Biking in Fish Creek
Photo Courtesy of
Andrew Penner
Photo Courtesy of Andrew Penner
After dipsy-doodling along the edge of Fish Creek for a couple of kilometers, we grunt up a steep hill and, just as promised, my riding partner stops at the top, gets off his bike, takes out his phone, and starts snapping photos like it’s going out of style. “I love this spot,” he says, as I struggle to catch my breath, the golden, late-day light washing over the aspens. “It’s like you’re a hundred miles from the city and yet we’re ten minutes from home.” I gaze up at the mountains, the rolling foothills, the baby-blue sky, and can’t help but agree. His statement sums up what I love the most about Fish Creek Provincial Park. Unfortunately, being busy with work, kids, the yard, and so on, I don’t get out to the mountains enough. Perhaps you can relate. Life just gets in the way, doesn’t it? However, like many people, I can often sneak away for an hour, or two. And when that opportunity presents itself, I typically hop on my bike and hit the trails in Fish Creek Provincial Park.
“For Calgary cyclists, it doesn’t get better than Fish Creek Provincial Park,” says Erik Larson, Owner of Pure Cycle, a full-service bike shop located steps from the park in Canyon Meadows. “For years, Fish Creek has been a popular biking destination and continues to be a favourite with cyclists. With recent trail improvements, a number of new trails added to an already solid network, a brand new mountain bike skills park, and a great away-from-it-all atmosphere, you just can’t beat it. There are numerous communities that are located right next to the park and access is so easy. In my opinion, Fish Creek Provincial Park is one of Calgary’s best attributes.” Another awesome thing about it, from a biking perspective, is the variety. There are plenty of relatively flat paved trails that will appeal to people seeking a leisurely spin. The new Fish Creek Mountain Bike Skills Park near Sikome Lake, built in conjunction with the Calgary Mountain Bike Alliance, which
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