Best of Alberta Day Trips from Calgary
Before people come to the stunning scenery of Banff National Park and the Canadian Rockies, Calgary is one of the most popular places to stop and stay for a few days. It is a great city to base yourself from before making your way onwards towards the towering mountains. However, if you just want a short day trip from Calgary, there are lots of options. A drive to Heart Creek is one great option. From the Canada Olympic Park traffic lights, drive 4km west on the Trans Canada Highway. Take the Heart Creek / Lac Des Arcs exit and go south on the overpass to reach the trailhead.
You will be rewarded with a pleasant family stroll up the narrow and biologically diverse Heart Creek Valley. It is a very simple and flat trail and any member of the family should be able to tackle it successfully. Adults can stroll in peace as kids float sticks and jump from rock to rock on the river. You will see the glacially carved Bow Valley which has been formed over thousands of years of erosion. As you are surrounded by tall cliffs on all sides, the warm Chinook winds won’t do much to you so you can walk in perfect summer temperatures.
Walking and hiking in Banff National Park is one of the most popular summer activities in the Canadian Rockies. There is so much to see and there is no price to pay. It is one of the few options open where kids and adults can both enjoy themselves.