Inglewood Bird Sanctuary hike
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Inglewood Bird Sanctuary hike
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What’s in a name? At Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, come prepared for some serious birding with over 270 species to observe in this wildlife nature reserve. Listen to the birds sing as you walk along shady paths, perfect for little ones who want to adventure close to home.
Getting there
The sanctuary is a 3.1mi drive from eastern downtown on the Bow River.
The Bird Sanctuary is located at the east end of 9th Avenue S.E. From Deerfoot Trail, take the Blackfoot Trail westbound exit to 19 St. SE, then turn left onto 9 Ave. Here, you’ll find a public parking lot.
About
| When to do | Year-round |
| Family friendly | Yes |
| Route Signage | Average |
| Crowd Levels | Moderate |
| Route Type | Lollipop |
Inglewood Bird Sanctuary
Elevation Graph
Weather
Route Description for Inglewood Bird Sanctuary
The Inglewood Bird Sanctuary walk is perfect for a short trip with the whole family. Set out from the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary & Nature Centre walking down towards a small lake. At the lake, go to the right, soon spotting the historic Colonel Walker House where you can observe the charming architecture from a distance.
Follow the path as it goes down towards the Bow River, soon curving to your left on a forested path near the Bow River. There are limited views on this part of the path, though owls particularly like this section of the sanctuary so keep an eye out up in the high branches.
Near the end of the path, come close to Bow River and enjoy the glistening view of the water. Proceed further along the trail, where if you’re lucky, you’ll spot a few of the 270 species of birds found in the park. The path goes left back towards the lake and once you reach a bridge, head out to the middle to snap spectacular photos of the lake, especially at sunset.
Come back over the bridge and retrace your steps back to the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary & Nature Centre and the parking lot.
Insider Hints
The area can be teeming with mosquitos at certain times in summer, so bring your bug spray.
On calm days, the views on the lake make for great photos.
If you have time, we recommend doing a complete circle around the lake, as the views from each side are different and all beautiful.
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Lukas Saville 4 years ago
I love this place. My wife and I come here quite often. It's a very enjoyable stroll through the park. we always look at the expected birds' sign, to see what is there to be seen this time. We saw many different birds, had a great encounter with a huge beaver that lives in those ponds too. Never saw an owl yet but are hoping to in the future. this is kind of a great walk if you want to mix it up a bit and do it instead of your regular day-to-day walks in the city. the parking is big as well, so never had to worry about that there yet.
Giedre 4 years ago
Inglewood Bird Sanctuary is one of my favorite places for a quick walk! I'd say the conditions here really depend on the time of the year. The best time to spot birds is definitely spring - the park is full of various species of waterfowl, as well as birds crowding at Bow (pelicans, coots, etc). On June - mid-July I try to avoid Inglewood, as there are just too many bugs. From August all the way to the autumn the park itself is the most beautiful, but bird lovers might not enjoy it that much because there aren't too many birds left (no idea where they disappear!). Also, there's a beaver living at ponds. He doesn't seem to mind people at all, as you can get really close to him and he just doesn't care.
wenzelhd 5 years ago
I was blown-away when I visited the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary! In there I found bird species I've never seen before. Fascinating right?