A Guide to Accessible Outdoor Experiences in Alberta

Ryan Straschnitzki and Cody Krebs beam after a mountain bike ride at the Canmore Nordic Centre. The friends, both paralyzed from the chest down, easily maneuver their adaptive bikes from Alberta-based Bowhead Corp, following a lesson by Jamie McCulloch, executive director of Rocky Mountain Adaptive.

“It’s freeing,” says Straschnitzki, a former Canadian junior hockey player and accessibility advocate. “Having that independence back and the opportunity to bike is exhilarating.”

The Bowhead bikes have revolutionized mountain biking for people living with disabilities, says McCulloch. Krebs had never ridden a mountain bike before but quickly got the hang of it, describing biking as exciting and fun. “Catching some wind and being fast out there is just the best feeling,” Straschnitzki adds.

Straschnitzki was paralyzed in 2018 when a semi-truck hit the bus he was riding on with his Canadian junior hockey team, the Humboldt Broncos. Four years later, Krebs was also paralyzed in a collision. The two men met when Krebs was recovering in hospital and Straschnitzki stopped by for a visit.

Since then, Krebs says he’s been learning how to do everything again, in different ways. Krebs and Straschnitzki have tried numerous adaptive sports together, introducing each other to rugby (Kreb’s favourite) and sledge hockey (Straschnitzki’s favourite). “Having somebody else in the same kind of situation as you to try new things with is pretty neat,” Krebs says.

Prior to their afternoon of mountain biking, the two spent the morning kayaking on Johnson Lake in Banff National Park. “It was nice to be out there just floating and chatting,” says Straschnitzki. But, he adds, he’s competitive, so the calming float did include a race with Krebs.

Discover adaptive mountain adventures year-round

Adaptive mountain biking and kayaking are two of the numerous adventures Rocky Mountain Adaptive offers. The charitable organization provides accessible lessons and experiences to people living with physical and/or neuro-divergent challenges, including adaptive biking, hiking, kayaking, paddleboarding and fishing in the summer, and downhill skiing, snowboarding, sit skiing, cross-country skiing, dog sledding and snowshoeing in the winter.

Rocky Mountain Adaptive also offers a volunteer buddy service to support people requiring additional assistance while taking part in activities, and the organization rents a range of summer and winter sport equipment — including the adaptive Bowhead bikes Straschnitzki and Krebs rode. Plus, the organization’s new accessible passenger van removes the barrier of getting out to the mountains for many people.

“Our whole team at Rocky Mountain Adaptive is super determined to make sure that all the opportunities to recreate in the fabulous outdoors and the environments we have around us are accessible to absolutely everyone,” says McCulloch.

Here are eight other accessible adventures to try across Alberta.

Hit the slopes

Alberta’s legendary powder is accessible for people of all abilities. When Chloe Giroux was injured, she found herself in a difficult frame of mind. “I thought I was never going to be able to do any sport again, and then I found that I was going to be able to ski again,” Chloe remembers. “It just changed my entire mindset about my injury.”

Glide down snow-capped Rocky Mountains on a sit ski at Marmot Basin in Jasper, or book an accessible skiing or snowboarding adventure in Banff or Kananaskis with Rocky Mountain Adaptive. They offer everything from private lessons to adaptive Nordic skiing to cross-country ski buddy programs.

Explore inclusive nature trails

People with vision loss can use the free BlindSquare app on their phone to explore trails in select Alberta parks, including Fish Creek Provincial Park in Calgary and Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park along the western edge of St. Albert and Edmonton. The self-voicing app is your guide along each one-kilometre (0.6-mi) accessible trail, notifying you of site features, scenery, interpretive signage and trail surface changes. For wheelchair friendly trails — involving generally flat and paved scenic routes — try Mount Lorette Ponds in Kananaskis Country, Policeman’s Creek Boardwalk in Canmore and numerous trails in Jasper National Park.

