Nose Hill Park Centre Loop

Calgary’s Nose Hill Park is a vast urban green space, one of the biggest in the country as it turns out, and this hike sort of a best of tour. There’s natural grasslands, aspen groves, sweeping views and many hidden things to discover. The old wrecked car, a glacial erratic, Medicine Wheel and stone labyrinth all call out to the curious mind.

It’s an urban hike in every sense but one might be hard pressed to know it when in the centre of Nose Hill. The city can be completely out of sight at that point, but when in sight a lofty position affords one a good look out over a sprawling metropolis.

It’s a very natural place even recalling the gravel pits that once operated on its southeast quadrant. There were also some agricultural buildings here at one time, barns and such, but for the most part it was formerly field and pasture. It was well outside the city until the 1960s but today completely surrounded by urban sprawl.

As the city encroached, a proposal was put in to development the land for residential housing, but instead became a park. That’s a better outcome. Cultivated fields were allowed to return to nature, structures removed, junk cleaned out (but not all old junk as it turns out – they forgot that car) and paths put in, all circa early ’80s. Otherwise, it was left as is.

The fun today begins at the Many Owls parking lot off John Laurie Boulevard at Brisboise Drive. There’s a plaque here speaking of John Laurie, educator, political activist, First Nations advocate and it’s worth a read.

Take to the paved path at the NW corner and ahead comes the most of the elevation to be gained on this hike. It’s not much though and the grade is easy. There’s a lot of trails, some official, many not, and thankfully there’s maps at select junctions. Look for interpretative signage where you can learn about past uses of Nose Hill Park and there’s many benches along the way should a rest be needed.

An old car can found off to the right and sort of hidden away when you enter the trees (right side). It’s a short way off the path and looks to be an Austin A40 Devon from the late 1940s/early 1950s period. The car was dumped here before the land came a park and the trees since grown up around it.

It was common for people in the past to rid themselves of unwanted cars by abandoning them in out of the way places. The paved pathway was built atop an old access road into some farm buildings and one of the gravel pits (there’s many) so it would have been easy to do so here. Old aerial photos show a lot less growth on this slope before it became a park, so it was likely once more out in the open.

It’s said there were other dumped cars on Nose Hill that were also removed, but not this one for what ever reason.

Continue up the paved pathway and once higher the trees thin and the views begin. Look west over the city to the Winsport Ski Hill (to old Calgarians, Paskapoo) and in back, the majestic Rockies. It’s like you could reach out and touch them but they’re actually 80-100 kms away.

Top out on and keep to the paved pathway as it bends hard left. The top of Nose Hill is flat, with broad grassy sections and for the most part devoid of trees. For a time it looked like a major storm would be rolling in and attempt to sullen the day but instead petered out. The weather in Calgary is all over map and can change from minute to minute as anyone who lives here can tell you.

Nose Hill trails can be done all year but no stranger to bad weather at any time. They can get icy in winter but thanks to a warm spell were not an issue this visit.

Just past an overlook (our lunch spot – mulled wine = heaven) and at a four-way junction, take to the gravel pathway heading north towards a clump of trees. It’s the only grove in that direction and at the next junction near them make a hard right back on pavement. Shortly after return to gravel after taking a shallow right.

At this point the city is completly unseen and it feels like your in the country. It’s a cool illusion and won’t end for a kilometre or two. When you come to the edge, don’t drop down but turn right and at a dip in the trail walk out to a point overlooking Nose Hill’s glacial erratic.

It was carried here from a point many hundreds of kilometres away (Jasper area according to experts) by advancing ice and randomly dropped. There’s many erratics in Calgary and surrounding area.

Backtrack a bit, then continue south out of the dip and enter the old gravel pits. There were many here, exploiting valuable deposits and the scars are still obvious. Trees seem to like this sheltered area and grow well. Keep close the edge of the shallow, broad former diggings for a while and enjoy the views if you can. There’s downtown and its many tall towers or maybe turn east and watch the action at Calgary International Airport. Or the action on Deerfoot – there’s good odds someone will be driving stupidly.

