Chestermere Town Loop

Here’s a nice walk through the bedroom community of Chestermere Alberta using pathways and sidewalks. It takes in residential neighbourhoods, there’s a stretch down by the lake and it’s all quite pleasant. While a longer one, it’s flat and overall pretty easy going. This is the Chestermere Town Loop, an in-town kind of adventure and we enjoy ones like this from time to time.

You could start almost anywhere along the route and in our case, we found easy parking along West Chestermere Drive, by a small park, and began there. This road keeps close to the lake and on the water side are some of the most desirable properties in town. There’s some big, expensive houses here and a few older cottages mixed in that look quite out place. Continue south on the wide pathway.

Come to the south end of the Chestermere Lake and turn right. The canal empties into the lake here, which acts as an irrigation reservoir and in turn feeds two other canals. These bring life giving water to what is otherwise overly dry farm land east of Calgary.

The canal dates back to the early 1900s and fed by the Bow River out of Calgary. There’s a foot-bridge here where you can cross over and get a good look everything.

Take to the paved pathway beside the canal and head west. This the far end of the Western Headworks Canal Pathway and if you’re ambitious you could follow it all the way into Calgary. It’s best biked (see: Calgary to Chestermere bike), although we walked it one time, many, many years ago. At thirty plus clicks, it was a super workout and left us exhausted but happy.

It’s not the most exciting outing, but interesting none the less and worth bragging about on account of the distance covered.

Take the first right and follow the path as it meanders behind homes, then take the first left and cross a road. Come to a green space and now it’s a series of ponds and while these are pretty, they also serve a function. They give storm water a place to go and prevent flooded streets. Make a little detour into Rainbow Falls Park if you like and take in the view from the upper platform.

It’s good they’re putting more nature and green spaces into these new neighbourhoods, In this instance they’re necessary given the low lying nature of the land here and resultant high water table, but whatever the reason, it’s welcomed.

You’ll pass behind many backyards and it seems more than a few are home to apples trees. These seems to grow well out here and by appearances each had produced a bumper crop. Pies and jam for everyone!

There’s the occasional road to cross, and then more ponds. Here were kept to the west side of each, but there’s paths on the far side too. The route bends right and keeps to a narrow green belt on an easterly heading. At the power lines turn left and hit Merganser Drive, turn right then quickly left on Lakeside Greens Drive, the main road into a golf course community and surrounded by fairways. Along here you’ll be on town sidewalks but mostly today’s route is on pathways.

Lakeside Greens Drive takes a hard right and soon after hit the pathway along West Chestermere Drive and turn left. Now there’s more lakeside homes and in a short while come to Anniversary Park. It’s a nice green space, with a beach, picnic areas and oftentimes quite busy. This becomes our lunch stop and we always find time to sit down for a spell, relax and enjoy some good eats. It’s a little custom of ours and makes every outing something a bit more special.

Chestermere Lake is shallow (max about 7m, but usually less) and often weed-choked. But it’s the closest lake to Calgary and so a water recreation mecca. You’ll see people boating, fishing and if you visit in winter, doing a bit of skating. Waterfront property is coveted and if put up for sale, quickly snapped up.

Cross the lake on a Chestermere Boulevard, go left at Cove Drive, then right on Cove Road and take to the pathway heading north. This the Cove neighbourhood, but you already knew that.

Meander this way and that, through the backyards of suburbia, and at the north end of he lake hit Cove Park. There’s a playground and small beach here. Cross over a canal exiting the lake and then loop around Crystal Park Pond. This is the more roundabout way, but we wanted to extend the fun. You can bypass it if you want and we always recommending mixing it up anyway.

Down by the lake, continue south into John Peake Park and this is the only section without houses lining the shore. At the parking lot, go left towards West Chestermere Drive, turn south and follow it back to your ride. A couple clicks and you’re done.

This is quite an ordinary trek in every sense, but still quite enjoyable. The mountains remain our true love, but fun and adventure can be found anywhere if you only look. We had a great time, but then again we always do and got a decent workout too, so that ain’t bad.

Chestermere Lake is man made but before it was a low lying wetland, so only made bigger once hooked to the intake canal. It covers close to a few square kilometres and the surrounding town home to about twenty two thousand people. Into the 1990s it was known as the Summer Village of Chestermere Lake, but a population boom staring in the early 2000s has afforded it city status now. Almost everything here is new and it’s just a short jaunt to get into Calgary.

Know more (new tab): Chestermere Alberta Pathways.
Chestermere Alberta Pathways

They’re saying…

”These two are amazing!! I love following their adventures and the photography is ….. jaw dropping. Enjoy your working vacation, Chris & Connie!! I’m looking forward to living vicariously.” Dayna Kent.

In town stuff…
Mirror Lake & Stoney Creek Loops Camrose.
Drumheller Pathways.
Three Sisters Pathway Canmore.

If you wish more information about this route or if you love to chat don’t hesitate to contact us!

Date of adventure: August, 2021.
Location: Chestermere, AB.
Distance: 14km total.
Height gain maximum: Minimal.
Height gain cumulative: See above.
NOTE: all distances and heights are approximate and may differ slightly from other trip reports (including our own).

It begins: Chestermere Town Loop.

Where the canal meets the lake.

It flows all the way from Calgary.

Into a residential neighbourhood.

It’s always an easy stroll.

One of many ponds along this stretch.

A detour into Rainbow Falls Park.

Sunflower time.

In Trennen Park according to Google.

It’s a gorgeous day to get out.

Through the Lakeside Golf Course community.

Lunch in Anniversary Park.

Chestermere Lake is an irrigation reservoir.

Nice ride, but it’s no BIGDoer-mobile.

In the Cove neighbourhood.

A bumper crop.

Another canal exits the lake at the north end.

On the the west side now.

Dogs love a dip.

In loving memory of Tyler…

We could all use an angel.

A little art to make the day a bit better.

Brain freeze!

Today’s route – star=start.