Soak in scenic hot springs in the Canadian Rockies

A soothing soak in natural hot springs is a longstanding tradition in Alberta. Two popular hot springs — Miette Hot Springs in Jasper National Park and Banff Upper Hot Springs in Banff National Park — are wheelchair accessible, featuring accessible parking, drop off areas, change rooms and washrooms. Note that personal wheelchairs are not allowed in the water, but pool-friendly submersible wheelchairs can be borrowed (based on availability) at the reception desk.

Camp (or glamp) in the great outdoors at accessible sites

More than 20 reservable campsites across Alberta’s provincial parks have accessible sites, ranging from standard campsites at numerous parks to accessible comfort camping options. Sleep in a yurt — a large round, insulated tent on a wooden deck — at Pigeon Lake Provincial Park or Miquelon Lake Provincial Park, or stay in a lakefront accessible tipi at Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park. Wheelchair accessible sites are also available in Jasper National Park at Whistlers Campground and Wapiti Campground. Stay in an oTENTik, a cross between an A-frame cabin and a prospector tent that’s mounted on a raised wooden floor, or reserve an accessible serviced RV site, located near an accessible toilet and shower building. Rent wheelchair accessible motorhomes from Fraserway RV Rentals.

Cool down with aquatic wheelchairs at beaches and spray parks

In the summer months, cool down at numerous wheelchair-accessible spray parks, wading pools and beaches. Aquatic and beach wheelchairs can be signed out on a first come, first served basis at select wading pools and spray parks in Calgary and Strathcona County, as well as beaches at Sylvan Lake Park and the Sikome Aquatic Facility at Fish Creek Provincial Park. Sylvan Lake’s lakefront has a new wheelchair accessible mat, enabling easier beach access for people with wheelchairs, strollers and canes.

Experience mountain summits from a new perspective

The wheelchair accessible Banff Gondola takes visitors on an eight-minute journey up Sulphur Mountain. Experience sweeping mountain views at the summit on the 360-degree rooftop observation deck, then head inside the wheelchair accessible mountaintop discovery centre to fuel up at Castle Mountain Coffee, dine at the award-winning Sky Bistro and explore interactive interpretive exhibits. The gondola cabins can accommodate most standard-sized manual and motorized wheelchairs, walking frames and assistance devices, and passengers receive as much time as needed to board.

Further north, get a bird’s-eye view of the Canadian Rockies on an accessible helicopter tour with Jasper Hinton Air. Based just outside Jasper National Park, Jasper Hinton Air offers helicopter adventures that show a different perspective on Alberta’s stunning landscapes, including heli hiking, heli snowshoeing, Indigenous heli tours, heli yoga and more.

Boat on Alberta’s lakes and rivers with an accessible vessel

Sightsee on the North Saskatchewan River or fish at Wabamun Lake with Accessible Waters. The non-profit organization helps people with disabilities or mobility limitations experience boating on Alberta’s lakes and rivers with family and friends. The organization’s retrofitted boat, the Rum Runner II, has a standardized ramp to support wheelchairs or other mobility aids, while safety locks ensure wheelchairs on board are secure. Service animals are also welcome, with life jackets available for dogs.

Enjoy family-friendly fun at inclusive playgrounds

Inclusive playgrounds are fun spaces for kids where everyone can play — regardless of their abilities. Various playground features make that possible, from braille directional signage to accessible sway rides and swings, plus ramps for children with mobility devices. Find inclusive playgrounds with different features in towns and cities across Alberta, including 12 new colourful playgrounds throughout Calgary.

Try adaptive hiking, fishing and paddling in the southern Rockies

Explore the Southern Rockies, one of Canada’s best-kept secrets, with AdaptABLE Outdoors, a charity that believes outdoor adventure should be for everyone. The organization offers adaptive hiking, fishing and paddling adventures for people with mobility or cognitive challenges. “It just takes a little bit of ingenuity, teamwork and sometimes some equipment,” says Steve Holly, co-founder and executive director of AdaptABLE Outdoors. The organization’s equipment includes an adaptive hiking device, called a TrailRider, that’s maneuvered by volunteers, fully adapted kayaks and an electric fishing rod enabling users to reel in fish at the push of a button, stomp of the foot or flick of the head.