Last updated on June 9th, 2021 at 10:04 pm
As Winter gives way to Spring, it can be difficult to find accessible adventures. The Grotto Canyon hike is a great option and can be done almost year round! The time of the year you want to do the Grotto Canyon hike will depend on the gear you need, during winter this is a popular ice walk and you’ll need a pair of ice cleats to make it to see the ice falls at the end.
When we did the Grotto Canyon hike in April there was still some residual ice in the bottom of the canyon to walk on but by mid afternoon it was more slushy and easy to navigate without cleats. If you were to hit the trail first thing in the morning over spring I’m sure cleats would be necessary!
The Grotto Canyon Hike
On the opposite side of the car park from Grotto Pond, roughly half way down the parking lot is the Grotto Canyon hike trailhead. It is easy to find with an interpretive sign at the entrance. From here the trail winds slowly uphill through the forest past the back of one of the plants before coming to a wide river bed. Take some time, sit on the bench there and take in the views looking down the valley, a perfect spot to enjoy the sunshine and views.
The entrance to the canyon is on the right hand side and there are two options, the highwater and low water trail. When we were there, there was very little water flowing so we opted to try out the low water option, a little scramble over a smooth rock and we were into the canyon and walking on the ice.
It’s fairly straightforward to find the route through Grotto Canyon, following the river bed, about half way the canyon starts to get a little thinner and the walls slightly higher and more intimidating. Look out for pictographs on the canyon walls at some point, enjoy but don’t touch!
As you reach what looks to be the end of the canyon in winter you can marvel at the big ice falls on the back wall and often spot ice climbers. We decided to head left from the icefalls and continue on through the canyon. There is a sign signalling that you are leaving the maintained trail, shortly after, the canyon walls disappear and the valley opens up. The views looking up at the surrounding views are beautiful.
There is a fairly well trodden path as the Grotto Canyon hike continues through the valley bottom and up on a hill on the left is a hole, a small cave. A clear path seems to lead up to it, but it looked steep and loose to me, so I gave it a miss while my hiking partner headed up to explore it.
We meandered further up through the valley after the cave, rock hopping and crossing snow patches lingering from the winter. It was very much the same but the further we went the fewer people we seemed to bump into and the silence was amazing! Had we started earlier and therefore had more light we would have loved to make it to the end of the valley, if one existed. That’s an adventure for another day with a little more forethought and planning put into it.
We turned around and headed back the same way we came, it was only when we were heading back along the Grotto Canyon hike that we realised how much elevation we had gained slowly heading through the valley. It was a quick and easy roll back to the car and the perfect spring adventure!
How To Find The Trailhead
Parking for the Grotto Canyon hike is easy to find but beware on weekends it can get really busy and fill up fast. Once the parking lot is full people often park on the roadside however I have seen people get tickets for this so watch out, plan ahead and arrive early!
The parking area is signposted for Grotto Pond and is located along Highway 1A between Canmore and Exshaw. Approximately 11km from Highway 1 and Highway 1A you’ll find the Grotto Pond parking area just after the Baymag Industrial area. If you reach Exshaw, you’ve gone too far, turn around!
