Over recent years the Canadian Rockies has become famous in the winter for its ice walks – hikes through frozen karst canyons, filled with incredible natural ice formations. Whilst there are multiple canyons offering these fantastical views, there are two that undoubtedly stand out above the rest – Canmore’s Grotto canyon, and Banff’s Johnston canyon. If you only have time to visit one, or you’re just wondering how these two iconic hikes differ, read on for our guide to which is the best ice walk in the Canadian Rockies.

Photo Credit: Travel Alberta / Colin Way

Location

The first thing to look at is where each of these canyons is located, as this will often be the deciding factor for visitors with limited time to spend in the mountains.

Where is Grotto Canyon? Grotto Canyon is located along the highway 1A, between Exshaw and Canmore – roughly a 15 minute drive from downtown Canmore, and just over a 1 hour drive from central Calgary. As Canmore’s local canyon hike, it will often become busy on the weekends, but is usually a quiet trail midweek.

Where is Johnston Canyon? Johnston Canyon is also found along the 1A, but further west, midway between Banff townsite and Lake Louise. A 25 minute drive from Banff, or a 30 minute drive from Lake Louise will get you to the trailhead, or just under 2 hours if you’re coming from central Calgary. Because Johnston Canyon tends to draw the touristic crowd from Banff and Lake Louise, it tends to be busy throughout the week, with early mornings being the best chance of finding fewer people on the trail.

Whilst each of the canyons has its closest townsite, in reality they’re both within a comfortable driving distance from anywhere you might be staying in the Bow Valley.

Difficulty

Are the ice walks challenging hikes?

Both Johnston and Grotto canyons are considered ‘easy’ hikes by most people, but, of course, depending on your hiking experience and where you’re visiting from, ‘easy’ can often be a relative term.

In this case, the ease of both hikes refers to the round-trip distance – 5k for Johnston and 4k for Grotto – and elevation gain over the course of the trail – 140m for Johnston and 170m for Grotto. For most people who would be comfortable with half a day of walking at a relaxed pace, either of the canyon trails should be achievable, with plenty of young children and older walkers completing the trails every day. The only difficulty that you should be prepared for with these trails is the terrain itself – as both hikes involve walking on snow and ice.

Do I need any special equipment to do these hikes?

Whilst it is not mandatory, it is highly recommended to equip yourself with a set of micro-spike traction aids for either of these hikes. These can be purchased or rented from outdoor gear stores in town, or are provided by your guide, should you choose to hire one. These traction aids can fit around your regular footwear, and provide small, metal spikes under your foot that will dig into the ice, and grip with each step. Not only do you save yourself from a nasty slip and fall, but it allows you to focus on what you came on the hike to see: the stunning winter scenery.

Between the two trails, Grotto canyon involves more travel directly on exposed ice, and so the risk of slipping is considerably higher on this trail. Having said that, due to the traffic that Johnston canyon sees, even the soft snow gets compacted by footfall, and becomes hard and slippery.

Photo Credit: Andrew Bell @andrewshootsbanff

Scenery

Of course, regardless of which hike you’ve chosen to do, the main draw for either of these locations is the stunning scenery hidden within, and for those hoping to take that perfect frozen picture, it will often be the deciding factor in which trail to choose.

Will I see different things in each canyon? Whilst both canyons are the same geological formation, the way that we experience each one differs because of the trail itself. The Johnston canyon trail was originally blazed by local tea house owner, Walter Camp, who wanted to attract more visitors to his resort along the Banff – Lake Louise highway.

What started as a series of hanging bridges and rope ladders strewn through the canyon has become a solid and well-maintained trail by the national park service. Nowadays, steel walkways are bolted into the side of the canyon, giving hikers access to views that vary from higher up, gazing down into the canyon, to being a few feet above the swift flowing waters of Johnston creek and staring up in awe at the tall canyon walls on both sides.

As well as the unique walkway, visitors will be treated to views of plunging waterfalls – still in full flow but encased in a translucent icy shield – as well as a natural amphitheater covered in blue ice at trail’s end. For those more eagle-eyed travellers, it’s also possible to spy some Devonian period fossils embedded in the layers of rock, now exposed on the canyon wall.

Grotto canyon, by contrast, is less developed than the sturdy steel walkways of Johnston canyon, although this simplicity is part of the trail’s charm. With a much smaller quantity of water flowing along the creek, the Grotto canyon trail involves walking along the frozen base of the canyon the entire time. Rather than purpose-built pathways, hikers will be walking on the exposed icy floor of the canyon for nearly the entire length of the walk.

With traction aids under-foot, this slick walkway becomes a comfortable stroll into otherworldly wonder, as visitors follow the icy blue trail towards frozen ‘waterfalls’ of ground-water ice at the end of the canyon. These frozen towers form differently from the flowing waterfalls of Johnston canyon and are a product of the unique geology of karst canyons. And as a final treat, instead of fossils, this time the more observant among us can spot pictographs – wall paintings from hundreds of years ago, left here by indigenous groups travelling through the canyon on the very same trail.

Is it worth doing both hikes?

After reading the above descriptions you may be leaning more towards one or other of the hikes, whether it’s due to the proximity of where you’re staying, the difficulty of the hike or the scenery on display. And whilst you can’t go wrong with either choice, visitors can only enhance their experience by visiting both canyons, if time allows. Each one offers a different and unique experience, which will undoubtedly make your Canadian Rockies experience truly unforgettable.

Can I hire a guide?

If you’re eager to get out and start exploring, but don’t have the right equipment, aren’t too familiar with the area, or are looking to enhance your experience by hiring a local, knowledgeable guide, then Canadian Rockies Experience can help turn your vacation to the mountains into a once-in-a-lifetime adventure for you and your loved ones. Check out our ice hike experiences here for more information or to book.

Canadian rockies experience winter tours