8:30am
Departure Time
4 Hours
Duration
8+
Age
Active
Activity
Dec-Apr
Season

Explore the icy beauty of Canada on the Grotto Canyon Icewalk.

YouTube video

 

The Grotto Canyon Icewalk is a hike on a frozen creek bed through a narrow canyon, past unusual rock formations and spectacular icefalls. This is a unique experience to walk directly on the ice, and walking on the creek bed floor gives you a one-of-a-kind view of the canyon.

What You Will See On this Grotto Canyon Hike

You’ll see the natural, beautiful phenomenon of the Grotto Canyon icefalls. These frozen waterfalls are formed when the water from the creek that runs through the canyon freezes over and creates a spectacular display of ice sculptures. The icefalls vary in size and shape, but some reach up to 30 meters (100 feet). You may even get a chance to see ice climbers scaling the Grotto Canyon icefalls!

Another popular highlight is the ancient native pictographs that are easily missed by the general public. Your guide will point out the stunted pine forest and hidden ancient native pictographs, which were likely created by Hopi visitors from the Arizona region. The symbols have many meanings and origins and you will learn more about First Nations history in the Bow Valley.

Travel with us for a more personal experience, travel in small groups for more access to chat with your enthusiastic guide.

Grotto Canyon Hike: Helpful Information

Grotto Canyon is a popular hiking trail in the Kananaskis Country of Alberta, Canada. The trail is located just outside of the town of Canmore, and it offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains and glaciers. The canyon itself is narrow, deep, well-maintained, and it’s home to a variety of wildlife.

  • Distance: 4.2km (2.6 miles)
  • Difficulty: easy to moderate
  • Duration: 2 – 2.5 hours
  • Elevation gain: 100m (328 ft)

All Grotto Canyon Icewalks include hot chocolate to warm you up and our famous maple cookies. You’ll also be equipped with all the gear you need for a safe hike.

Included
  • Maple cookie snack
  • Hot chocolate
  • Hotel pick up and drop off
  • Small group size (up to 12 guests per guide)
  • Use of hiking poles
  • Professional certified guide
  • Ice cleats
Walking Distance
  • 4.2km (2.6 miles)
Elevation Gain
  • 100m (328 feet)
Transport Options
  • Hotel pick up and drop off (Banff)
  • Hotel pick up and drop off (Canmore)
Guide Quote

Kelsea's Pick

"Grotto Canyon feels other worldly with all the unique geology and ice formations" - Kelsea , Tour Guide, Discover Banff Tours


4.5
3894+
4.4
374+
4.5
786+

The best parts of the Grotto Canyon tour for most people include the following:

1

A stunted forest

Why are the trees so small and oddly shaped?
2

Grotto Creek

You will walk on the frozen creek bed in Grotto Canyon winding through the narrow gorge.
3

Geology of the Rockies

Witness unusual rock formations and ancient ocean floors around you, the result of mountain building processes.
4

Grotto Canyon Pictographs

The ancient Native rock art provides 1,500 year old clues linking native culture in Canada to distant areas further south.
5

The Grotto Canyon Icefalls

Get close to icefalls seeping from the cliff face, and if you’re lucky watch ice climbers performing their craft.
Included
  • Maple cookie snack
  • Hot chocolate
  • Hotel pick up and drop off
  • Small group size (up to 12 guests per guide)
  • Use of hiking poles
  • Professional certified guide
  • Ice cleats
Walking Distance
  • 4.2km (2.6 miles)
Elevation Gain
  • 100m (328 feet)
Transport Options
  • Hotel pick up and drop off (Banff)
  • Hotel pick up and drop off (Canmore)
Guide Quote

Kelsea's Pick

"Grotto Canyon feels other worldly with all the unique geology and ice formations" - Kelsea , Tour Guide, Discover Banff Tours


4.5
3894+
4.4
374+
4.5
786+
The tour commences at 8:30am and runs for 4 hours, which includes  2 – 2.5 hours for the icewalk. The tour returns to Canmore around 12pm and to Banff at 12:30pm.
The tour includes transport from Banff and Canmore, and a 2 – 2.5 hour walk on a frozen creek bed through Grotto Canyon past unusual rock formations, ancient Native rock art, and icefalls. Plus, all icewalks include hot chocolate and a maple cookie snack. Please note that water is not provided and you may wish to bring your own.

