explore, May 2008
Many of Canada’s best outdoor adventures are within easy striking distance of some of its biggest cities. In this piece I profile some of the best urban outdoor adventure hotspots in the country.
A traveller’s guide to Canada’s best urban escapes
By: Conor Mihell
So you’re stuck in some strange Canadian city—strange to you, at least—and you’re looking for a quick outdoor hit. No problem. Pretty much every Canadian metropolis offers a few quick and easy escapes. Here’s our all-star list of some of the best urban adventures across the country.
Vancouver: Paddling
Avoid the crowds at Stanley Park by paddling along the Seawall instead of walking it. Sea kayak rentals are available at Ecomarine, an outfitter located in the heart of downtown on Granville Island. Launch from Ecomarine’s docks, carefully navigate the busy waters of False Creek and then paddle into English Bay and watch the multi-million-dollar high-rises of downtown Vancouver give way to the ancient Douglas firs of Stanley Park. Follow the Seawall to Siwash Rock, a stalwart pillar of basalt, looking for harbour seals along the way. “Even right downtown the scenery is gorgeous with the mountains right there and Vancouver Island on the western horizon,” says Lisa Blachut, a day guide at Ecomarine. For more sheltered paddling, stick to the area around Granville Island. Get there: Granville Island is easily accessibly from Translink’s B-Line bus stop on West Broadway Avenue and Granville Street, or by the False Creek South bus (#50), which takes you to 1st Avenue, just off the island. More info: ecomarine.com
Calgary: Mountain biking
Calgary can’t be beat for its diverse array of urban mountain-biking singletrack. For starters, there’s Nose Hill, a 2,700-acre municipal park in Calgary’s north end, which offers a large and intricate network of trails for riders of all skill levels. Many of the trails here are fairly mellow, but you’ll also find some steep climbs and sweet drops. If you’re looking for something a little more intense, head for Bowmont Park, an area with many expert trails, the gnarly crown jewel being “Sideshow Bob,” whose dicey off-camber traverses and sharp drop-offs are guaranteed to thrill. Tip: By starting at the east end of the park at the gravel pit on Home Road you’ll keep the uphills to a minimum. For both spots, bike rentals are available from Sports Rent, located on 16th Avenue NW near Bowmont Park, or at The University of Calgary. Get there: Nose Hill is accessible from Shaganappi Trail at Edgemont Boulevard or 14th Street just north of John Laurie Boulevard. Bowmont is located on the north side of the Bow River, just off 16th Avenue NW and a 10-minute ride from the University of Calgary campus. More info: cmbalink.com; sportsrent.ca; calgaryoutdoorcentre.ca
Saskatoon: Mountain biking
The hard-packed trails of Sutherland Beach on the South Saskatchewan River’s east side, just north of the University of Saskatchewan campus, provide some of the best mountain biking on the Prairies. “It has a little bit of something for everyone,” says local rider Dave Jones, who offers rentals at his Bike Doctor shop in downtown Saskatoon. “There’s close to 20 kilometres of trails with singletrack, old fire roads and an abandoned sand pit.” Get there: Sutherland’s gently rolling terrain and aspen forest are located a short ride from downtown along the paved Meewasin Path—short, that is, provided you can ignore the lure of dropping into the singletrack that veers off the asphalt and into the riverside greenery at countless spots along the way. More info: bikedoctor.ca; saskcycling.ca
Winnipeg: Trail running
There’s no better way to get a quick taste of the Prairies than to go for a trail run at FortWhyte Alive (formerly called the Fort Whyte Centre). Located in Winnipeg’s south end, the trails of this nature centre crisscross native grasslands and wetlands before blending into the aspen forest of Assiniboine Park. The biggest challenge of running here is resisting the temptation to stop and check out all the cool interpretive displays, which include a teepee encampment and sod house, among others. After weaving through Assiniboine Park, extend your run into double-digit distance by following the Harte Trail—an abandoned CN railbed—before returning to FortWhyte. Get there: If driving from downtown Winnipeg, follow the Pembina Highway south and turn west on McGillivray Boulevard. Or, take the Pembina and Kenaston buses. More info: fortwhyte.org; mrta.mb.ca
Toronto: Paddling
The small archipelago that makes up the Toronto Islands shelters paddlers from the open water of Lake Ontario and forms a myriad of lagoons and channels to explore. Go mid-week for the best chance of solitude. “The islands are like a peaceful Zen water garden in Canada’s biggest city,” says Erik Ogaard, head instructor at Toronto’s Harbourfront Canoe and Kayak Centre. Ogaard says the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse, Toronto’s oldest landmark, is a must-see. It’s tucked away in the southwestern corner of the island chain, an hour’s paddle from downtown. Harbourfront offers canoe and sea-kayak rentals and a convenient place to launch. Get there: If driving, take Lakeshore Boulevard and exit on Rees Street. Or get off at Union Station on the Yonge-University subway line and take the Queen’s Quay West streetcar west. More info: paddletoronto.com
Montreal: Trail running
Famous landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead designed Montreal’s Mount Royal Park to be an antidote to the pressures of urban life. And if your idea of stress relief is a heart-pumping trail run, this beautiful park is ideal. Paths weave in and out of the woods and gradually climb to Mont Royal’s 755-foot summit to offer lofty views of the urban jungle and St. Lawrence River below. A 12-kilometre route starts at the Georges-Etienne-Cartier monument on avenue du Parc and follows the winding Chemin Olmstead to the peak. Add distance and greater challenge by foraying into the park’s network of Nordic ski trails on the way back down. Get there: The trailhead is located a short jog from the Mont-Royal station on the Cote-Vertu to Montmorency subway line. More info: lemontroyal.com
Halifax: Hiking
There’s no better way to stretch your legs and admire the lake-pocked rock barrens and hardwood forests that once covered most of Nova Scotia than by hitting the Bluff Wilderness Hiking Trail, 15 minutes outside Halifax. A series of four loops covers more than 30 kilometres of challenging terrain atop a granite dome separating the Woodens and Nine Mile rivers. And yes, the hiking is challenging: the six-kilometre Pot Lake Loop alone can take three to four hours. The Bluff is located near Halifax’s west-end suburb of Timberlea. Get there: By car, take Highway 103 from downtown. Get off at exit 4 and turn right onto St. Margaret’s Bay Road. Follow it east for about two kilometres to get to the trailhead parking lot (which is on the right, immediately after Bay Self-Storage). Alternatively, Metro Transit’s Timberlea bus route will get you within a short hike of the trailhead. More info: wrweo.ca
St. John’s: Climbing
It figures that an island known as The Rock would have good climbing pretty much everywhere, including its main city. Just 15 minutes from St. John’s, the crags of Flatrock tower over the Atlantic Ocean. Leo van Ulden, owner of Wallnuts, the local climbing shop, says the opportunities at Flatrock are nearly endless. “It has about 40 boulder problems and 120 climbing routes to date with a nice mix of sport and traditional lead climbs.” The main “Big Wall” area features cracks, overhangs and roofs with single-pitch routes ranging from 5.8 to 5.11-plus. Most climbs have top rope access. Wallnuts provides shoe and harness rentals and guiding services. Get there: There’s no public transit access, so you’ll need to drive or cab it along Torbay Road north from downtown St. John’s to the Flatrock parking area at Wind Gap Road. More info: wallnutsclimbing.com
