[2] The central and northern sections of Barlow Trail is run roughly where the fifth meridian lies in the Dominion Land Survey.
The road is named for Noel Barlow, a resident of Carseland, Alberta, Canada, who served as the ground crewman to Douglas Bader, a Royal Air Force flying ace in World War II.
It served as a portion of Alberta Highway 2 from the northern city limits to Blackfoot Trail, near the present location of the Max Bell Centre.
[11] In the late 2000s, as part of the construction of the northeast portion of Stoney Trail, access to Rocky View County was closed.
The section of Barlow Trail north of Country Hills Boulevard is being reconstructed and realigned as part of the Stonegate Landing business park development.