Maligne Canyon

Maligne Canyon is a narrow limestone gorge carved by the Maligne River in Jasper National Park, Alberta. It is noted for its depth and a series of waterfalls within a relatively short distance, making it one of the park’s most-visited natural features.

A maintained trail with several footbridges allows visitors to view cascades and plunge pools from multiple vantage points along roughly 1.5 kilometres of the canyon. The gorge reaches depths of around 50 metres in places, with exposed limestone walls and sculpted channels.

The canyon formed as the river cut through soluble bedrock, creating steep-walled passages and a sequence of waterfalls and potholes. Over time the area has been developed with walkways and interpretive signage to allow safe public access while protecting the fragile environment.

The canyon sits within Jasper National Park, about 10 kilometres southeast of the town of Jasper, surrounded by forested valleys and mountain terrain in Alberta’s Rockies.

• Depth and length: The canyon is a limestone gorge up to about 50 metres deep and the deepest canyon in Jasper National Park, with a trail that follows roughly 1.5 kilometres of the gorge.
• Year-round access: Accessible year-round, it is popular both for short hikes in summer and for dramatic ice formations and winter walking when the canyon freezes and forms icefalls.

What to See#

• Trail and footbridges: A marked trail with a series of footbridges that cross the canyon at intervals along roughly 1.5 kilometres of gorge, offering multiple viewpoints of pools and waterfalls.
• Canyon geology and waterfalls: Sections of exposed limestone and narrow passages where the Maligne River has cut deep channels and formed waterfalls and potholes visible from the bridges.

Maligne Canyon is in Jasper National Park, about 9-10 km (a roughly 10-15 minute drive) east of the Jasper townsite along Maligne Lake Road (the signed road that branches off the Yellowhead Highway/Highway 16).

There is a parking area at the canyon; short walking trails and boardwalks from the parking lot lead to the main viewing platforms and canyon overlooks (most viewpoints are a short walk from the lot).

• Visit early morning or late afternoon for the best light and far fewer tour-bus crowds-midday in summer is by far the busiest period on the main viewing bridges.
• Use the designated Maligne Canyon day‑use parking area off Maligne Lake Road as your entry point; the lot sits close to the main trail and the sequence of canyon bridges so you can pick how far to walk.
• Don't stop at the first bridge: continue downstream to the lower canyon and the narrower slot sections for the most dramatic views and powerful water flows that many day visitors miss.
• To avoid crowds, start your walk before 9:00 a.m. or return in late afternoon; in winter look into guided ice‑walk programs (book ahead) since the frozen waterfalls and ice formations are best seen with crampons and an experienced guide.