Maligne Canyon

Maligne Canyon is one of the most dramatic natural sights near the town of Jasper: a narrow slot gorge cut into limestone by the Maligne River, about 11 kilometres east of town along the Maligne Lake Road. In places the canyon is around 50 metres deep and only a few metres wide, and from the trail along its rim visitors look straight down past ferns, mosses and fossil-bearing rock to the rushing water far below.

The canyon was shaped after the last ice age, as meltwater and the river wore down through the soft, soluble limestone. It is also part of one of the largest underground drainage systems known in North America: much of the water of the Maligne valley disappears into sinkholes at Medicine Lake, further up the road, and travels underground before re-emerging as springs along the lower canyon walls.

A trail follows the canyon downstream, crossing it on a series of numbered footbridges. The upper section near the first bridges is the deepest and most spectacular, with waterfalls and potholes carved into the rock, and is the most visited part; further down, the canyon widens and the trail continues through forest towards the lower bridges. In winter, when the river freezes, guided ice walks lead visitors onto the canyon floor among frozen waterfalls and ice formations.

The 2024 Jasper wildfire burned through the Maligne Canyon area, damaging forest, trails and visitor facilities, and parts of the area have been closed for rehabilitation since. Before planning a visit, check Parks Canada's current information on whether the canyon trail, bridges and Maligne Lake Road are open. When it is open, stay on the trail and behind the railings, as the rock edges are sheer and slippery, and allow one to two hours to walk the upper bridges.