Okay, okay - I've done a loop of dog parks in the city. Another 9 this month, to be exact. I've…read moreseen them from Tuscany, to Falconridge, to Auburn Bay to Oakridge, and back. And River Park is so far my favourite in the entire city. Granted, 10 parks doesn't mean I've seen them all. Heck no - there are 149! (Did you know that?) But... - there's a river accessible but not too close to the park for dogs that like to leap before looking (like mine) - amazing volunteers who help keep the park clean - baggies available almost all the time for when you forget yours - 3 huge garbage bins - views of downtown, river valley... ahhh... I love watching people float down the river in the summer! - tons of trees, bushes, etc. making it a really beautiful park to be in during the spring, summer and fall - no "pathways" through the park, bringing a grey area to right-of-way and safety of your pet - CLOSE TO HOME! Why did I give it 4 stars before? The parking. But, compared to other parks, it's a breeze. I'll forgive the busy parking lot from the rafters for a few weeks in the summer for all the other advantages this park brings. River Park is, hands down, the best park so far. 5 stars, no doubt in my mind. (Yelp Kicks Butt Challenge BONUS 11/10)

Of all the dog parks I've taken Miki to, this one honestly has to be my favorite. It's a very nice…read moreopen non-fenced park, with a great view of the city and the river. It's also one of the cleaner dog parks too (meaning people properly pick up after their dogs, for the most part). It's also one of the bigger off-leash areas in the city. The only downside would be the parking lot and school congestion during weekdays. However, there is plenty of parking on the street. After the May long weekend, the city installs a fountain for both people and their canine companions (which is excellent in the summer).

This area has alot of tall grass…read more It has different terrain (hilly), some lightly wooded area, and seems peaceful. There are some benches and a picnic table if you and your dog want to chill out. It is a popular place for dog owners and professional walkers.

When you're driving into Edworthy Park, if you jig to the left instead of jagging to the right, you…read moreenter the offleash park area. There are 3 parking lots (that I know of) in case the first one is full. Just keep driving! There are rarely bags here - so be sure to bring your own. I like this park for the hills and trees... there are a number of different paths you can travel along, which makes it a more interesting experience than those parks with only one main path. It's not fully fenced but it's never been an issue for me. The people are friendly and there are some great views of downtown - even benches if you want to take a breather and just relax. The hills can get icy in the winter, especially the tree-protected ones near the first parking lot, so be careful and wear proper footwear. I don't come here often but when I have it's never been overly busy, which is nice. Sometimes a crowded park can feel a little overwhelming. (Yelp Kicks Butt Challenge 2/10)

This has got to be the best dog park in the city... beautiful scenery combined with a great…read moreoffleash area for the dogs to run and lots of benches and tables for relaxing or a pit stop to feed the kids. There are also very few traffic access points so it is nice and safe for the dogs and walkers alike. The terrain in this park is fantastically varied with lots of flats, a couple of easy rolling hills and one long steep hill taking you from the parking lot at Sandy Beach up to River Park. You can take the paved path the whole way or add some off-trail walking to increase the adventure! If you're looking for something more, there are also BBQ areas and playgrounds - a fantastic way to spend an afternoon with a group of friends. Walk, run, jog, cycle or float... this park is a must visit for anyone in Calgary, and your dogs will love it too! -- L

I really like this off-leash park!…read more The park is big, well-located, and is a nice mix of flat and hilly areas. My dog Leopold absolutely LOVES going to this park - and that makes me happy! There are always people walking with their dogs here, and everyone is really friendly. The houses on the top of the park are super nice and fancy, so it makes for nice motivational eye candy too. A favourite for us!

I really liked this off leash park, despite the fact that my dog decided today she was going to…read moreexercise her voice and, man, does it ECHO! Finding parking is a little difficult. We finally parked at the end of 9th Ave NW, at the west end of the park. It's a massive park and, the unique part, situated on a hill. Great exercise for both the human and the dog! I like that you're not always near a road and that all the houses are fenced off so you don't have to worry about a curious dog sniffing around someone's yard. Also, if you've got two people, having one at the top of the hill (especially the one at the NE corner of the park) and one at the bottom, you can tire the dog out calling her back and forth. The park was well-used and everyone was very friendly. There's also a gorgeous view of downtown and I'd love to see this park in the summer. (Yelp Kicks Butt Challenge 3/10)

I actually used to go to Dr. E.P. Scarlett and had no idea there was a dog park here (although I…read morewalked from Braeside/Pump Hill so I knew that people walked their dogs along 14th St). It's fairly small as far as dog parks go but it's really not too bad. It's got a big hill, so if you've got a dog that will fetch you could throw the ball up the hill to wear your dog out (or have one person at the top and one at the bottom, calling the dog back and forth). There are some trees, which is nice, and it's mostly fenced. Warning: towards the turnoff from Anderson on to Macleod, the fence disappears, so if your dog does know what a "street" is you may want to recall him/her before you get too far so there are no squealing tires. If your dog likes to exercise his/her voice, as mine does occasionally, this may not be the best option... there are houses right down the hill and it echoes pretty loudly. And it does get loud on the Anderson Rd side (as if you hadn't expected that). Parking was pretty easy - there are some spots along the road that leads into the entrance of the off leash park. Review #6 of Yelp's 30 Day Challenge 2012

One enjoyable mid-day walk is to walk parts of Prince's Island Park and maybe climb the stairs at…read moreMcHugh Bluff. It's good for the calves and when I got to the top, I felt that my huffing and puffing was well earned (especially after a heavy Lunch). Another payoff is the view and the desire to go back down and try it again! The last time I made the climb, there were some pretty hard core folks working the stairs. I watched one guy time himself repeatedly as he ran up 2 of the flights at full speed. I saw another sprint the entire 167 stair length. I admired all that action and then decided on a gentler approach of wandering off on one of the other various pathway choices that the Bluff has to offer.

McHugh Bluff is really also called the Stairs. Yes there is the long stairs there where you walk up…read moreto an awesome view. You get to see the view of downtown buildings. Great for picture taking. McHugh Bluff is kind of linked to Prince's Island Park. Great exercise here.

I visited Prince's Island Park while on a work trip in Calgary. Wow. What a beautiful park. I went…read moreon a jog from downtown Calgary where my hotel was and it is so nice to have a large park so close to the city. I think there's ~50 acres of land with plenty of well-maintained walkways for walking, jogging, biking. This seems like a perfect place to go on a date, walk around a bit during a work break, read a book on the many places to sit there, or just walk/jog like I did. There is also a cafe located near the center in the park. Unfortunately it was closed when I visited but I heard it's good!

This beautiful, 50 acre"urban park" is found on the north side of downtown Calgary by the Eau…read moreClaire neighborhood and is a fantastic place to get out in nature - even though it's in such close proximity to the city. There are paved walking paths and gravel trails - all very well maintained. We saw lots of geese and ducks and butterflies too - it was surprisingly peaceful! I imagine this would be a great place for migratory bird watching when the time is right! Lots of articles call this park the "heart" of Calgary...it certainly is popular but I can see why. It's lovely - there's tons of flower gardens, some native bee habitats, and it's surrounded by the Bow river on all sides and even has a lagoon that you can ice skate on in winter. Calgary holds lots of festivals here. There are picnic areas and playgrounds and even a cute little cafe. Several bridges connect it to downtown Calgary and one of them connects you to the other more northern side as well. It's very walkable and easy to access - I'd definitely say it's handicap accessible as a good portion of the paths are paved and flat. There are lots of info signs dotted around the island as well. Definitely a must see when visiting the city! We loved it!