The 5 Parks for the Best Camping in Calgary

Photo credit: Shutterstock

By Lucas Hebert

Have you ever felt like you needed to get away from the hustle and bustle of your daily routine and just take some time to recharge your energy through nature? With the help of the parks for the best camping in Calgary, you can do that.

These are places you wouldn’t ever have known existed within the city! We’ve rounded up the ones with the top amenities, features, outdoor activities, and customer reviews, in particular.

So, without further ado, check out our list of parks for the best camping in Calgary below so you can finally plan your nature trip ASAP!

1.  Fish Creek Provincial Park

Fish Creek Provincial Park is the place to be for picnics, day trips, and several recreational activities fit for both families and friends.

The activities they provide include a lot of outdoor sports activities, bird watching, boating, fishing, and other winter activities like skiing and snowshoeing.

Other than that, Fish Creek Provincial Park is one of the parks for the best camping in Calgary for hosting educational programs that promote ecological sustainability to schools and organisations.

Highlights

• Picnicking
• Swimming
• Wildlife watching

Customer Reviews

Fish Creek Provincial Park is recommended by their customers for being a beautiful park for walking, running, mountain biking, or having a picnic.

Some customers shared their reviews:

“Such a beautiful part of fishcreek. The colors right now are stunning! Plenty of pathway for both bikers and walkers.”

“Fish Creek Park has to be one of the best features of loving in South Calgary. What a gem.”

2.  Clearwater Park

Clearwater Park is a 64-hectare park that’s best known for having on-site teepees, secluded fences, festival tents, and picnic tables for public use.

They also provide outdoor activity programs for the whole community. They are open for either day trips or overnight bookings for both schools and non-profit organisations.

Other than that, Clearwater Park is one of the parks for the best camping in Calgary because they clearly place great importance on their natural assets. They also strive to preserve it for the sake of their future campers.

Highlights

• Overnight ‘backyard’ camping close to home
• Team-building activities
• Nature study and appreciation
• Orienteering and outdoor games

Customer Reviews

Clearwater Park is best known by their customers for being a great area for some fun outdoor activities such as river swimming, bonfire making, and drinking a few beers and a wiener roast.

Some customers shared their reviews:

“Great spot to walk alone or with a dog, very peaceful along the river despite the noise of Highway 8 to the south. Found some intriguing “decorations” in the woods. Will visit again.”

“Love this place just a short distance from Calgary but you would think it was a thousand miles away. Took my mother in-law there, she lives in LA AND SHE WAS SUPER INPRESSED.”

3.  Beaverdam Flats

Beaverdam Flats is a 43-hectare-wide natural environment park found along the eastern bank of the Bow River, just southeast from the city.

The park was first founded back in 1980 and was named after the beavers inhibiting the dams by the flats.

Today, Beaverdam Flats is one of the parks for the best camping in Calgary for people who want to experience nature to its fullest. From a shrub community of interesting plants to a wildlife community of aquatic animals, you’ve got to come down to the park to see it for yourself.

Highlights

• Wildlife area
• Riverside terrain
• Natural sceneries

Customer Reviews 

Beaverdam Flats is considered one of the greatest campsites by their customers due to their hiking spots, trails, and a lot more places to explore.

Some customers shared their reviews:

“Take a walk or bike the path. I take my dogs there all the time. I keep an eye on the river which lately has been eye opening due to the level.”

“Great place to walk with hour dog or by yourself theres multiple paths and nice view as well as some wildlife great place for the family also has good trails for biking”

4.  Nose Hill Park

Nose Hill Park was founded in 1980, and since then has continued to attract people for their array of available hiking trails and specific off-leash areas for those who want to bring pets.

They are surrounded by 12 residential communities and cover up to 11 square kilometres of land. The name of the park derived from the land appearing to look like a nose in certain angles.

Other than that, Nose Hill Park is one of the parks for the best camping in Calgary because once you see the park up close, you’ll know they’ve properly been preserving their grassland ecosystem. This is great if you want to camp in an area where you can see the ecosystem that once thrived on Canadian prairies.

Highlights

• Hiking trails
• Designated off-leash areas
• Native grassland
• Wildlife

Customer Reviews

Not only is Nose Hill Park recommended by their customers for their amazing and huge park, but also for their beautiful scenery and great bike and hike trails.

Some customers shared their reviews:

“Great open space with lots of paths for easy biking and hiking. Also great place to bring your dog for some off leash exercise.”

“One of our favourite places for walking the dog. So many different paths to take! Only downside is the lack of garbage bins. Very pretty in the summer, even better in the fall with the trees changing colour. Best in the winter for dogs to romp around in the snow!”

5.  Pearce Estate Park

Pearce Estate Park is a 15-hectare recreated wetland that’s located in a curve of the famous Bow River. It serves as a space for the Sam Livingston Fish Hatchery and Bow Habitat Visitor Centre.

If you’re looking for some peace and quiet in the city, this park serves as a place for trail guides where you can appreciate nature and wildlife up close.

What’s more, Pearce Estate Park is one of the parks for the best camping in Calgary since it serves as a habitat for uncommon types of plants and animals. And it’s all thanks to their ongoing efforts to preserve biodiversity.

Highlights

• Ponds and stream
• Playground
• Picnic sites
• Cross-country skiing
• Pathways and trails

Customer Reviews

Gorgeous park, a marsh zone for bird watching, river access, water sports activities, and a fish hatchery are just some of the reasons customers recommend Pearce Estate Park.

Some customers shared their reviews:

“This is one of my favorite parks within the city. Plenty of walking trails along river channels and flood channels. A couple older park structures, along with access to the Bow River river sport area. Also included here is the Bow River Habitat Station as well as the Kids Can Fish pond! Popular destination for bird watchers, families and cyclists.”

“One of the best places in the city to go for a bike ride or a walk. There’s an abundance of cool structures sprinkled throughout the park, and quite a bit of information about the wildlife in the area. The location is also conveniently close to downtown. If you want to spot wildlife, this is the place to go!”

Well that concludes our list of parks for the best camping in Calgary. We hope at least one park piqued your interest enough to visit the place for a day trip we’re sure you’ll enjoy.

If you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to contact us. We’d love to hear from you!

In addition, if you’re looking for a way to capture your best days whether you’re at the park or some place else, check out our list of the best Calgary photographers so you can enjoy remembering moments with your loved ones!