Grotto Canyon is undoubtedly one of the most popular canyon hikes in the Canadian Rockies, and during peak tourist seasons, it can get quite crowded. However, a visit in the off season is the perfect time to explore this fascinating canyon, where you will find waterfalls, ancient pictographs, and even a cave to explore.
Keep reading this blog post for all the essentials you’ll need to explore the Grotto Canyon Trail near Canmore, including key details of the hike, including where the pictographs are located and how to explore the cave near the end of the hike.
If you are interested in exploring some other similar hikes in the area, check out the following:
THE GROTTO CANYON TRAIL OVERVIEW
To jump ahead to a certain section, click the links below:
GROTTO CANYON TRAIL - KEY INFORMATION
Here is the key hike information:
How Long is 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 cave, which is officially 5.2 km out and back. Hiking to the waterfalls and back is around 4.2km. However, after exploring the waterfall, zigzagging through the canyon, and climbing up to the cave, my tracker showed a total of about 7 km.
What is the Grotto Canyon Hike Difficulty?
I would consider the trail relatively easy. It's very family friendly and is a great trail for younger children to explore. If you have very young kids, this is a good one if you are using a baby carrier. In the winter, traction devices are needed as the canyon floor is often frozen solid like an ice rink!
What is the Elevation Gain on the Trail?
395m according to All Trails, although it is probably closer to 250m if you stop at the cave.
What is the Grotto Canyon Hike Time?
On average, the hike takes about 2 to 3 hours to complete, depending on your pace and how long you spend exploring. We spent quite a bit of time hiking up to the cave and helping the kids back down took some extra time.
When is the Best Time to Visit Grotto Canyon?
The canyon can be visited all year round. In the summer the canyon is mostly dry and the waterfalls are just a trickle. In the winter, the canyon floor turns into an ice rink and the waterfalls turn into ice falls! Visiting during shoulder season is a great way to avoid the crowds.
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, search 'Grotto pond' in google maps. If you're traveling from Calgary on Highway 1, take the Seebee exit (Highway 1X) off the Trans-Canada Highway, then follow it to Highway 1A. Turn left at the intersection and continue past the Exshaw Cement plant. Shortly after, you’ll see a sign for the Grotto Canyon / Grotto Pond parking lot. It is well signposted, so you shouldn’t miss it!
The car park is pretty large, with plenty of spots available. However, during peak tourist season, it does fill up quickly, so it’s best to arrive early or later in the afternoon. In the off-season (October), we arrived around 1 PM on a Sunday and there were only three cars there, so you can avoid the crowds if you time it right.
There are picnic tables by the pond for a quick bit to eat, along with two outhouses in the car park.
Grotto Canyon Trail Map:
The trail starts next to a wooden information structure located roughly in the middle of the car park, across from the pond. You want to make sure that you take the correct trail, as there are other hikes that start from this parking lot too - all much longer and more strenuous than the canyon we are hiking today!
THE TRAIL TO THE CANYON
The beginning of the hike isn't exactly exciting! It runs along a gravel path near the highway, passing under buzzing 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 at least clear signage along this part of the route, so it's easy to get to the start of the canyon. After about 0.7 km, you’ll take a right and head up into the trees, just across from the factory.
After a short meander through the trees, you will arrive at the 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.
This is the point where the hike starts to get exciting, as just past the bench you drop down into the river bed and start hiking up the canyon. The canyon bed is generally pretty flat, but there is one fairly large boulder right at the entrance that you'll need to climb over to get into the canyon. We visited on a rainy day, and the smooth boulder was quite slippery, but the kids had a blast - especially on the way back when they used it as a slide. Just be sure to watch your footing!
EXPLORING THE CANYON
Grotto Canyon is an excellent choice for families with kids, as the creek is mainly a shallow stream, that is easy to navigate around. It's a hike that I'd consider challenging enough to be interesting, but still manageable for most people. There seems to be far fewer large boulders to navigate around compared to other recent canyons we've explored, like Jura Creek Hike and the McGillivray Creek Trail.
