Big Hill Springs Provincial Park, Provincial park in Rocky View County, Canada

Big Hill Springs Provincial Park features waterfalls cascading over rocky terraces covered with moss, shrubs, and grasses in the foothills of Alberta. A network of hiking trails winds through the grounds, offering routes of varying difficulty that remain accessible year-round.

The springs' steady year-round flow led to the site's early industrial use: the park now holds the ruins of a historic fish hatchery and of Alberta's first commercial creamery. The sources give no construction or operating dates for either building, so the structures are best described by what remains rather than by a timeline.

The park's name comes from Big Hill Creek, whose valley was cut by meltwater from the retreating Wisconsin glacier; the creek is now underfit, too small to have carved it. Visitors can see tufa coating mosses, twigs and logs, and casts of plant material in the rock if they look closely.

The park is open year-round with trails suited to a range of fitness levels, from casual walkers to more experienced hikers. Sturdy footwear and layered clothing are recommended, especially since the springs remain cold regardless of season.

The waterfalls pour over tufa, a calcium carbonate rock that precipitates as dissolved carbon dioxide escapes from the spring water. The tufa coats mosses, twigs and logs, and casts of plant material can sometimes be seen in it if you look closely.