Grotto Canyon Ice Walk: Winter Trail Guide & Tips

Walking along a frozen creek between towering canyon walls is what makes the Grotto Canyon Ice Walk such a fun winter hike near Canmore. As you make your way through the canyon, you’ll walk over sections of ice and packed snow before reaching an impressive frozen waterfall. When the ice is thick and there’s little snow covering it, the canyon floor can turn a beautiful shade of blue.

As Canmore locals, we’ve hiked Grotto Canyon many times over the years, often with our kids. It’s one of our favourite easy winter hikes in Kananaskis, especially later in the season when the ice formations have had more time to build up.

The Grotto Canyon winter hike is relatively short and manageable for most people, but good traction is essential. In this guide, we’ll share what to expect along the trail, when we’ve found the best ice conditions, what to wear and our tips for enjoying the Grotto Canyon ice walk with kids.

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Grotto Canyon Trail Distance, Elevation & Difficulty

Aside from walking on the slippery ice, Grotto Canyon is one of the easiest winter hikes in Kananaskis.

How Long is the Grotto Canyon Ice Walk?

The round-trip distance of the Grotto Canyon Ice Walk trail is approximately 4.2 km.

How Steep is the Grotto Canyon Ice Walk?

The Grotto Canyon winter hike starts with a gradual uphill section, but the incline is gentle. Once you enter Grotto Canyon, you’ll be walking upstream in a mountain canyon, so the trail gets a little steeper, but it’s never too bad. Grotto Canyon is where the ice walking occurs, so chances are you’ll be having so much fun you won’t even notice the uphill.

We have recorded our walks on AllTrails several times and it consistently shows the total elevation gain on the Grotto Canyon ice walk between 250 – 260 m.

How Difficult is the Grotto Canyon Trail?

The only thing that’s hard about the Grotto Canyon ice walk is managing the slippery ice surfaces. It’s a short and reasonably flat ice walk, so as long as you have the proper gear with you, almost everyone should be able to enjoy this unique Kananaskis winter activity.

We provide our recommendations for winter gear and traction devices for the ice walk below.

How Long Does the Ice Walk Take?

Most adults can complete the Grotto Canyon ice walk in approximately 60–75 minutes.

If you are visiting the Canadian Rockies in winter with kids, this is a very popular activity. Kids are slower hikers and will always want to stop and play on the ice. We recently hiked Grotto Canyon with our kids (ages 5 & 7) and we completed the ice walk in just over 2 hours.

Alternatives to the Grotto Canyon Ice Walk

Aside from walking on ice, the Grotto Canyon ice walk is pretty easy, but it’s not for everyone. If you don’t wish to walk on ice, there are many easy winter hikes in Kananaskis Country to enjoy. Some of our favourites which are nearby include the Grassi Lakes Trail and the Heart Creek Trail.

If you are interested in the ice walk, but are nervous about going it alone, there is a very popular Grotto Canyon Icewalk Tour by Discover Banff Tours. We discuss more about this tour below.

What to Expect on the Grotto Canyon Ice Walk

The Walk to Grotto Canyon

Let’s start with the least exciting part of the Grotto Canyon ice walk. The first 0.8 km of the trail is quite possibly one of the least scenic stretches of hiking in Kananaskis.

You walk along a power line near Highway 1A towards the big and loud Baymag magnesium oxide plant. Don’t worry, as the Grotto Canyon ice walk is so fun that you’ll soon forget all about it.

Once you pass the Baymag plant, the hike starts to feel more like a wilderness trail as you enter the forest.

Walking Through the Frozen Canyon

Before long you’ll arrive at the mouth of Grotto Creek Canyon where you can sit on a park bench to put on your microspikes and enjoy amazing views of the mountains surrounding Canmore. If you look closely, you may even see people wild ice skating on nearby Gap Lake.

The magic of this Kananaskis ice walk becomes immediately apparent as you enter Grotto Canyon. A small waterfall at the canyon entrance is often frozen over, giving you your first taste of ice walking.

Once in Grotto Canyon, depending on your luck with ice conditions, you’ll alternate walking between long sheets of slick canyon ice and packed down snow. Some years it feels like the entire width & length of the canyon is full of ice and others it’s mostly snow.

