Grotto Canyon is one of the most well known hikes in the Canadian Rockies, and it can get busy during peak seasons. However, if you are visiting this part of Canada for the first time in winter, then its a āmust do hikeā, especially if you have young kids. Ā You wonāt have the canyon all to yourself, but the crowds are manageable.
After all, itās not every day that you get to walk up a canyon bed on top of frozen ice; with some parts so smooth that you could almost ice skate on it! You can watch ice climbers scale the impressive frozen waterfalls (there are two), and there are plenty of opportunities for kids to slide down natural ice slides for literally hours of fun.
We wrote about our experience visiting Grotto Canyon in the offseason where we practically had the canyon to ourselves. If you are planning to visit the canyon between April and November, then this blog post will have more relevant information:
Keep reading this blog post for all the essentials youāll need to explore the Grotto Canyon Trail near Canmore, including key details of the hike, including where the pictographs are located and what to expect when hiking the canyon in winter.
Why not try some of our other favourite hikes in the area that are close by?
THE GROTTO CANYON HIKE IN WINTER OVERVIEW
To jump aheadĀ to a certain section, click the links below:
GROTTO CANYON TRAIL IN WINTER - KEY INFORMATION
Here is the key hike information:
What is the Length of the Grotto Canyon hike?
The trail is officially listed as 7.1 km out and back on AllTrails, but many hikers don't go all the way to the end. We hiked up to the ice falls and skipped the cave on this occasion, which is about 4,2km out and back. If you add in visiting the cave, then it adds about another kilometer to the hike.
How Hard is the Hike?
The hike is one of the easier ones in the area, and a great option for those with young kids. It's very family friendly and is a great trail for younger children to explore. Just make sure to bring traction devices for your feet as you are likely to be walking on sheet ice for large parts of the trail.
How Long Does it Take to Hike Grotto Canyon?
On average, the hike takes about 2 hours to complete, depending on your pace and how long you spend sliding down frozen ice slides!
When is the Best Time to Visit Grotto Canyon?
It is possible to visit Grotto Canyon pretty much all year round. In the summer months the canyon tends to just have a small trickle of water coming through, and the waterfalls aren't really waterfalls - more like weeping walls. The canyon is best visited in the winter, as you get to see the two amazing ice falls in all their glory, plus the kids will have loads of fun sliding down natural 'ice slides'. Another great time to visit is during the off-season to try and avoid the crowds.
If you are visiting in the Summer you may want to read our guide to visiting Grotto Canyon in the shoulder season.
Do I need a Permit or Park Pass?
A reminder that this hike is in Kananaskis country and you need to purchase a Kananaskis Conservation Pass. This can either be purchased online or at designated kiosks in the area.
PARK AT THE GROTTO POND IN EXSHAW
For directions to the parking lot, simply search for "Grotto Pond" on Google Maps. If you're coming from Calgary on Highway 1, take the Seebee exit (Highway 1X) off the Trans-Canada Highway. From there, continue until you reach Highway 1A, turn left at the intersection, and continue past the large cement plant. Not too much further down the road you will come to a sign for Grotto Canyon. The route is well-marked, so you shouldn't have trouble finding it!
The parking lot is fairly large with plenty of spaces. However, during peak tourist season, it tends to fill up quickly, so it's a good idea to arrive either early or later in the afternoon to secure a spot.
Grotto Canyon Trail Map:
The trail starts next to the wooden information structure located about part way up the car park, across from Grotto pond.
Make sure you take the correct trail, as there are several other hikes that start from the same parking lot. These other trails are much longer and more strenuous than the canyon hike weāll be doing today!
THE HIKE TO THE CANYON
The beginning of the hike isn't particularly exciting. The path is a fairly icy trail that follows the highway, passing under power lines until you reach the Baymag Mineral Processing Facility. Not exactly the hallmarks of a great Canadian Rockies hike (it does get better, I promise)!
As uninteresting as this part of the trail is, there is one small rocky area off to the right that our kids love scrambling up ā it doesnāt go anywhere, and they usually get filthy, but they have fun all the same!
After about 0.7 km, youāll take a right and head up into the trees, just across from the factory, and itās from there just a short walk until you arrive at the wide river bed. There is a bench at the bank of the river bed which is a nice place to stop for some views of the mountains. Just past the bench you drop down into the river bed and start hiking up the canyon.
EXPLORING THE CANYON
The beginning of the hike follows a wide riverbed, with a well-trodden gravel path that winds its way up the canyon. Depending on how much snow there has been, this may or may not be packed with snow, ice, or a combination of both. After a few twists and turns though you will arrive at section of the canyon that completely freezes, which is where the fun starts!
