Fish Creek Provincial Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fish Creek Provincial Park |
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Fish Creek Park
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 Fish Creek Provincial Park
Location in Calgary
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| Location | Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
| Area | 13.48 km2 (5.20 sq mi) |
| Established | June 10, 1975 |
| Governing body | Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation |
Fish Creek Provincial Park is a huge park located in the southern part of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It's known as an urban park because it's right inside a city! The park protects the beautiful valley of Fish Creek.
This amazing park is surrounded by Calgary on three sides. On its western side, it shares a border with the land of the Tsuutʼina Nation, a First Nations community. Most of Fish Creek Park is still natural and covered in forests. Fish Creek flows through the entire park, eventually joining the Bow River on the park's east side. There's even a special lake where you can go swimming!
With over 100 kilometers (about 62 miles) of trails, Fish Creek Park is a super popular spot. People love to go hiking, biking, and picnicking here. You can also enjoy swimming, fishing, and watching all sorts of wildlife.
Fish Creek Park is the second-largest urban park in all of Canada. Only Rouge National Urban Park in Ontario is bigger. It's also one of the biggest urban parks in North America! The park stretches 19 kilometers (about 12 miles) from east to west. It covers an area of 13.48 square kilometers (about 5.2 square miles). That's more than three times the size of Vancouver's famous Stanley Park!
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Fun Things to Do and See
Fish Creek Park offers more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) of trails. These trails are perfect for walking, hiking, and biking. Over 60 kilometers (37 miles) of these trails are paved, making them easy to use. These park trails connect to Calgary's huge city-wide pathway system. The famous Trans Canada Trail also runs through the park along the Bow River.
The park has many great facilities for visitors. You can find a visitor center and an environmental learning center. There are also picnic shelters and special areas for group day-use. If you get hungry, there's a restaurant and concession stands.
One of the most popular spots is the Sikome Lake Aquatic Centre. You can swim in Sikome Lake, which is a man-made lake. Fishing is allowed in Fish Creek and the Bow River. The park also has a boat launch on the Bow River and the Mackenzie Meadows Golf Course.
Amazing Wildlife in the Park
Fish Creek Park is mostly forest, which makes it a great home for many different animals. You might spot deer, coyotes, and beavers. Look up in the trees for owls!
On the ground, you might see several kinds of garter snakes and frogs. The park is also a birdwatcher's paradise. More than 200 different bird species have been seen here. Keep an eye out for large great blue herons near the water.
How Fish Creek Valley Was Formed
The valley where Fish Creek flows was created a very long time ago. This happened at the end of the last Ice Age. Meltwater from huge, retreating glaciers carved out the valley.
Today, Fish Creek is what scientists call an "underfit stream." This means its current flow isn't strong enough to have carved such a big valley. The valley was made by much larger amounts of water in the past.
The rocks you can see in the lower parts of the valley are very old. They are made of sandstones, siltstones, and mudstones. These rocks formed during the early Paleocene period.
You can also find layers of loose dirt and rocks above the bedrock. These layers might include glacial till from the glaciers. Above that, there are deposits from ancient streams, and even old soils. One special layer is the Mazama Ash. This is a thin layer of white volcanic ash. It came from a huge volcano eruption that formed Crater Lake in Oregon. This ash spread far north and east, even reaching the Greenland ice sheet!
Park Challenges and Repairs
Fish Creek Park has faced some big challenges from nature. In June 2005, Alberta had very heavy rains and floods. This caused a lot of damage to the park. Half of the park's trails were completely washed away. The other half were badly damaged. Seven pedestrian bridges over Fish Creek were destroyed, and seven others became unsafe.
The park worked hard to rebuild. It officially reopened in September 2007. New bridges were built, and the pathway system was redesigned. However, in June 2013, the park was hit by severe flooding again. This required more cleanup, repairs, and upgrades to the bridges and pathways.
Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park
The Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park Society is a special group. It's a non-profit, volunteer organization. They help take care of the park and offer many fun activities.
This group runs programs like trail maintenance to keep the paths clear. They also offer courses, such as bird watching, so you can learn more about nature. They host events like a "Ghost Tour" and guided park tours throughout the year. Their goal is to help people learn about the park and protect its natural environment.
The Friends of Fish Creek also provide "Wellness" programs. These include yoga, guided meditation, and running clinics. These activities help people relax, feel refreshed, and connect with nature in the park. Their office is located in the old cookhouse, near the Bow Valley Visitor Centre.
Images for kids
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Fish Creek Park
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Calgary
Location of Fish Creek Provincial Park in Calgary