We provide ice cleats that will be attached to your boots that will prevent you from slipping on the ice. We also have hiking poles for extra stability if you would like to use them.

We pick up from most hotels in Banff and at the train station, you can select your preferred pick-up location during the booking process. Guests in Canmore will be picked up at 8:45am from the Coast Canmore Hotel & Conference Centre. For drop offs, our guide will ask you on the way back where you would like to be dropped off either in town or at your hotel.
You are welcome to meet us at any of our pick up locations in Banff to join the tour, and a popular central downtown meeting point is the public bus parking area behind the Mt Royal Hotel (the hotel address is 138 Banff Avenue). For guests staying in or near Canmore, please meet at the Coast Canmore Hotel & Conference Centre.

Most guests choose to self-drive into Banff, although please note that you will need to find parking in Banff that exceeds the duration of the tour. You can park at the Banff train station for instance and we do pick up there too. Please refer to the Town of Banff website for general parking information, or the banffparking.ca website for live parking availability. For guests staying in Canmore, please meet at the Coast Canmore Hotel & Conference Centre.

Yes! This is a unique opportunity to walk directly on a frozen creek bed. In the summer Grotto Creek flows through the canyon and then freezes solid in the winter. Being able to walk on the creek bed at the bottom of Grotto Canyon gives you a unique view of the canyon.
The Icewalk is 4.2km (2.6 miles) and has an elevation of 100 metres (328 feet), with a total walking time of 2 – 2.5 hours. This icewalk is considered easy, with a few small inclines. We provide ice cleats that will be attached to your boots that will prevent you from slipping on the ice, and we have hiking poles for extra stability if you would like to use them as well.
The Grotto Canyon Icewalk allows you to walk directly on a frozen creek bed at the bottom of Grotto Canyon past unusual rock formations, ancient Native rock art, and icefalls. The Icewalk is 4.2km (2.6 miles) and has an elevation of 100 metres (328 feet), with a total walking time of 2 – 2.5 hours. This icewalk is generally considered easy, with a few small inclines.

Johnston Canyon is one of the most popular attractions in Banff National Park, and has a network of steel catwalks built into the canyon walls that allows you to walk right along the frozen waterfalls (rather than directly on the ice). There are two Johnston Canyon Icewalk options, the daytime icewalk is a 4 hour tour that includes both the lower and upper falls with 2 – 2.5 hours of walking and is a little more strenuous due to the increased distance (5.4km) and elevation gain of 135 metres (443 feet). The evening icewalk is a 2.5 hour tour that visits the lower falls with 1.5 – 2 hours of walking 2.2 km with an elevation gain of 65 metres (213 feet) and includes a souvenir headlamp to light your way under the stars. On both Johnston Canyon Icewalks the walk is mainly up above the creek bed on a series of trails and catwalks.

Please be prepared for the mountain weather, it changes quickly and our winter tours run in anything from -27C (-17F) to +10C (+50F). Wind chill can change the temperature dramatically and you will be outside for the majority of your tour.

To ensure that you enjoy the tour, please wear/bring:

  • Photo ID for each adult (18+) for waiver verification.
  • Thermals/base layers/long johns.
  • Snow pants are recommended for this tour and are mandatory if it is below -16C (3F). Otherwise on warmer days, jeans/regular pants over long johns are okay. Snow pants can be rented from stores in Banff such as Snowtips-Bactrax.
  • A warm sweater.
  • A warm jacket. Ski jackets can be rented from stores in Banff such as Snowtips-Bactrax.
  • A hat and mitts.
  • A neck warmer or scarf.
  • Sturdy, warm, ideally waterproof shoes. Winter boots or hiking boots are the best. No heels, ugg boots, flip flops or sandals. If you do not have warm shoes, we recommend a rental store such as Snowtips-Bactrax.
  • A water bottle.

Please note that safety is our first priority. If the guide thinks your attire or footwear isn’t appropriate and compromises your safety on the tour, you may not be able to participate.

