Your Guide to Cochrane’s
Must-Attend Events
Starts Here!
Your Guide to Cochrane’s
Must-Attend Events
Starts Here!
The ranking is based on three key criteria: Accessibility (paved paths and inclusive facilities), Age-Friendliness (suitability for various age groups), and Features (amenities and unique attractions).
1. Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park – 255001 Glenbow Road
This park stands out for its exceptional accessibility. It is one of the few parks offering interpretive golf cart tours, making its vast landscape accessible to those with mobility challenges. Learn more about their programs, tours, events + how to get involved by visiting: www.grpf.ca
2. Historic Cochrane Ranche – 20 Bow Valley Trail
As the original site of Senator Matthew Henry Cochrane’s ranch (est. 1881), is accessible with paved paths and features a large outdoor stage and firepits, making it a hub for community events and multi-generational gatherings.
3. Riverfront Park – Griffin Road, W.
Riverfront Park is a natural playground, with wooden structures that blend into the environment. Its location borders the Bow River and allows for unique features like boat launching and world-renowned trout fishing, all while being connected to Cochrane’s extensive paved pathway system.
4. Mitford Park – 201 West Rock Road
Mitford Park is a versatile facility that changes with the seasons and plays hosts to many events, such as Canada Day. It is particularly age-friendly for children, who are permitted to keep trout caught from the stocked pond. In the winter, it transforms into a community skating hub, supported by seasonal amenities like washrooms and sports fields.
5. Big Hill Springs Provincial Park – Big Hills Springs Road (off Hwy 567)
Known for its scenic beauty, this park offers an easy 1.6km loop that is manageable for young children and seniors alike. Its waterfalls and wooden bridges provide a high “fun factor”, without requiring strenuous hiking, though some of the natural terrain at this park may be less accessible than other paved Cochrane parks.
6. West McDougal Accessible Playground
While smaller in scale, this park is the gold standard for inclusive play in Cochrane. Hosting the town’s only wheelchair-accessible swing, it ensures that children of all physical abilities can enjoy the western-themed playground.
7. Jim Uffelmann Memorial Park – River Avenue
This 10-acre park is a Cochrane favourite, for humans and canines alike! Its asphalt trails are perfect for strollers, wheelchairs and bikes, while the off-leash dog area and river access points make it a multi-purpose destination for pet owners and outdoor enthusiasts.
8. Haskayne Legacy Park – 9000 149 Street NW Calgary, AB
A newer addition to the region, this park features modern infrastructure and a pavilion that offers some of the best prairie and mountain views in the area. While it has fewer active recreation features than Mitford or Riverfront Park, its peaceful setting and paved access make it a high-quality destination.
9. Cochrane Disc Golf Course – Griffin Road W.
Located within the Riverfront area, this course is highlighted for its social accessibility. It is free to use and designed so that anyone who can throw a frisbee can participate, making it a unique, low-barrier sport for all ages.
10. Zero Gravity Skatepark – 201 West Rock Road
This is a specialized facility that ranks highly for its modern design and year-round availability. While primarily targeted at a younger, more active demographic (teens and young adults), its concrete plaza design includes informal seating areas for spectators.
