Rotary Club of Calgary Chinook Nature Park is an inner-city, engineered, wetland park in south Calgary directly west, beside and below the community of Cranston adjacent to the Bow River. It is one of many ideal and convenient Calgary locations for communing with nature. Today my daughter Linda, granddaughter Katherine, grandson Michael and I will enjoy a short, flat, sunny, winter hike around the ponds and beside the Bow River.
granddaughter Katherine at the entrance to Rotary Nature Park in South Fish Creek Park, Calgary
Although we will not be fishing today, the Bow River is a popular location for the sport and signs are posted to discourage the spread of rock snot algae.
On the ridge east of us the community of Cranston perches on top of a ridge and viewpoints at the top offer magnificent vistas of the city and Rocky Mountains to the west.
The ponds, created to hold storm water from transportation routes, allow collected water to settle, filter and cleanse naturally before entering the Bow River. Today the engineered ponds are frozen over. Along the trail, kiosks offer benches for rest and shelter from the sun. Interpretive signs educate visitors about plants, birds and animals commonly seen in the park. It is a popular place for birdwatchers as a combination of still and flowing water support large and varied bird populations.
A massive boulder bridge between ponds bypasses a simple dam which controls water flow and level in the person-made ponds.
At the south end of the Nature Park there are excellent locations to spread a blanket and enjoy a picnic above the shore of the Bow River. Today, geese rest on a shoreline ice shelf.
South on the Bow River, large numbers of ducks have gathered on the opposite shore.
On our return to the small parking area just south of Hwy 22 there are beautiful views of the Bow River and grassland ridges provide wonderful opportunities to explore.
Granddaughter Katherine enjoys a brief rest on one of many memorial benches at trailside
Daughter Linda and Granddaughter Katherine beside an ancient fallen tree
Katherine hikes offtrail to top an adjacent ridge covered with delicate prairie grass
Rotary Nature Park is a beautiful inner city oasis which is accessed just north of the intersection at Hwy 22x to Cranston. The access is on the McKenzie side of the intersection and the road descends past the McKenzie Meadows Golf Course. Parking is under the bridge to the left. Before getting into the car, we walk north, under the bridge, a short distance along the shore of the Bow River to see if pelicans have returned to their nesting areas. It is likely a bit too early but they will return in the spring.
A posted map shows the plethora of trail options in Fish Creek Park - South Calgary
Rotary Club of Calgary Chinook Nature Park is a beautiful place to enjoy in any season.
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What a contrast of winter weather in this and the previous post. Loved both. Your Granddaughter looks delightful and chose a great colour to wear on the outing.
Just love the close up shot of the geese on the lake edge.
Well, we are proudly Canadian. We warm up then we need to cool down. The Yosemite trip was completed last September. It took me longer than expected to complete the writing. I hope I will have an opportunity to return to Yosemite. It is a fantastic park and it was heartbreaking to drive west along Tioga Road and leave so many trails behind.
Thank you. Granddaughter Katherine is indeed a sweetheart, just like her Mom. I agree the pink clothing shows well in the surrounding earth colors. There were huge flocks of geese flying overhead in random V patterns. We were not sure why but they were making a great ‘honking’ racket. Perhaps they were having a disagreement about direction.
Thank you for your comment, Helen.