It does get icy during the winter season which is why we provide ice cleats during the tour to give you extra grip while you are doing your ice walk on the frozen creek. We cancel our tour at around -27 degrees Celsius or -22 Fahrenheit, and would offer to reschedule or refund your tour if this occured,
There is a 24 hour cancellation policy, which allows you to change/cancel or refund your booking up to 24 hours outside your booked tour (up to 7 days for group bookings).
Tips are not expected, but are certainly appreciated. If you think your guide did a wonderful job and would like to indicate that with a tip, it will be graciously accepted.

Included
  • Maple cookie snack
  • Hot chocolate
  • Hotel pick up and drop off
  • Small group size (up to 12 guests per guide)
  • Use of hiking poles
  • Professional certified guide
  • Ice cleats
Walking Distance
  • 4.2km (2.6 miles)
Elevation Gain
  • 100m (328 feet)
Transport Options
  • Hotel pick up and drop off (Banff)
  • Hotel pick up and drop off (Canmore)
Guide Quote

Kelsea's Pick

"Grotto Canyon feels other worldly with all the unique geology and ice formations" - Kelsea , Tour Guide, Discover Banff Tours


4.5
3894+
4.4
374+
4.5
786+
  • The minimum age is 8 years.
  • All children aged 15 years and under must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian.
  • All adults must sign a waiver, which will be sent through upon booking. A waiver must also be completed by the parent or legal guardian of any child under the age of 18 years.
  • Photo ID may be required for identity verification.
  • By participating in a tour with Discover Banff Tours, guests are acknowledging that they understand that we may take video and photographs of them during their tour. These videos and photographs may be used in promotional materials including, but not limited to, social media.
  • Please note that this tour requires a minimum of 4 participants, please call the day prior to confirm the tour.
Included
  • Maple cookie snack
  • Hot chocolate
  • Hotel pick up and drop off
  • Small group size (up to 12 guests per guide)
  • Use of hiking poles
  • Professional certified guide
  • Ice cleats
Walking Distance
  • 4.2km (2.6 miles)
Elevation Gain
  • 100m (328 feet)
Transport Options
  • Hotel pick up and drop off (Banff)
  • Hotel pick up and drop off (Canmore)
Guide Quote

Kelsea's Pick

"Grotto Canyon feels other worldly with all the unique geology and ice formations" - Kelsea , Tour Guide, Discover Banff Tours


4.5
3894+
4.4
374+
4.5
786+

YouTube video

Included
  • Maple cookie snack
  • Hot chocolate
  • Hotel pick up and drop off
  • Small group size (up to 12 guests per guide)
  • Use of hiking poles
  • Professional certified guide
  • Ice cleats
Walking Distance
  • 4.2km (2.6 miles)
Elevation Gain
  • 100m (328 feet)
Transport Options
  • Hotel pick up and drop off (Banff)
  • Hotel pick up and drop off (Canmore)
Guide Quote

Kelsea's Pick

"Grotto Canyon feels other worldly with all the unique geology and ice formations" - Kelsea , Tour Guide, Discover Banff Tours


4.5
3894+
4.4
374+
4.5
786+
See frozen waterfalls on the Grotto Canyon Icewalk with Discover Banff Tours
Winter sightseeing in a comfortable sprinter van with Discover Banff Tours
Take a winter hike with Discover Banff Tours
Your friendly guide will help you put on ice cleats for your winter icewalk
Walk on ice on the Grotto Canyon Icewalk Tour with Discover Banff Tours in the Canadian Rockies
See the frozen beauty of Grotto Canyon on an icewalk with Discover Banff Tours in the Canadian Rockies
Hike on a frozen creek bed on the Grotto Canyon Icewalk with Discover Banff Tours
See frozen waterfalls on the Grotto Canyon Icewalk with Discover Banff Tours
See magnificent frozen falls on the Grotto Canyon Icewalk Tour with Discover Banff Tours in the Canadian Rockies
See ancient pictographs on the Grotto Canyon Icewalk with Discover Banff Tours in the Canadian Rockies
Enjoy hot chocolate and maple cookies on an icewalk with Discover Banff Tours
Wear ice cleats on a Banff icewalk tour with Discover Banff Tours
Take a comfortable van on a winter tour with Discover Banff Tours in the Canadian Rockies