Attractions and Places To See around Rocky View County - Top 3

The waterfall is one of Rainbow Falls Park’s standout features, with a great viewpoint from above and plenty of photo-worthy angles. It’s also worth pausing for a quieter moment here, just to watch the water spill over and listen to the sound of the falls.

Waverley Ranch House ruins are historically known as the Waverley Chimney, as the chimney is most of what remains. The ruins sit fenced off on a corner of the Bowbend Trail. The ruins are from a ranch from 1896 where immigrants from England settled here. When building their homestead, the Cockbaines mistakenly constructed the ranch house and outbuildings on the wrong parcel of land, so the government overlooked the error and officially granted them the title to the property. Today, what remains is the chimney of the original 1896 homestead, and to prevent vandalism or destruction from roaming cows, the area is completely fenced off, but easy to see from the paved path.

Men of Vision is a statue that honours the pioneering spirit of early cowboys. Artist Malcolm James MacKenzie created this statue in 1979 and the cowboy still sits tall on his hill today. There are stairs leading up to the statue and when the cowboy comes into view it's pretty life like, and looks almost real.

Big Hill Creek is a healthy creek originating from a spring that flows out of pre-glacial sands and gravels. The headwaters stay at a constant 6°C temperature so it does not freeze during winter, showing off stunning winter waterfalls.

The Rotary/Mattamy Greenway is a 138-kilometre multi-use pathway that loops around Calgary, designed for walking, cycling, and other non-motorized activities. It connects major parks, natural areas, and communities, including Glenmore Reservoir and Weaselhead Flats, making it one of North America’s largest urban pathway networks. Developed through a partnership with the Rotary Club of Calgary, Mattamy Homes, and the City of Calgary, it offers continuous access to a wide range of recreational and natural landscapes across the city.

Jackrabbit Trail is a narrow, unpaved singletrack that runs along the south shore of the Glenmore Reservoir within Weaselhead Flats Natural Environment Park through open grass and scattered shrubs. There are occasional views over the reservoir and several access points that are ideal for quick access back to the wider trail network. As an informal route within the park, it’s a lovely, quieter and more natural alternative to the main pathways.

This section of the riverside path along the Bow River offers a quiet place to pause beside the water. A bench here looks out over the broad river as it flows past Cochrane, making it a pleasant spot to sit and take in the view. The Bow River is known for its clear, glacier-fed water flowing from the Rocky Mountains. While people sometimes wade along the shoreline in summer, the current can be strong and the water stays very cold year-round, so entering the river should be done with caution.

The Western Headworks Canal Pathway follows the edge of the irrigation canal east of Calgary, offering a flat, easy route with open prairie views and steady water alongside. The gravel path is straightforward and suits walking, running, or cycling, with long sightlines and minimal elevation change. It’s a simple connector through the southeast edge of the city and a calm alternative to the busier river pathways.