours
  • Glennfield access: Macleod Trail via Bannister Road SE
  • Transit: Fish Creek–Lacombe station on the Red Line

Communities on the Edge of the Park

Sixteen communities border the park, among them Canyon Meadows, Shawnee Slopes, Queensland, Diamond Cove, Douglasdale/Glen, Chaparral, Woodlands and Midnapore. If you want to live close to the valley, these are the neighbourhoods I'd start with.

Fish Creek Provincial Park in pictures

Photographed on the ground by Kelly Baker.

Glennfield entrance sign, Fish Creek Provincial Park. Calgary.
Glennfield entrance sign, Fish Creek Provincial Park.
Picnic shelter and meadow at Glennfield, Fish Creek Provincial Park. Calgary.
Picnic shelter and meadow at Glennfield, Fish Creek Provincial Park.
McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes “In Living Memory Of” tree-planting plaques at Glennfield, Fish Creek Provincial Park. Calgary.
McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes “In Living Memory Of” tree-planting plaques at Glennfield, Fish Creek Provincial Park.
Paved pathway through the trees at Glennfield, Fish Creek Provincial Park. Calgary.
Paved pathway through the trees at Glennfield, Fish Creek Provincial Park.
The Bow River at Fish Creek Provincial Park, near McKenzie Lake. Calgary.
The Bow River at Fish Creek Provincial Park, near McKenzie Lake.
The Nature Park entrance and pathway bridge, Fish Creek Provincial Park. Calgary.
The Nature Park entrance and pathway bridge, Fish Creek Provincial Park.
A shelter on the valley floor in Fish Creek Provincial Park. Calgary.
A shelter on the valley floor in Fish Creek Provincial Park.
The pedestrian bridge over the Bow River in Fish Creek Provincial Park. Calgary.
The pedestrian bridge over the Bow River in Fish Creek Provincial Park.
The regional pathway through the cottonwoods in Fish Creek Provincial Park. Calgary.
The regional pathway through the cottonwoods in Fish Creek Provincial Park.

Communities around Fish Creek Provincial Park

The residential communities closest to it.

Canyon MeadowsChaparralCranstonDeer RunDiamond CoveDouglasdale/GlenEvergreenLake BonavistaMcKenzie LakeMidnaporeParklandQueenslandShawnee SlopesSundanceWoodbineWoodlands

Thinking about the area?

Call 403-464-6672 or send an email. I answer my own phone.

Contact Kelly