Regardless of the ice and snow conditions, we recommend visiting Grotto Canyon as it’s a magical thing to do in Kananaskis in winter.

The 1.5 km walk through Grotto Canyon to the frozen waterfalls is very beautiful in winter. In addition to the icy canyon floor, the canyon walls can get quite narrow and high above.

This fun combination of winter elements will make you feel like quite the winter adventurer! The ice walk sections are an especially fun and memorable experience.

The Frozen Waterfalls

At the end of the Grotto Canyon ice walk, you’ll arrive at a towering frozen waterfall. The brilliant blue ice is something you really need to see in person. Get up close to the frozen waterfall to enjoy the details of the huge icicles and to listen to the sound of water still flowing underneath.

It’s hard to resist grabbing and sucking on a crystal-clear icicle, but you’re not supposed to drink the water in summer (beaver fever anyone?), so try to resist the frozen variety in winter.

Exploring Beyond the Waterfalls

Most people stop their ice walk on the Grotto Canyon Trail at the frozen waterfalls, but it actually continues to the left and right if you wish to extend your Kananaskis winter adventure. Both options are beyond the scope of the traditional Grotto Canyon ice walk.

To the right, you have the chance to walk up a narrow slot canyon, often fully covered by ice. If the conditions are right, it’s a steep sheet of rippled ice which is incredibly fun to walk up with the right traction device. (I was able to do it confidently in my Kahtoola MICROspikes, but my friend was unable to do it in his Yaktrax). There’s a smaller, hidden frozen waterfall at the end of this section.

Do not attempt this without full confidence in your winter traction device.

To the left, the Grotto Canyon Trail continues for several kilometres. The trail extension is not official, nor maintained beyond the frozen waterfalls. This section of Grotto Canyon is much less popular, but if you are looking for a longer winter hike or snowshoe, this is a satisfying option.

Here, the Grotto Canyon Trail transitions into a wide valley which offers some really good mountain vistas. The snow can get quite deep on this section of Grotto Canyon trail, so we recommend snowshoes.

Best Time for the Grotto Canyon Ice Walk

The best time to experience the Grotto Canyon ice walk depends on a lot of variables, including luck. For example, how early and quickly did the creek freeze in fall? How much snow has fallen recently? How many freeze-thaw cycles have there been this winter?

Although this may vary from year-to-year, we have found that the Grotto Canyon ice walk is better towards the end of winter.

Grotto Canyon in December vs. March

For example, in December there isn’t typically much ice on the floor of Grotto Canyon. You can still enjoy an ice walk at Grotto Canyon during this time, but you may find that the trail alternates between patches of ice and rocky snow.

You may also find your boots break through the ice into the shallow stream below the ice. The Grotto Canyon waterfalls are frozen, but are much smaller in size than later in winter.

By comparison, in March, you’ll typically find the ice coverage at Grotto Canyon much better. There’s no guarantee, but the canyon floor will likely be completely covered with brilliant blue ice. The frozen waterfalls at the end of the trail should also be very well formed.

How Snowfall Affects the Ice Walk

The Grotto Canyon ice walk experience is best when you are walking on a brilliant blue layer of ice. If it has snowed heavily in Canmore or Kananaskis recently, you may wish to wait until the snow has had a chance to melt and turn into a fresh top-layer of ice.

If you aren’t sure about the Grotto Canyon trail conditions, you can always read the latest latest trail reviews on AllTrails.

Guided Grotto Canyon Ice Walk Tours

You can easily enjoy the Grotto Canyon ice walk on your own if you have transportation, proper winter boots and good traction devices. However, joining a guided tour is a great option if you’d rather leave the winter driving, equipment and trail navigation to someone else.

The Grotto Canyon Icewalk tour with Discover Banff Tours includes hotel pickup and drop-off, ice cleats, hiking poles and a knowledgeable local guide. You’ll walk along the frozen creek to the waterfalls while learning about the canyon’s geology and history. Your guide can also help you spot the ancient pictographs, which took us years of visiting Grotto Canyon to finally find! Hot chocolate and a maple cookie are included, making this a fun way to spend a winter morning or afternoon.

