Leigh’s Trans Canada Trail: Biking Routes Within a Couple Hours of Calgary
Written by Leigh McAdam
I don’t know how many times I’ve biked the Trans Canada Trail in and near Calgary without even knowing it. After poring over maps, it looks like a lot. The five bike rides in and near Calgary, described below, are easy to navigate.
Tips for biking the Trans Canada Trail in the Calgary area
Photo credit: Leigh McAdam
• The bike trails are usually snow free by early April, save for the occasional snowstorm.
• Carry bear spray on the Banff Legacy Trail.
• Be prepared to share the Trail with walkers. They have the right-of-way.
• Carry bike tools and a bike pump in case of a flat tire.
Blackfalds to Lacombe
Photo credit: Leigh McAdam
Between Blackfalds and Lacombe — two towns north of Red Deer — you can cycle 14 kilometres on a mostly car-free section of the Trans Canada Trail. It won’t take you more than a few hours for the return trip.
Start at the Abbey Centre in Blackfalds, the only place in Canada that features an indoor section of the Trans Canada Trail. From there, cycle 1.8 kilometres to Willow Park, where you’ll find a trail map and Trans Canada Trail signage.
Route finding from the park through to Lacombe is straight-forward. Cycle past lakes and ponds, through neighbourhoods and past farmers’ fields where horses might look to you for carrots. There are several short, steep hills — but also benches and a covered picnic area to enjoy a break.
Waskasoo Park in Red Deer
Photo credit: Leigh McAdam
Drive 90 minutes north of Calgary to the Sports Hall of Fame in Red Deer, where parking is available. It’s the ideal place to start biking through Waskasoo Park via the Trans Canada Trail.
Follow the Red Deer River as the Trail weaves past Heritage Ranch through pretty woods. Visit the Bower Ponds via arching wooden bridges. Continue, crossing the Red Deer River on the old CPR Bridge. Next up is the Kerry Wood Nature Centre. If you love birding, lock your bike and explore the sanctuary on foot. Retrace your steps, covering roughly 17 kilometres return.
Elbow River Trail in Calgary
Photo credit: Leigh McAdam
I love the Elbow River Trail in Calgary. It’s my go-to bike ride on a weekly basis when the weather is good. Favourites along the route are the Stanley Park and Sandy Beach suspension bridges and all the green space and small wildlife you see on route.
It’s only 11 kilometres one way from the confluence of the Bow River in downtown Calgary to the northwest part of the Glenmore Reservoir overlooking Weaselhead Flats.
If you like, extend your trip on the Trans Canada Trail by biking the Bow River Trail through downtown and then northwest to Twelve Mile Coulee Park. Or you can continue south to Fish Creek Provincial Park and make a day of it.
On the Elbow River Trail, enjoy views of the Glenmore Reservoir and distant mountains. Once past the reservoir, cycle parallel to the Elbow River as it weaves through the city north to the Bow River.
Haskayne Legacy Park to Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park
Photo credit: Leigh McAdam
The Haskayne Legacy Trail, which opened in 2023, seamlessly links to the Trans Canada Trail in Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park.
Park at the pavilion, cross the railroad tracks and start biking. After a couple of easy kilometres through native grasslands, you’ll reach the eastern boundary of Glenbow Ranch. Continue on a series of named trails parallel to the Bow River to reach the Glenbow Trail by the corrals. Bike up a steep hill to a small visitor centre or continue west on the scenic but hilly Bowbend Trail.
Highlights include bird-filled wetlands, the Waverley Chimney — remnants from one of Glenbow’s historic ranches, the Windmill Lookout and train spotting.
Banff Legacy Trail
Photo credit: Leigh McAdam
One of the premier bike rides in Alberta on the Trans Canada Trail is the Banff Legacy Trail, built in 2010 to commemorate the 125th anniversary of Banff National Park. It stretches for 26 kilometres from the outskirts of Canmore by the Alberta Visitor’s Centre (it’s now closed, but parking is permitted) to the Cave and Basin National Historic Site in Banff.
Most of the cycling is on a dedicated multi-use trail, with short sections of road biking in Banff. There is more elevation gain (185 metres) biking from Canmore to Banff than vice versa (106 metres).
Expect some highway noise in places, but much of the trail weaves through trees and green space. You can even experience a Parks Canada red chair moment. Enjoy superlative views of the Three Sisters and Cascade Mountain.
Leigh McAdam is a Calgary-based adventure travel blogger at HikeBikeTravel. She is both an award-winning photographer and three-time author with a passion for adventure, nature and the outdoors. Leigh is the author of Discover Canada: 100 Inspiring Outdoor Adventures and the co-author of 125 Nature Hot Spots in Alberta — a Globe and Mail bestseller — and 200 Nature Hot Spots in Alberta. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.
