Five cool ways to explore the river valley of Lethbridge

View from the rooftop patio of the Helen Schuler Nature Centre in Lethbridge.

To begin our eco-adventure, we visited the Helen Schuler Nature Centre. Housed inside a LEED-Gold certified building, we learned about the local ecology, including the animals and insects that can be found here. With free admission, this is a great place to visit before heading out on your hike. There's also a number of trails that start from the centre, but before doing that, we went up to the rooftop garden to admire the views and check out the local flora and fauna.

2. Walking trails

Enjoying one of the many nature trails around the dramatic High Level Bridge. 

There are all sorts of trails in the coulees, and some of them are just for walking. This allows people to take in the place slowly, without having to worry about bikes zooming by. One of our favourite places were the trails that snake their way around the Lethbridge Viaduct, which is the highest and longest trestle bridge in the world. The bridge is such a dramatic feature in Lethbridge and being able to view it from the bottom was so cool sight. Another surprising feature of the area is the cactus; you don’t see those everyday in Canada. This is one of the few desert areas in the country, which makes Lethbridge unique.

3. Biking trails

One of the best places to practice your mountain biking skills is at the Mountain Bike Park near Indian Battle Park.

There's also an extensive network of trails for bikes. They wind their way through the coulees and past Fort Whoop-Up, a local historical site. There's also nearby Botterill Bottom Park with a mountain bike park featuring jumps, moguls, and trick stunt areas. None of us are pro-bikers, but we had to try it. It was a lot of fun tackling the ups and downs of the moguls and trying to catch some air with the bikes, adding some thrills to our otherwise peaceful day.

4. Elizabeth Hall Wetlands

The Elizabeth Hall Wetlands is home to a variety of animals, including western painted turtles.

By now, we knew that Lethbridge was home to rattlesnakes and cactus, but we didn’t think it would be home to turtles, too. This preservation area, located on the west side of the river, is a popular spot for bird-watching, attracting geese, ducks, songbirds, raptors, and shoreline birds. It's also home to beavers, muskrats, and the western painted turtles. On hot sunny days, dozens of them can be seen lounging on logs in the water. The day wasn't sunny, but we still saw three or four poke their heads out. There's also a floating dock that extends out onto the water, so you can get a more closeup look at the wetlands' wildlife.

5. Enjoy a picnic