The initial part of the hike is essentially a wide riverbed, with a well trodden gravel path that winds its way up the canyon, crossing the small creek via stepping stones. After a short distance, the canyon narrows, and the walls rise dramatically on either side. It’s here that you'll truly appreciate the power of the glacial meltwater that carved this canyon into what you see today.
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!
THE GROTTO CANYON PICTOGRAPHS
As you approach the canyon wall, if you look carefully (at about eye level), you will see the pictograph markings of humans and animals on the wall.
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).
Continue along the canyon bed, and you’ll reach the most beautiful part of the canyon, in my opinion. Here, the walls narrow and tower above you, and it finally opens out at a stunning rock face where you’ll find one waterfalls cascading down.
THE WATERFALLS
While you might overlook the pictographs, you definitely won’t miss the first waterfall, as it comes into view right after you emerge from the narrow part of the canyon. In the summer, it’s less impressive, resembling more of a 'weeping wall' than a true waterfall. However, in the winter, it transforms into a beautiful ice fall, and you’re likely to spot ice climbers scaling the frozen waterfall.
To the right of the weeping waterfall (as you face it), is the second waterfall that, while small, is quite beautiful in the way the water cascades down. You can scramble up to get a closer look, but be careful as it can be quite slippery, especially when it’s raining. In the winter, this area is also popular with ice climbers tackling the frozen falls.
This is a popular spot for many people to stop for a picnic lunch, and then head back to the car. However, I’d recommend continuing on by taking a left turn at the ice falls, as there are still some parts of the canyon to explore. Eventually the canyon widens into a broader creek bed, and gets quite a bit rockier underfoot.
In my opinion this part of the hike isn't as interesting as the rest, but it's still worth continuing if you are interested in seeing the cave (it was our kids' favorite part of the hike).
EXPLORING THE GROTTO CANYON CAVE
To get to the Grotto Canyon cave, you'll need to continue hiking along the river bed for around 750m from the waterfall area. In the distance you will see some large mounds of earth, which I'm told are actually hoodoos (although nowhere near as impressive as the hoodoos in Drumheller).
As you get closer, you’ll spot the cave part way up the hillside. From a distance, it looks like a deep dark hole!
However, as we got closer, we were a little disappointed to find it doesn’t go that far back. That said, the kids were eager to climb up and explore, so off we went!
The climb up to the cave is definitely steeper than it looks. On a few occasions the kids inadvertently kicked some small rocks down the slope, so I'd highly recommend having an adult or two on hand to help the kids navigate both the ascent and, more importantly, the descent.
A word of warning - our kids got VERY muddy on the way down, so only let them do this if you are prepared for the washing that will inevitably follow!
Once you’re done at the cave, you can choose to hike an additional kilometer to the end of the trail. However, our kids were tired (and muddy) from the descent from the cave, so we decided to head back to the car. All in all, it was a great day, and made even better as we did it with friends!
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 and had no issues at all. Although 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! There is a lot of loose rock, so make sure kids are supervised. Our kids were absolutely filthy as they slid down part of it on their butts!
What Wildlife Might I Encounter on the Trail?
As with all of the Canadian Rockies, this is bear country, so carry bear spray and know how to use it. We didn't see any wildlife on the trail though.
WHAT TO TAKE WITH YOU
Good Hiking boots – 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!
Phone – it’s always worth carrying one for emergencies, plus you’ll probably want to take a photo or two…..
Food and Water – 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 – I always recommend bringing a basic first aid kit in your bag as a precaution.
Walking Poles – you may feel more comfortable walking through the rocky canyon floor by using poles, especially if you are heading to the cave and beyond.
Bear spray – This hike is in bear country. Make lots of noise (I’m pretty sure no bears would want anything to do with our noisy kids though!)
ENJOY EXPLORING GROTTO CANYON
In summary, Grotto Canyon is a fantastic year round hike that is perfect for families. I highly recommend trying to visit in the off season to avoid the crowds! If you enjoyed this canyon, why not try some of the other canyons in the area?
As always, if you have any questions about the hike feel free to ask away in the comments section!
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