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McKinnon flats Boat Ramp

McKinnon Flats is a public lands recreation area east of Calgary, south of Dalemead, on the banks of the Bow River. The property was acquired from LK Resources in 1982 and has since become one of the river's most important access sites.

A new all-season road to the launch was completed in 2020, and in 2021 the McKinnon Flats Stewardship Partnership expanded the riverside parking lot.

The boat ramp serves as a popular launch point for floats downstream to Carseland (Johnson's Island) and as a take-out from Policeman's Flats.

Anglers, paddlers, and float tubers all make heavy use of the site, particularly on weekends when the parking lot fills quickly — early arrival is advisable for those with boat trailers.

Note that the gravel road down to the river can become treacherous when wet, and water clarity at this stretch is often reduced after rain due to silty inflow from the Highwood River a few kilometers upstream.


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