Maligne Canyon in Summer
There's a reason Maligne Canyon is a popular stop throughout the summer. There's so much to see, packed into a relatively short and easy stretch of trail! Go for scenic bridges, ancient fossils in rock, and more waterfalls than you can shake a camera at. There's enough here to spend multiple hours, but if you're short on time you can see some of the most dramatic drops from Bridges 1 through 3 in about a half hour return journey.
Maligne Canyon Hiking
Get up close and personal with Maligne Canyon by hiking alongside it. The visit can be a short 15 minute sightseeing stop or a longer 3 hour hike with almost anything in between. The trail takes you to a series of bridges that cross over dramatic sections of the canyon (in some places you can look down almost 50 metres). Most hikers start at the top parking lot near the Maligne Canyon Wilderness Kitchen; note that unless you've arranged a car shuttle, this is an out-and-back route and you may wish to budget extra time for the steep climb back up to your starting location!
Short walk: In 15-30 minutes you can read some of the interpretive signs at the upper parking lot and cross the first two bridges. Look out for fossils between First and Second Bridge.
Medium walk: Plan a bit longer to get to and from Third Bridge (30 minutes return) and Fourth Bridge (an hour return).
Longer walk: It takes about two hours to reach and return from Fifth Bridge, which is where the canyon has really started to get shallow and the waterway has widened to become more of a river. Going to Sixth Bridge will add another hour to your walk. This is a quieter, mostly forest-bound stretch that follows the water and finishes at a popular wildflower viewing area.
Find current trail conditions here.
Maligne Canyon Summer Tours
The best way to see Maligne Canyon is with one of the many guided tours. Discover the mysteries of canyon, learn about the flora and fauna, find fossils and get a local perspective.
Summer Experiences
Maligne Canyon Icewalk & Icewalk Tours
Guided Maligne Canyon Icewalk tours are unique experiences only offered during the winter season, typically from December to March. For the 2025/2026 season Maligne Canyon is closed to the public due to damage caused by the Wild Fire Complex in 2024 however Pleckaitis Canyon Icewalk is being offered by some operators.
Winter Experiences
How to get to Maligne Canyon
- Head north-east on Connaught Dr.
- Turn left onto Highway 16 heading east towards Edmonton.
- At the first light turn right to cross a bridge over the Athabasca river.
- Keep left at the fork.
- Continue on Maligne Road until you see signs for Maligne Canyon on your left.
