Edmonton’s River Valley: Using the Trail Network

What the trail network covers

The river valley park system follows the North Saskatchewan through the city, connecting parks, off-leash areas, boat launches, picnic sites and viewpoints. The City describes the Amisk Wacîw Mêskanaw (Beaver Hill Road Trail) as a 100-kilometre trail connecting the river valley from Devon to Fort Saskatchewan; the name is in nêhiyawêwin (Cree) and was gifted in a ceremony by Elder Jerry Saddleback. Within the city, the Commonwealth Walkway is a designated 10-kilometre loop.

Trail maps are published for central Edmonton, the west end and the north-east, with a separate distance guide aimed at cycling. Full-size printed maps are available at City libraries and at City Hall, and the City also maintains an interactive map covering parks, trails, bike routes, boat launches and off-leash areas.

Paved and granular trails

The two surfaces behave very differently and the difference matters more than it sounds. Paved trails in the river valley parks are asphalt and are the routes to choose if you want a firm, predictable surface. Other trails are granular, with rough gravel surfaces that the City notes may not be appropriate for wheelchair users without assistance.

The maps record grade as well as surface, because slope is what decides whether a route is usable for many people. Grades of five to nine per cent are marked moderate and will challenge some users with reduced mobility, especially over long sections. Grades of ten per cent and above are marked difficult and are challenging for most users regardless of how they are travelling. Slopes below five per cent are not marked at all, on the basis that they should not present a challenge to most users.

Using the trails in summer

In summer the valley carries walkers, runners, cyclists, dog walkers, anglers and paddlers. Trails are multidirectional and shared, which puts the burden on users to behave predictably: cyclists must have a working bell and ride at a speed that lets them keep full control, passing happens on the left, and people travelling downhill yield to those coming up.

• Keep dogs on a leash except in designated off-leash areas.
• Stay on designated trails. The valley is an ecologically sensitive area, and the Parkland Bylaw does not permit building new trails without City authorization and permits.
• Avoid non-paved trails in wet conditions, when they are easily damaged and harder to use.
• Check launch notifications before relying on a particular boat launch or exit point on the river.

Using the trails in winter

Winter does not close the valley, but it changes what is maintained. City trails and walkways are cleared once snow has accumulated past the City’s threshold, and river valley paved trails sit near the top of the trail clearing priorities, behind major facilities. Gravel trails are left in their natural state through the winter, so they may be snow-packed, icy or effectively impassable rather than cleared.

Clearing also takes time after a snowfall, and the priority bike network routes that run through the river valley are handled on a different schedule again. The City sweeps trails at the start of spring to remove the gravel, sand and debris left behind by winter, so expect grit on paved surfaces until that work reaches your section.

River and ice safety

The North Saskatchewan is powerful and unpredictable, with undertows, submerged debris, drifting logs and banks that can be unstable or muddy, and conditions change quickly. The City’s guidance is blunt: it is never safe to swim or dive in the river, never safe to go on the water without a life jacket, and never safe to walk near or on the river ice, because water keeps moving beneath the surface and ice thickness is inconsistent.

Edmonton’s Public Spaces Bylaw goes further than the federal boating rules. Federal regulations require vessels to carry a personal flotation device for each person, but the bylaw requires every person on a vessel in the river to wear one at all times, and failing to do so can result in a fine. The City also sets out the rescue rule plainly: if a person or a pet is swept away, call 911 and share your location, and do not enter the water to attempt a rescue yourself.

• Share your location when calling 911 from the valley; the river corridor can be hard to describe.
• Supervise pets in and near the water and keep them leashed on the bank.
• Check river depth and flow rates before paddling. High and fast water is dangerous whatever your experience.
• Check water quality advisories before any activity that involves contact with the water.
• Obey posted signs and respect closures rather than working around them.

Wildlife, closures and reporting problems

The valley is habitat as well as recreation space, and the City’s trail etiquette guidance is built around that: stay on designated trails, respect signage, fencing and flag personnel, give waterfowl and other wildlife a wide berth, and do not create new routes through the vegetation.

Closures are generally caused by construction, slumping, erosion, flooding or environmental factors such as silt and ice, and they can be temporary or permanent. Report trail concerns, hazards or wildlife issues to 311, which also routes enquiries to the City’s park rangers.