Another popular option is the Johnston Canyon Icewalk tour in Banff National Park. Unlike Grotto Canyon, where you walk directly on the frozen creek, Johnston Canyon has elevated walkways along the canyon walls, leading to impressive frozen waterfalls. There’s also a Johnston Canyon evening ice walk if you’d like to experience the canyon after dark. (Read more about the Johnston Canyon Trail).

If walking on a frozen creek appeals to you, we’d recommend Grotto Canyon. If you’re staying in Banff and want to see frozen waterfalls from the canyon’s elevated walkways, Johnston Canyon is another excellent choice. All three tours include transportation and traction devices, making them convenient options for visitors without a rental car or their own winter hiking equipment.

Grotto Canyon Pictographs

The Grotto Canyon ice walk isn’t just a super fun thing to do in Kananaskis in winter, you can also see a bit of Alberta history. As you near the Grotto Canyon waterfalls, look to the left to see some pictographs of humans and animals, thought to be drawn between 500-1,300 years ago by the Hopituh Shi-nu-mu people (“Hopi” for short).

One of Grotto Canyon pictographs is thought to be a flute player (also known as a “Kokopelli”). This symbol has been described as their symbol of fertility and as a traveler. As Hopi clans explored new territory, they left paintings of the flute player along the way.

It took me years of hiking and ice walking Grotto Canyon before I finally found the pictographs. Probably because the pictographs are near the waterfall, which is beautifully distracting. But another reason is because the Grotto Canyon pictographs are faded and hard to see.

Where are the Grotto Canyon Pictographs?

The Grotto Canyon pictographs are very easy to miss. The location of the Grotto Canyon pictographs can be found as you near the end of the hiking trail heading towards the waterfall. The easiest way to find them is on the way back from the Grotto Canyon waterfall.

Walk away from the waterfall down the same hiking trail which got you there. The canyon will be straight for approximately 50-100 m and then it will make an abrupt right-hand turn. As soon as you make the right hand turn, look down at the canyon wall on your right and you will see a smooth rock face with the Grotto Canyon pictographs on them.

— Don’t touch the pictographs —
Oil from human skin is very damaging to the pictographs. If you are lucky enough to spot them, please help preserve these treasures for future generations.

Grotto Canyon Trailhead, Parking & Map

The Grotto Canyon ice walk is located between Canmore and Exshaw in a unique part of Bow Valley Provincial Park in Kananaskis, making it an ideal outing for anyone visiting Canmore in winter.

You’ll find the Grotto Canyon ice walk trailhead at the parking lot near Grotto Mountain Pond. As Grotto Canyon is in Kananaskis Country, you will need a Kananaskis Conservation Pass to park here.

If the Grotto Canyon parking lot is full, another fun trail is just 5 minutes down the highway. The kid-friendly Jura Creek winter hike features two slot canyons and often has sections of ice walking.

An interesting fact about the Grotto Canyon Trail is that the Bow Valley Provincial Park includes all the areas south of Highway 1A, but north of the highway the only area in the provincial park is the land around Grotto Mountain Pond and the full length of the Grotto Canyon Trail. All the mountainous land just outside the Grotto Canyon trail is not included in the Bow Valley Provincial Park.

Grotto Canyon Trail Map

The Grotto Canyon Trail is well-signed and easy to follow. Once you find the trailhead (in the middle of the Grotto Pond parking lot) simply follow the signs all the way to Grotto Canyon.

We used the AllTrails app while on the Grotto Canyon ice walk, but to be honest, we didn’t need it for navigation purposes. We use AllTrails for all our adventures in the Canadian Rockies and our family hiking trips around the world. In addition to helping stay on the trails, we like the ability to track our stats including distance and elevation gain.

To find the Grotto Canyon ice walk map in AllTrails, simply search for “Grotto Canyon Trail”. You are close enough to Exshaw that you should get intermittent cell service on the ice walk, but just to be safe, download your hiking maps prior to leaving.

What to Wear for the Grotto Canyon Ice Walk

If possible, wear waterproof or water-resistant winter boots on the Grotto Canyon ice walk. It’s common for the water in Grotto Creek to continue running under the ice all winter long. The ice can be thin in places, and your boots may break through into the shallow water below, although it’s rarely very deep.

