Bowness & Baker Parks Loop

Here’s a nice in-town loop hike that’s easy and offers up lots of variety. There’s parkland and natural woods where you’ll forgot you’re in the city. Underfoot it’s paved pathways and dirt singletrack. This is the Bowness and Baker Parks Loop, which also includes a foray into Wood’s Douglas Fir Tree Sanctuary.

Both parks are across the Bow River from each other and getting from side to side is easily done thanks to pedestrian bridges. There’s one hill part way in, but otherwise the elevation profile of this hike is almost flat as pancake. There’s a bit of history along the way too and that’s always fasinating.

It begins at the main parking lot in Bowness Park and that’s off 48th Ave NW. This large urban green-space dates back well over a hundred years and has always been a popular destination. Then and today.

There’s picnic sites, playgrounds and countless things to do here. Dip your feet in the Bow or sit back and enjoy the view. Play with kids or toss a ball around. Or maybe skate on the lagoon in winter or paddle it in a boat come summer. It’s passed on the drive in and usually quite busy any season.

It’s in the city, but feels far removed from the hustle and bustle. That’s even if one of the busiest roads in Calgary runs a little west of the park. The traffic’s high up on bridges and sort of out of sight.

In the old days Bowness Park was reached from Calgary by a streetcar and it was a popular weekend day trip. Still is. Bowness was an independent town into the 1960s but not heavily developed until after World War Two.

Head to the river, intercept the gravel pathway and turn right. That’s Baker Park across the way and for a time parallel a little railway. It’s been here since the 1950s. In years past there was a merry-go-round on the grounds (now at Calgary’s Heritage Park), a dance pavilion and swimming pool.

Pass under 85th Street NW and enter a wooded area. Seen under the bridge, we share a message to Dan: “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” Dan, we suggest taking the next flight out of town. You are in a world of trouble, dude! There’s other messages to him below and while his transgressions don’t seem to be clearly stated, he’s a marked man.

Keep to the (now) paved pathway. It makes a hard right where some houses block the way and head’s to the street for a shorty detour. Not long after, take a left down some stairs and right after take a pedestrian bridge over a channel of the Bow onto Silver Springs Island.

This span is built in a form similar to the train bridge just downstream and to your right. Back when we were teens (when not fighting dinosaurs) and before this area became a park (this section is now part of Bowmont Park), the flat down by the train bridge was a place to party. It got crazy some times. Big bonfires, beer swiped from the old man and much debauchery.

Cross a second channel of the Bow, and turn left. The trail runs beside a dog park for a time – you’ll hear the excited barking soon enough. Pass under 85th again and shorty after enter Baker Park. From the 1920 to 1979 it was home the Baker Sanatorium (later Baker Centre) to treat tuberculosis and later other health issues.

It was a large complex and there used to be many buildings on the grounds. The landscaping and sidewalks in Baker Park date back to when this facility operated. We have some old photos of the place we hope eventually incorporate into BIGDoer Then & Nows. The trees will help us line up the shots or so we hope.

The park is a popular venue for wedding photography and we sometimes play disc golf here…although not very good.

Pass a boat launch and city water pumping station then arch left and cross the Bow. The pedestrian bridge used is suspended well below the roadway.
The one you’re under is from the 1990s (Chris here, and back when I was driving truck, I often delivered construction materials while it was being built) and the one beside only a few years old, but built in the same form.

These bridges support the ring road and the section along here is called Stoney Trail.

Upstream and to the right is the old location of the Bowness Ice Plant in business into the 1950s. The pond where they harvested ice is still there but not easily see due to trees. That big building seen back there is stables belonging to the Shriners. The steep wooded escarpment to the left is home to the Wood’s Douglas Fir Tree Sanctuary and you’ll get to know it soon enough.

Climb the stairs or take the switchback ramp to gain height and soon you’re in behind some fairly new houses in the Valley Ridge community. Long ago this land was agricultural and evidence of that use (old fence lines) will be seen from time to time.

