Secret’s out on outdoor mecca
From horseback riding through the foothills to mountain biking in the newest provincial park, daycations to Cochrane offer city folk the chance to unplug and enjoy Alberta’s biggest resource: stunning Rocky Mountain views and big sky as far as the eye can see.
The newly opened Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park gives hikers who want to stay close to home another option for stretching their legs in the foothills.
Located along the north shore of the Bow River between Calgary and Cochrane, Glenbow Ranch Park consists of more than 1,300 hectares of foothills parkland, with more than 28 kilometres of trail open to hikers, cyclists and even golf carts (for special Friday morning tours).
“It’s kind of Cochrane’s bestkept secret,” says Tara McFadden, public engagement officer for the Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park Foundation.
A number of historic artifacts are also preserved in Glenbow Ranch Park, including evidence of the quarry that produced many of Calgary’s oldest buildings, notes McFadden.
Guided interpretive programs are available for hikers who want to hear a little about this park’s history as a working ranch and original townsite. Photography walks, ecology hikes and even the opportunity to learn to track animals are among the many programs offered by the Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation (registration is required). Throughout the park there are even QR codes for visitors to scan and watch interpretive videos on their cellphones or mobile devices, adds McFadden.
For Calgarians who prefer getting around on four wheels, Hidden Trails Adventures offers the chance to try ATVing west of Cochrane in the South Ghost Forestry Reserve.
From elk to wild horses, foxes and coyotes, you just never know what you might see on the trail, says Hidden Trails co-owner Bonny Lackey.
“We also see beaver dams, and once we even saw a white moose — that’s really rare,” says Lackey.
And more than just a great view, from cautious novices to experienced riders, people enjoy the empowerment of operating an ATV — even in the mud, adds Lackey. “We look back, and these people have the biggest smiles on their faces.”
From one-hour jaunts ($149) to full-day adventures, all Hidden Trails tours include thorough instruction on safely operating an ATV. The tour doesn’t leave the training ground until all riders feel ready, and it only goes as fast as the group is comfortable, says Lackey. (Drivers must be at least 16; passengers must be 12 and up.)
Of course, the historically accurate way to traverse Alberta’s foothills is on the back of a horse. At Saddle Peak Trail Rides, you can saddle up for an hour-long saunter or stay all day atop your steed under the watchful eye of experienced outfitter Dave Richards. Trail rides originate at the Richards’s family ranch, in the Ghost River district northwest of Cochrane. Enjoy spectacular views of Kangienos Lake and the Fairholme Mountain Range (and the meditative clip-clop of your horse’s hoofs) on the half-day Pringle Mountain Ridge Ride ($100), or squeeze in an hour-long ride ($40) before lunch.
Golfers, meanwhile, may have a hard time avoiding distraction at the Links at GlenEagles. That’s because stunning Rocky Mountain views are par for the course at this golf club just minutes from Calgary city limits. Portions of this championship-length course even run along a cliff more than 200 feet above the Bow River Valley.
Nearby, the semi-private Cochrane Golf Club offers nine holes of play as well as a whole host of clubhouse amenities, including fully licensed restaurant, lockerroom and shower, cart and equip- ment rental, as well as lessons from CPGA golf professionals.
And ask anyone from Cochrane and they will tell you that no trip to this town is complete without an ice cream cone from Mackay’s (220 1st St. W).
For more than 60 years, this family-run ice cream shop has been one of the biggest draws for summertime visitors, who line up out the door for a taste of Mackay’s distinctively delicious, handmade ice cream.
“For a lot of people, it’s the memories,” says Meghan Tayfel, who with her husband, Mark, took over the business from her aunts (who in turn inherited it from their parents, the original owners).
And when Tayfel finds herself fielding calls from residents en route to Mackay’s just as its doors are closing — begging her to stay open a few minutes longer — it’s clear the memories at Mackay’s taste pretty good.
“People keep coming back because we haven’t changed,” says Tayfel. “We serve the same highbutterfat ice cream made with the same quality ingredients, made in hand batches.”
As for her recommendation for what to do with a day in Cochrane (other than eating ice cream) Tayfel points back to Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park.
“It just opened last fall, so a lot of people haven’t had the chance to see it yet,” says Tayfel.
“We were fortunate enough to go on an tour of the historic buildings. It’s really special.”