Spring Creek Canmore: A Beautiful boardwalk trail
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If you’ve ever seen photos of Canmore, you’ve probably seen the stunning boardwalk along the Spring Creek trail. It’s likely the most picturesque walk I have ever taken and I’d happily stroll along it again!
It’s a family-friendly walking track that takes you through a yellow marsh, following a small flowing river with mountains all around. It is a sight to remember.
What’s interesting about this walk is that it is known by two names, Spring Creek and Policeman’s Creek.
The trail starts on a street named Spring Creek Drive the Policeman’s Creek boardwalk trail. As you get past the midway point on the trail, you’ll find the bridge that leads you into Spring Creek – a small hotel and residential area on the bank of the small river.
| Country: | Canada |
| Currency: | Canadian Dollar / CAD |
| Do you need a visa to visit as a tourist? | Check here |
Spending some time in Canmore? Check out these other hikes in the area:
- 10 Stunning hikes in Canmore you can walk to
- Quarry Lake walking trail in the Canmore Rockies
- Grassi Lakes Hike in Canmore: The popular trail
- How to walk the Bow River Loop trail in Canmore
- Three Sisters Canmore: How to find the viewpoint
Would you rather have a difficult mountain trail? Check out the EEOR Hike in Alberta – The East End of Rundle
Walking trail Stats
You can follow the route of the trail here
Type of Trail
Out & Back
Length of Trail
2.6miles / 4.2km
Time to complete
1 hour
As usual, I will try to describe the elevation like I do on every hike, and believe it or not, there is an elevation of 81m. But it is so slight that I barely noticed, so it’s likely you won’t notice either.
The trail takes you along the full length of the boardwalk until it heads into a small forested area. This is where the wooden walkway turns to concrete and heads through the trees until you meet a bridge.
This bridge takes you over the small creek that has flowed next to the trail since the start and brings you to the Malcolm Hotel. This is a 4* hotel that boasts hot tubs, BBQs and mountain views across the boardwalk and river creek.
This is one place you can either end the trail by crossing the bridge and heading into a more “residential” part of town or you can stay on the trail and continue through the forested area.
When to visit the Boardwalk
As this is a safe and simple trail in the centre of Canmore, it is open all year round. If you are looking for yellow and orange hues to the plants, then it’d be best to visit during the Autumn / Fall season (that’s my favourite season to visit!)
- If you visit during the Summer, everything will be green, and bright and the plants in full bloom.
- In the Wintertime, it is very likely to snow in Canmore so the mountains and the boardwalk will be lined with snow. Be careful as the boardwalk can become slippery when wet.
- The Spring season has similarities to Autumn, but more greenery than yellow-shaded plants.
That’s what makes this trail so great, it can be enjoyed no matter what the weather brings. The Spring Creek boardwalk is always a fun choice when other trails in the Canmore region are closed in the off-season.
One of the only hiking dangers of this trail is the snow and ice when it first starts to freeze over as the boardwalk can become slippery.
Where to find the trailhead
So, the Spring Creek trail in Canmore is probably the easiest trailhead to get to compared with other hikes. It’s right in the centre of the town! There are technically two entrances as you can walk to the boardwalk from either end but most visitors start from Spring Creek Drive.
It is only a 3-minute walk from the popular 8th Street which is where much of the “main” tourist shopping takes place.
This means you can visit the popular tourist stores, do the trail there and back, and then end right in the middle of town. You can’t get a more perfect location.
If you want to drive to the trail, just bear in mind that many of the streets in the centre of Canmore are closed to vehicles and are only for foot traffic. This can make it tricky to find a parking spot. Luckily, Canmore is such a small town that you can easily walk to the Spring Creek trail from almost anywhere you park!
Best photo opportunity
Of course, if I am somewhere this beautiful, I am going to try and find the most perfect photo opportunity. It would be silly not to!
Although the route was nice the whole way from the Spring Creek / Policeman’s Creek entrance, I found the view to be even nicer when you turn around at the end and head back towards Spring Creek.
There is one particular spot about halfway, with minimal trees, and a curve in the boardwalk. It really makes the mountain backdrop stand out and look all the more incredible.
Pro tip: If you want to see the boardwalk when it isn’t busy with people, your best chance is early morning or around sunset.
Amenities
Technically, this trail doesn’t have any amenities such as toilets or anything. However, due to its proximity to the centre of town, there are some public washrooms only a short walking distance from the trailhead.
There are some located on 7th Avenue, (6 minute walk from the start of the boardwalk) between 6th and 8th Street.
If you get a little tired or need a break there are some benches scattered along the trail too which makes it easier to take a few minutes to sit and appreciate the landscape.
Accommodation
Need a place to stay in Canmore? Check out these two accommodation options below:
Canmore Downtown Hostel – A fun, affordable and social hostel in the centre of town. It is only a 10-minute walk from the boardwalk and they always hold events for guests!
Solara Resort – A relaxing choice of hotel with multiple spa amenities for guests to use. Just a 20-minute walk from the boardwalk!
