Grassi Lake and Grotto Canyon Hiking Calgary/Canmore/Banff
Description
Discover the natural wonders just beyond Canmore and Banff, where every stop offers a new story and unforgettable views. The journey begins with Grassi Lake, a hidden gem tucked in the forest. In the warmer months, its crystal-clear turquoise waters sparkle under the sun, while in winter, the lake transforms into a quiet frozen scene, surrounded by snow-dusted evergreens and dramatic mountain peaks. Nearby, Grotto Canyon offers a completely different kind of adventure — walk through towering rock walls where ancient pictographs still whisper stories of the past. In winter, the frozen creek becomes a natural ice path, leading you past hanging icicles and frozen waterfalls; in summer, it’s a peaceful trail lined with flowing water and striking stone formations.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Grotto Canyon is a stunning natural attraction near Canmore, Alberta. Known for its unique rock formations, the canyon features impressive limestone cliffs, ancient Indigenous pictographs, and a scenic creek that freezes in winter, creating an ideal spot for ice walks. The trail through the canyon offers a peaceful and adventurous experience, making it a favorite destination for hikers and nature lovers year-round.
Famous for their crystal-clear, vibrant turquoise waters and panoramic views of the Bow Valley. In winter, the lakes and surrounding area take on a serene, magical quality, with snow blanketing the trails and cliffs. The frozen lakes create a stunning backdrop for winter photography, and the area is also popular with ice climbers. It's a tranquil winter escape, perfect for outdoor enthusiasts.
Travelers will discover a charming mountain retreat surrounded by awe-inspiring natural beauty. They can explore the vibrant streets lined with boutique shops and restaurants, visit historic landmarks like Banff Avenue. (Lunch at Banff Town)
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Please ensure that you are prepared and present 15 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time. Our tour guide will pick you up and drop you off at the lobby. Here are the designated departure times and locations: 07:15 Delta Hotel by Mariott, 209 4 Ave SE 08:40 Travel Alberta Canmore Visitor Information Centre (2801 Bow Valley Trail, Canmore, AB T1W 3A2) 09:00 Banff Caribou Hotel, 521 Banff Ave The pick-up times may vary depending on the status of the tour.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- All pick-up times and locations are fixed. Please carefully review the pick-up detail and choose the location that best suits you. If you have any special requests, please don't hesitate to contact us directly.
- This is a local bus tour, and you will join the tour with other travelers locally. If you would like a private tour, please contact us directly.
- If there are not enough participants for a tour in your selected language, we will contact you to discuss joining a tour in another language.
- If the minimum number of participants is not met, we reserves the right to cancel your booking or change the tour date. We will contact you prior to the departure to inform you of any changes.
- Total tour duration includes travel time
- We will send a reminder the day before your tour. Please be sure to check your email or messages.
- Due to the unpredictable road conditions and weather, the itinerary may be subject to adjustments. We will inform you of any changes to the itinerary the day before the tour.
- Kindly let us know if you'll be bringing luggage, a wheelchair, stroller, or anything that may require extra storage space, as there may be an additional charge.
Reviews(6)
Tour was well organized. Guide was professional and knowledgeable. We recommend this tour for anyone even beginner hikers. Guide kept us safe and at a manageable pace. Grassi Lake was amazing!!! Walking along the frozen creek through Grotto canyon was also incredible.
Thank you so much for the recommendation! We are thrilled to hear that you felt safe and comfortable with our guide's pace. We truly believe the beauty of places like Grassi Lakes and Grotto Canyon should be accessible to everyone, regardless of hiking experience. Walking along that frozen creek is a magical experience, and we’re so glad you enjoyed it! We hope to see you back for another adventure soon.