Head for a radio tower to the south (shack beside is painted with a mural of a dog) and just beyond at a viewpoint come to the Nose Hill Medicine Wheel. It’s not an old one but put in about a decade ago by native groups to honour their history in the area. The wheel takes the shape of the Siksikaitsitapi logo, representing the Blood, Siksika, plus Northern and Southern Peigan tribe alliance.

“…This was a sacred place for ceremonies and vision quests, as well as a lookout for buffalo, the weather and danger.” Elder Andy Black Water. To know about Medicine Wheels refer to a link posted further down.

Retreat back and turn left atop a berm – old gravel pit below – then drop down to the right when you see the Nose Hill Stone Labyrinth. Like the Medicine Wheel, it’s recent and according to the maker doesn’t make use of the countless boulders found within the old quarry. They were carried in!

Labyrinths are fun and all, but no doubt the meanings run deeper than that and perhaps not fully understood by everyone, us included. “The labyrinth was a place of “being”; being oneself, being together, being connected to something greater.” Dan Grassick, creator.

Next, head north a bit and then turn left. There’s countless trails in this section, crisscrossing in a crazy pattern, so take which ever you please. Just be sure to head directly west and don’t take any heading down slope. In a few moments leave the pit behind and shorty after be back on pavement, the same pathway used on the up leg.

Simply follow it back down to the parking lot and your car. That place was busy by the time we got back and many people were impatiently waiting for spots. Speaking of people, Nose Hill is a popular park with numerous entry points but it’s so large and with so many trails that everyone soon spreads out.

So ends a wonderful trek. It was a bit gloomy for us, a day of angry skies and drab earth tones, but it’s still nature and getting out into it is a good thing. Many wild animals make Nose Hill Park their home and in the past we’ve seen deer, coyote, porcupines and skunk. However, we didn’t spot any this trip.

Thanks for stopping by and if you follow this route we hope it’s as enjoyable for you as it was for us.

Know more: (new tabs): Nose Hill Park Calgary and the meanings behind Native Medicine Wheels.

They’re saying…

”These two are amazing!! I love following their adventures and the photography is…jaw dropping. Enjoy your working vacation, Chris & Connie!!… Dayna Kent. (this job really is like a vacation).

In town fun…
Three Hills Pathways & Sidewalks.
Red Deer Alberta: River Loop.
Urban Trek: 17th Ave SE.

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

Date of adventure: November, 2023.
Location: Calgary, AB.
Distance: 12.5km.
Height gain maximum: 110m.
Height gain cumulative: 140m.
NOTE: all distances and heights are approximate and may differ slightly from other trip reports (including our own).

There’s maps throughout the park.

A little ice at the start.

The Nose Hill Car.

Dumped here before it was a park.

The trail winds higher and with that comes some nice views.

Getting to know a little history of the park.

In memory of Cindy…

A storm threatened, but soon fizzled out.

Looking back – downtown is almost hidden now.

Looking west at homes in Edgemont.

Something mulled to warm body and soul.

Winsport Ski Hill (Paskapoo to older Calgarians) & the Rockies.

The top is grassy and flat.

Some sections are paved and others of stone.

You’d never know you were in the big city.

The Nose Hill Park erratic is seen below.

This is as creative as we get folks…

Downtown comes into view.

Left overs from a gravel pit operation.

Resting tired legs at a strategically placed bench.

It’s one of Canada’s largest urban parks.

A utility building made a little nicer thanks to art.

The Nose Hill Medicine Wheel.

Trees grow well in the old pits – Nose Hill Stone Labyrinth below.

Nose Hill became a park in the 1980s.

Another summit conquered.

Dropping down.

Getting to know John Laurie.

12.5km of fun – spurs lead to overlooks or features.