Pass the Halloween/Christmas Tree (we think it’s decorated other ways depending on what ever holiday is next) and at a four way junction turn right onto a dirt singletrack. That’s about mid-point between the 200 and 300 blocks of Valley Springs Terrace NW if looking on a map. There was a “Calgary Pathways” sign at this point on our visit and so it’s fairly obvious.

Enter the Wood’s Tree Sanctuary and start dropping down (sometimes on stairs). This little urban forest has ties to the Wood’s Home and they’re a family social organization with property bordering on Bowness Park. This grove is home to a stand of Douglas Fir and they’re rare trees this far east. One was officially dated at more than 280 years old and was standing long before Calgary ever existed.

There’s many trails down this way, but keep to the most trodden. It continues to drop down through the cool forest till it’s just above the the Bow River. It’s a steep slope in places but thanks to the trees the ground is solid and stable. We visited just before the first snow of the year and this section is likely to get icy once winter happens. Traction devices would be a good idea then.

Is that an air gun? From hunting Dan? It’s clearly broken so no threat I guess. Note sections of barbed-wire embedded in trees along the lower section and they’ve been here so long that the wood has grown around them. Come too the Stoney Trail Bridges again and take time to look up. There’s lots of traffic up there, but it can’t be seen and not really heard. Thank goodness, but still once in a while some noise filters down.

Hit the paved pathway, then soon after transfer left to a well-trodden gravel affair and follow it back to the Bow River. Turn right and soon after come to the parking lot. Along the way pass a memorial to Grama Bling (Annabelle McIntosh) 1948-2015 – “Love you to pieces”. She must have had a fondness for Bowness Park and she’s not alone we suppose.

So it ends – a chance for some fresh air and to commune with nature – in the city. The parks weren’t even that busy and once in the Wood’s Sanctuary, we had the place to ourselves. It’s good little hike (especially consider some nagging health issues we’re having), easy to get and quite interesting. If you do it, we hope you have fun like us.

Know more (new tabs): Bowness Park Calgary, Baker Park Calgary and Wood’s Douglas Fir Tree Sanctuary.

They’re saying…

“Can we all take a moment to appreciate how great this website is?” Monica & Leslie.

More in town…
Nose Hill Park Centre Loop. A big Calgary greenspace (mostly grassland) and also with a bit of history.
Cochrane Pathways: Glenbow – Riversong.
Urban Trek: Bridgeland-Crescent Heights-Renfrew.

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

Date of adventure: Late October, 2024.
Location: Bowness, Calgary.
Distance: 8km Loop.
Height gain maximum: 100m
Height gain cumulative: 120m
NOTE: all distances and heights are approximate and may differ slightly from other trip reports (including our own).
Technical stuff and notes: sections will be icy in winter.

Starting out and next to the little railway at Bowness Park.

Dan: don’t know what you did but you’re in a world of trouble.

Out on the streets for a couple blocks.

Back on the pathway, the low winter sun makes long shadows.

Crossing the Bow.

Entering Baker Park and they need a new map.

Baker Park was once the site of Sanatorium to treat TB.

The two bears.

Baker and Bowness Parks are across the river from each other.

They’re plastic and real flowers would be dead by now.

The first Stoney Trail Bridge finished in 1998.

Bow River below and pumping station in back.

Climbing up the escarpment.

One switchback and top out.

The Halloween Tree.

Right at this sign into Woods Douglas Fir Sanctuary.

Enjoying the last few days without snow.

A pleasant stroll through the trees.

In the city, but from this view you’d never know it.

?????

An old fence and the tree has grown around the wire.

Back at the Stoney Trail Bridges – the left one is recent.

A memorial to Grama Bling 1948-2015.

Looking across to Baker Park.

The loop is almost complete and the day is done.

An easy and fun 8km loop with lots of variety.