Regardless of what you wear on your feet, be cautious of thin spots in the ice. You’ll be glad your boots are waterproof if you are unlucky enough to break through the upper layer of canyon ice.

Also, keep in mind that you will be hiking in a narrow canyon in the middle of winter. This means the walls of Grotto Canyon will block the sun, making it feel colder than the forecasted temperature.

The canyon can also act like a wind tunnel, making it feel even colder. We recommend dressing in layers and having a good day bag to store unused layers in.

Best Traction Devices for the Ice Walk

Your biggest risk on the Grotto Canyon ice walk is slipping on the ice. Having good quality traction on your winter boots is essential. Winter hikers to Grotto Canyon have several options for traction devices, which we discuss in our post on traction devices for winter hiking.

For the Grotto Canyon ice walk, we highly recommend Kahtoola MICROspikes. Their steel teeth dig into the ice, providing excellent traction.

I recently hiked Grotto Canyon in winter with a good friend who was wearing Yaktrax. He was able to make it to the frozen waterfall, but he had much more trouble with his footing on the ice than I did.

Another fun winter trail to enjoy your MICROspikes is the Green Monster winter hike. This fun Kananaskis winter hike features 8 frozen waterfalls!

Snowshoes are ok for traction on the ice, but not great. If you already own snowshoes, but not microspikes, it probably doesn’t make sense to shell out for more winter traction devices.

Grotto Canyon Ice Walk Safety

Taking care of your foot traction on ice isn’t your only safety concern at Grotto Canyon in winter.

No matter what activity you do in Kananaskis in winter, it’s always a good idea to check the trail report before you go to check for any area closures, dangerous animals in area, etc. Please check the Grotto Creek Canyon trail report by Alberta Parks before you head out.

Even in winter, it’s important to be aware of wildlife while hiking in Grotto Canyon. Bears should be hibernating, but wolves, cougars, elk, etc. still provide a safety risk to Kananaskis visitors. Take a few minutes and read “Living with Wildlife” by Alberta Parks.

This Kananaskis ice walk follows a narrow canyon nestled in-between Grotto Mountain and Gap Mountain. Any time you venture towards the base of a mountain in winter, you need to assess the avalanche risk. Avalanche.ca is an excellent resource for assessing your Kananaskis avalanche risk.

Grotto Canyon Ice Walk with Kids

Hiking the Grotto Canyon ice walk with kids is a super-fun thing to do in Kananaskis in winter. Walking uphill on a frozen creek through a beautiful mountain canyon is an exciting experience for kids. The Grotto Canyon trail is short and flat enough that most kids should be able to complete it without issue, as long as everyone has the proper traction gear.

We’ve done this fun Kananaskis ice walk with our kids several times and they love it. Our kids were just two and four years old the first time we took them on the Grotto Canyon ice walk. They do not make traction devices for very small kids, so we alternated between carrying our kids backpack carriers and simply holding their hands tightly.

Before going on the Grotto Canyon ice walk with kids, be sure to have a plan for your foot traction. For the adults, it’s very important to have excellent traction with the ability to move quickly in case you need to go help a little one who slipped.

We personally use and highly recommend Kahtoola MICROspikes. Everyone in our family owns at least one pair. Kahtoola didn’t make kid-sized MICROspikes when our kids were little, but they do now.

Microspikes are best, but small kids can wear snowshoes instead. If you opt for kid’s snowshoes, look for a pair with good quality front and back crampons.

Grotto Canyon Facilities & Practical Tips

• On-leash dogs are allowed on the Grotto Canyon ice walk trail.
  
  
• The Grotto Canyon parking lot serves the Grotto Canyon Trail and the Grotto Pond day use area. It’s a medium sized parking lot, but the lot can fill quickly especially on weekends. Be aware, there is a warning sign here regarding vehicle break-ins. Bring your valuables with you or better yet, leave them at home.
  
  
• There are toilets at the end of the Grotto Canyon parking lot.
  
  
• There are many picnic tables around Grotto Pond.
  
  
• There are no drinking water facilities at Grotto Canyon, so top up your refillable water bottles before you leave home.

Whether you enjoy the Grotto Canyon ice walk on your own or on a guided tour, we hope you enjoy it as much as we do!!