As you can see from the photos ā the ice is pretty clearĀ and in many sections you could probably skate on it when there hasnāt been a recent snow fall! There were a few areas where a small trickle of water from the creek below became visible, but even on a warm (above zero) day in December, the ice was safely frozen to walk on, even with some slushy parts. Ā
After a short distance, the canyon narrows, and the walls rise dramatically on either side. Itās here that you'll truly appreciate the power of the glacial meltwater that carved this canyon into what you see today.
THE GROTTO CANYON PICTOGRAPHS
Eventually you will arrive at a section where the wall on the left hand side of the canyon rises steeply and is almost vertical. This is the point in the canyon where you will find the famous pictographs - they are pretty easy to miss if you aren't looking for them, so keep an eye out (you should see some reddish markings of humans and animals at about eye level. Ā
The pictograph origins are unclear, but they are estimated to be around 1000 years old, so it's unsurprising that they have faded a bit over the years. Remember, do not touch the drawings to preserve them for years to come. While researching this blog post, I came across a really interesting read from RETROactive, a blog maintained by the Historic Resources Management Branch of Alberta Arts, and it is well worth a read if you want to know more on the pictographs origins (no affiliation at all, just a genuine interesting read).
THE WATERFALLS
Continue along the canyon bed, past the pictographs, and youāll reach the most beautiful part of the canyon.
Here, the walls really narrow and tower above you, before the canyon opens out at a stunning rock face where youāll find a wonderful frozen waterfall. You'll often see ice climbers scaling the frozen falls which is a cool sight to see!
To the right of the ice falls (pictured above), there is a second ice falls that you can scramble up to. The climb up to the falls is short, but it is very slippery (which made it extra fun for our kids, but I'm sure some adults might not appreciate slipping and sliding back down on their bums!
The highlight of our girls day was playing on the natural 'ice slides' that form at the bottom of the second waterfall. I have to admit, it was quite a lot of fun!
Once youāre done at the falls, you can choose to continue the hike up to a small cave, however as we did it in the summer we decided to skip it this time and turn back, stopping at some really cool ice formations on the way.
GROTTO CANYON TRAIL - FAQ
Is the Grotto Canyon Trail Suitable for Children?
Grotto Canyon is a perfect trail to explore with kids - it's not too difficult, but there are lots of things to keep them entertained. It's especially fun in the winter!
Is the Hike Dog Friendly?
Yes, the trail is very dog friendly. We took our golden retriever in the summer and had no issues at all. It all depends how comfortable you are bringing your dog when it's icy underfoot - ours pulls A LOT! I wouldn't recommend taking your dog up to the cave due to the possibility of falling rocks. Remember to keep dogs leashed.
Is it Possible to Climb up to the Cave?
Yes, but it is stepper than it looks! We have only ever done this in the summer, but there was a lot of loose rock, so make sure kids are supervised. I can imagine it makes a somewhat dangerous ice slide in the winter!
WHAT TO TAKE WITH YOU
Good Hiking boots ā This is definitely not a flip flop type of hike! Make sure the whole family has some good hiking boots. In the winter you will need some form of traction device, as the narrow canyon turns into an ice rink!
Ice Cleats - we recently bought the girls these Kids Ice Cleats by High Stream GearĀ off Amazon. They've worn them a few times and we are really happy with them so far. Me and Susie both have the Kahtoola MICROspikesĀ and really like those as well. Neither of these are affiliate links; just products that we like.
Phone ā itās always worth carrying one for emergencies, plus youāll probably want to take a photo or twoā¦..
Food and Water ā Bring lots of water! We recently bought both of our kids Camelbaks so that they can drink on the go and it has been a game changer! Bring plenty of snacks and gummy treats!
Dress in Layers - Weather can change quickly in the mountains. Dressing in layers lets you adjust to whatever comes your way
First Aid Kit ā I always recommend bringing a basic first aid kit in your bag as a precaution.
Walking Poles ā you may feel more comfortable walking through the rocky canyon floor by using poles, especially if you are heading to the cave and beyond.
ENJOY EXPLORING GROTTO CANYON
In summary, Grotto Canyon is a fantastic year round hike that is perfect for families. It is so much fun in the winter, so I definitely recommend getting out there and visiting!
If you enjoyed visiting Grotto Canyon in the winter, why not try some other amazing hikes that can all be done in the winter too?
As always, if you have any questions about the hike feel free to ask away in the comments section!
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