Glenbow Ranch Park Bow River Loop

Today we’re hiking at Glenbow Ranch Park and it’s just a short distance from the big city. West of Calgary’s, just off the 1A and towards the Bow River. There’s a good number of hiking trails here where one can get away from it all and without having to go far. Win-win.

The property is mostly grasslands and for much of its history part of a working ranch. Even today, some sections are used seasonally for cattle grazing. The town of Cochrane butts up against the west end of the park and Calgary’s knocking on the door to the east. Still, there’s plenty of solitude to be found.

All trails begin at the Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park office. It’s located on a slope above the park and this means that there’s always climb out at the very end of every hike. For our route, which mostly keeps to the flats down by the river, it’s the only up this day. Other parts of the park can be quite hilly.

Hit the trail and almost at the start, there’s a little side spur on the left where one can view remains of a ranch house that once stood on the property. All that’s left are the chimneys and we’ve shared photos of these before (see it here: Glenbow Ranch Big West Loop). Just before that there’s another short trail to a nice lookout off to the right.

At the office, stop and take in the views. There’s a Bow River down there, the Canadian Pacific’s Mainline (their track bisects the park), lots of pasture, some trees, many trails heading in as many directions and cultivated fields across the river. The city is that close but mostly out of sight and out of mind here.

The town of Glenbow was once located down there on the flats and there’s some remains of it even today. The old store, remnants of a brick factory and other bits. Still, most of it is long gone.

Drop down on the Glenbow Trail, one of the main thoroughfares in Glenbow Ranch Park. It’s paved but once on the loop portion of the route, there will be gravel underfoot. We sort of like the crunch, crunch of natural material verses asphalt, but that’s us.

Note the Yodel Trail part way down – it zig-zags up to the top of a low bump to the left. This was going to be used on the return leg of the trip (it reconnects back with the Glenbow Trail later on) but it’s calving season and the far section is blocked from use so the cows can get a little peace and quiet raising their young ones.

Dropping down further still, come to a junction. There’s some interpretive signage here (and at many other places in the park). Learn about the town, animals that frequent the area, flora seen in the park and other things.

You’ll see an old building down by the train tracks and it’s the former store in the town of Glenbow. Later it was used as a granary and old photos show it was brick sheathed earlier on. There’s a side trail that can get you closer. It closed about 1918 according to history records.

Proceed left.

Make note of a pit off to the right along this stretch and it’s here where clay was extracted for the brick plant. If you look close on the far side you can see a few cement piers that supported some kind of structure. Just beyond and also not easy to see are some discarded reject bricks. They’re those orange piles. The plant only operated for a short time and had quality issues.

Glenbow as a town existed for only a short period from about 1907-1920. A nearby sandstone quarry was the main employer in the early years and we’ll chat about that operation soon enough. We can’t shut up when talking about industrial history.

Incidentally, trail users are asked to not go off-trail to view any remnants.

Pass some corrals on the left – part of the ranching operation that still makes use of park lands – and at the next junction turn right. There’s a shelter here and it’ll be put to use by one of us when the rains come later. The trail to the left connects with the Yodel Trail mentioned earlier, but is fenced off so the cows can doing their thing without being disturbed.

A sign marks the location of Glenbow School but you’ll have to take their word for it. There’s no obvious evidence over there in the field that it ever existed and only a single photo found in any archives searched. The one on their plaque.

The town came and went in the blink of an eye, but even so had a population that sometimes was in the hundreds. Glenbow makes mention in old CPR timetables and even after the town ceased to be, it continued to be used as a cattle shipping point on the railway.

Cross the racks and bend left. The CPR line is busy one and in our time in the park we saw or heard the passing of many freights. Six or seven I think. The gravel path to the right is where the Bow River Loop section of this hike returns back to pavement.

Parallel the tracks and at a biffy and picnic area, take a right onto the gravel pathway. The Glenbow Trail continues east for sometime and eventually will reach all the way to Calgary. They’re already pretty close.

