Visitors to Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park can enjoy expansive views of the Bow River and the mountains without trekking through the landscape on foot – the Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation (GRPF) is offering both golf-cart tours and bicycle tours, this summer.
“[It’s] an incredible opportunity for people to see essentially the entire park in two hours,” said Sarah Parker, GRPF executive director. “We have just under 40 kilometres of trail – it's a way to see a lot in a short period of time.”
Parker said the tours provide a great opportunity for people to learn about the park’s rich history and explore more than 3,000 acres of provincial land, particularly for those with limited mobility or who might be looking for a new challenge.
“[The golf-cart tours are] particularly popular with people with mobility issues because, if anyone's been here before, they know it’s a wonderfully hilly park,” she said. “They're getting more and more popular with senior-living facilities, as well, who come out in groups – and we love that.”
According to GRPF, tour participants will learn about the park’s history and its ecology, while taking in spectacular views.
The guided bicycle tours are new this year, according to Parker, thanks to a grant from the Government of Alberta. She said GRPF decided to bring them in because of the popularity of other tours. The program runs most Fridays throughout the summer months.
“Those tours are a mimic of our golf-cart tours,” she said. “They are two hours and we take you down the main path and then to the east side of our park, which has fantastic Bow River views and views of the mountains.”
The “bring-your-own-bike” tour caters to the pace of its participants, according to Parker, and ensures no one is left behind – even when a biker may need to walk for a bit during the ride. She added the activity is meant to be enjoyable for all, and is not intended to be a race.
However, she said, it should be noted the tour is not suitable for children under the age od 10 or for those who cannot ride a two-wheel bike.
Golf-cart tours are available daily, unless posted otherwise, at a cost of $25. Bicycle tours are offered on Fridays, usually between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., for $20.
To register for either tour, visit www.grpf.ca/events