We joined this tour as a young family with a 6 year old. It was a small group so we got a good chunk of the guide's attention. Our guide Tony was friendly and attentive. As a party with a kid, we hiked slower than other guests but Tony was very patient with us. The 2 hiking sessions feel a bit challenging for kids without outdoor experiences (average adults would finish them easily) but we pulled through and the reward was amazing. The trails were great with unqiue sights along the way with icy river and snowy mountain views but the finale were spectacular wonders forged by nature.. As the last part of the tour which should have been Banff town, I asked if Tony could drop us off at the first Vermilion lake right outside of the town, would save us a long walk. Upon understanding my goal to let my daughter try skating on a lake, Tony told us this last part of the tour is quite flexible as long as time permits and counter-offered taking us to Lake Minnevanka instead which should much improve our experience. Cannot praise him enough for this. Highly recommend this trip and our guide Tony.
Thank you so much for sharing your family’s experience with us! We were touched to hear about your daughter's goal to go skating. Tony is a wonderful part of our team, and his ability to adapt the tour to make a child’s dream come true is exactly what we strive for. We are so glad he could take you to Lake Minnewanka for a better experience! We also appreciate your feedback on the hikes—it's great to hear that even though they were a bit challenging, the 'spectacular wonders' at the end were worth the effort. We hope your daughter has wonderful memories of her first time on the ice! Please come back and see us again when she's ready for her next big hike.
Once again, my experience today was completely AMAZING. William does everything possible to make you feel good and enjoy the tour... In two days, I knew many beautiful places and incredible landscapes. :)
Thank you so much for your lovely message! We're so happy to hear that you had another amazing experience. It’s wonderful that you got to discover so many beautiful places and breathtaking landscapes in just two days. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with William — he’ll be thrilled to know his efforts made your trip even more special. We hope to see you again for more adventures!
This trip with Banff Journey was amazing! Our tour guide, William, was so knowledgeable, flexible and made my tour so memorable.
Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re thrilled to hear you had an amazing trip with us and that William helped make your experience so memorable. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to see you again on another adventure in the Rockies!
I highly recommend this tour as it provides 3 unique experiences from a winter canyon walk, to a beautiful Canadian lake, to the charm of Banff Town. Grotto Canyon Ice Walk (winter only) – Great tour/hike in the Grotto Canyon! Beautiful photo opportunities along the hike. I appreciate how safety is a priority. Crampons and hiking sticks (on request) are provided so travelers don’t slip on the snow/ice. As a solo female traveler I also appreciate how friendly and helpful the tour guides are. They are always offering to take everyone’s photo and are helping those that may need a little extra help on the hike. Grassi Lake – Beautiful turquoise waters with sooo many photo opportunities! Once you reach the top, you’re able to walk around the lake giving beautiful angles and views of the lake. Banff – The tour guides gave us the option of seeing the Banff Gondola or spending time in Banff Town. As I was staying in Banff, I appreciated the flexibility. William truly goes above and beyond. He took us to Banff Town and other less traveled scenic spots. I felt as if I was getting the local experience making this tour one of the most memorable tours I’ve been on.
Thank you so much for your kind words! We're so happy to hear you had such a memorable time on the tour. It’s great to know that the Grotto Canyon Ice Walk and all the stunning spots along the way left a lasting impression. We’re also glad you felt safe and supported during the hike, and that our guides could make your experience even more enjoyable. We really appreciate your feedback about the flexibility in Banff—it’s always our goal to make sure our guests get a taste of the local vibe. It sounds like you had an amazing adventure, and we’re thrilled to have been part of it. Hope we get to welcome you again soon for another unforgettable journey!
This was an amzaing experience, totally recommend to do during winter time if you have time. Deprture was from our stay in Calgary, we were provided with newded equipment. We were accompanied by tour guide. We reallybenjoyed the ice walking experience on the grotto canyon. We visited lakel lous Iouise and banff town too and we were dropped back to Calgary.
Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re thrilled you had such a memorable winter adventure, from the ice walk at Grotto Canyon to exploring Lake Louise and Banff Town. It’s great to hear you enjoyed the experience and felt well taken care of. We truly appreciate your recommendation and would love to have you join us again for another amazing tour in the future!