This is a good lunch spot and as we always do, we take an extended break and make a toast to the day. These long lunch stops are always something to look forward to.

A storm approaches from the west and soon it’d be raining hard. Getting soaked is nothing new and just part of hiking.

The Bow River Trail loops around the pasture here and the river is close at times. Look for raptor nests in the cottonwoods along here. It’s an idyllic scene, yet just a few clicks to the east, but out of sight at this point is a population of one point something million. The affluent area of Springbank is just up and beyond those trees across the river. The illusion is of a place remote and distant, but in all honestly it’s anything but.

Before reaching the the river look back to the slope above the railway. You’ll notice a distinct shelf about halfway up (with lots of trees) and this is where the sandstone quarry operated. A number of buildings in Calgary and Edmonton were made using blocks from here. It operated 1907-1912 and closed due to declining demand and quality of material extracted.

There’s shortcut on the Bow River loop about halfway in and with the rain pelting down, Connie retreats to the shelter seen earlier, while the other of us continues on stubbornly. She was smart enough to bring an umbrella where as a hoodie this guy had.

At times, one can see some old-looking structures across the river and it’s the Bow Valley Ranch set used by a number of filmed western productions. We’ve visited other western sets in the Calgary area, but not this one.

These river flats are gorgeous. Looks for wild strawberries growing beside the trail. Golden Bean (I think that’s what they’re called) also grows in proliferation here and are a bright yellow colour (so BIGDoer approved). The opposite bank is well treed, but on this side there’s not many.

The trail doubles back to the tracks and parallels them back to pavement. Note more corrals to the left and it’s thought these were used to load cattle onto trains at one time.

Hit the pavement and retrace one’s steps back to the office. The rain’s stopped by this point and while one of us is wet to the bone, the other is all fine and dry. And smug.

Next, comes a climb up and soon the parking area comes into view. The lot always seems busy here at Glenbow Ranch Park, but there’s so many trails that congestion never seems to be an issue. We saw only a few folks this day and no one along the Bow River Loop section.

One last look back on the way up and enjoy the view. It sure is nice having a place so natural that’s so convenient to town.

Know more: (new tab): Hiking Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park.

They’re saying…

“Well written and well researched. You feel part of the adventure!” David Fionn Clarke.

More easy stuff like this…
Nose Hill Park Centre Loop.
Miquelon Lake Park Big Loop.
Cross Conservation Big Loop.

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

Date of adventure: May, 2024.
Location: Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park (west of Calgary).
Distance: 10km – part out and back, part loop.
Height gain maximum: 110m.
Height gain cumulative: 120m.
NOTE: all distances and heights are approximate and may differ slightly from other trip reports (including our own).
Reference: Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park between Calgary and Cochrane.

Welcome to Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park.

Dropping down – old Glenbow Store in back.

Corrals in back – sections of the park are still used for cattle grazing.

Like here…

The school for the former town of Glenbow was once located nearby.

An old railway timetable mentions the town.

Along the Glenbow Trail.

Lots of interpretive signage along the way.

A toast…to the day!

A storm approaches and soon it’d be raining hard.

Wild strawberries everywhere.

The sign speaks of sandstone quarry that once operated on the slope in back.

A closer look at the quarry location – that green belt mid-slope.

Little yellow flowers were everywhere – Golden Bean I think.

At a cattle gate.

The Bow River comes into view.

The rain begins & Connie retreats via a shortcut to the shelter not far away.

Note the big nest – chicks were making noise up there.

It’s really coming down now.

We’re so close to the city, but you’d never know it.

The trail loops back beside the train tracks – more rain.

Glimpses of a film set across the river.

Busy tracks bisect Glenbow Ranch Park.

A bug’s view.

The old clay pits for the brick company.

Trains are frequent.

The view by the park office.

Glenbow Park Bow River Loop, an enjoyable 10km.