With an inauspicious start next to a chemical plant on a path overhung with electric lines, a hike in Grotto Canyon makes for a surprising day out. The unusual beginning of the trek is made even more delightful by what you’ll find just a few kilometers ahead.

Grotto Canyon is not to be missed. Located in Canmore, Alberta, just 25 minutes outside of Banff, this narrow gorge is full of surprises. On a Grotto Canyon day trip from Banff, enjoy natural and historical marvels of the Canadian Rockies with the help of a guide.

Here's all you need to know about Grotto Canyon, one of the most exciting day trips from Banff.

How to get to Grotto Canyon from Banff?

Grotto Canyon is a quick jaunt by car from Banff, Alberta. At only 32 kilometers southeast from the city, you can drive there in less than 30 minutes.

From Banff to Grotto Canyon by car

From downtown Banff, take Mt. Norquay Rd west to Trans-Canada Hwy/AB-1 E in Canmore. Take exit 91 to Bow Valley Trail/AB-1A E until you reach the trailhead.

Guided tour to Grotto Canyon from Banff

Making the trip to Grotto Canyon on a guided tour makes your visit simple. A guided tour combines round-trip transportation, entry fees, gear rental and a passionate leader who will fill your excursion with facts about the local environment and the First Nations who left their mark here.

Hiking on the ice on a guided tour is a safe way to explore the canyon in winter conditions, and your guide will prove to be a fountain of information to enhance your outing.

How much does the entrance ticket to Grotto Canyon cost?

A Kananaskis Conservation Pass is required to access Grotto Canyon. A pass for a personal vehicle costs Can$15 (US$11) per day and must be posted on the dashboard of the car. For visits longer than 5 days, an annual pass is available for Can$90 (US$70) per vehicle.

What is the typical itinerary?

Tours start in the morning with pickup from Banff’s Mt Royal Hotel. Be sure to arrive at the meeting point at least 5 minutes before the 8:15 to 8:30 pickup window. Relax on the short drive from Banff to the trailhead as your driver-guide tells you about the region.

At the trailhead, your leader will take some time to fit you with ice cleats and poles and give you some pointers on winter hiking. The total hiking tour is between 2 and 2.5 hours and covers about 4.5 kilometers of trail round-trip with an elevation gain of about 100 meters.

You’ll pause for a rest and a snack during the hike before returning to the trailhead. The excursion will last around 4 hours total.

What kinds of tours are available to go to Grotto Canyon?

Guided day tour to Grotto Canyon from Banff

Join an ice walk through Grotto Canyon for an uncommon way to explore this slot canyon on a day tour from Banff. Bundle up in Banff and meet a guide for an adventure walking on frozen Grotto Creek while looking out for wildlife, ice climbers and 1,000-year-old pictographs. A guided tour offers all that you will need to make the most of a trip into this dazzling gorge.

Small groups of no more than 12 people assure that you will have proper attention from your guide and better chances of spotting wildlife.

How much does a day trip to Grotto Canyon from Banff cost?

Guided tours to Grotto Canyon cost around US$70 per person and provide pickup and drop-off in Banff, a guided hike filled with fascinating commentary, use of ice cleats and poles and a warming drink and snack. All taxes, fuel and entry fees are also included.

What will you see and do?

The road to the Grotto Canyon trailhead passes through the Bow Valley and alongside the meandering Bow River. On the short drive, witness rock formations and oxbows in the valley surrounded by jagged peaks reaching over 2,600 meters.

At the start of the hike, look past the chemical plant to vistas of the Bow Valley Mountains and Gap Lake. A small waterfall greets you on the first part of your hike. Hike through a douglas fir forest, checking the snow for wolf, moose and snowshoe hare tracks. Reach the frozen creek just shy of 1 kilometers into the outing.

Start your 100-meter ascent up the creek as the canyon narrows and you spy icefalls and rock formations. At times the canyon will be as narrow as 3 meters. If the sun is shining just right, snap photos of the creek ice as it glows a glassy blue-green.

Along the way, pause at rock paintings that date back centuries. The guide will point them out while giving you the fascinating backstory of the people who passed through generations ago.

The pictographs depict animals and a kachina, the flute-playing symbol of American southwestern tribes. In fact, the pictographs are thought to be evidence of Hopis from Arizona that mysteriously made their way north long ago.

After the pictographs, notice the main falls that cling for many meters down the cliffside. You may see intrepid ice climbers working their way up the frozen cascade. Stop for a break with some hot chocolate and maple cookies. Returning by the same route you arrived, take in a new perspective of the path before returning to Banff by minibus.

When is the best time to visit Grotto Canyon?

Although a hike in Grotto Canyon is great at any time of year, ice walks are possible from about mid-November to early April. It’s wise to book a Grotto Canyon tour at the beginning of your stay in Banff to give you a chance to reschedule if necessary. When temperatures in the canyon dip to -30 degrees Celsius, trips will be postponed or canceled.

What other day trips can you do from Banff?

Travel tips

Book your tour early as they are likely to sell out.
Dress in layers to prepare for low winter temperatures in the canyon.
If guides deem your clothing unsafe for weather conditions, you may be turned back from the tour without a refund.
Winter outerwear is available for rent in Banff.

Grotto Canyon: Day Trips and Tours from Banff