Jasper 
During the winter in Jasper National Park, Maligne Canyon is an awe-inspiring sight thanks to its deep walls and snow and ice coverage.
If you plan a hike around Maligne Canyon in this winter, it is essential to go prepared.
During spring to fall, the canyon’s walls are flooded with raging waters and various waterfalls. And during the winter, all those falls freeze, creating that beautiful but equally dangerous landscape.
The best and safest way to explore Maligne Canyon in the winter is with experienced guides and tour operators. These are considered ice walk or ice climbing tours, as the companies outfit visitors with cleats, poles, helmets, and other safety gear for safely getting around the canyon and the frozen surfaces.
After the hikes or walks, don’t forget to grab a bite to eat at one of Jasper’s most well-hidden restaurant gems!
Note: Maligne Canyon is closed until further notice due to impacts from the Jasper Wildfire.
1. A Self-Guided Hike Above and Inside the Canyon
Exploring the frozen canyon floor and within Maligne Canyon is recommended for those with guides, ice climbing experience, or with their own equipment/experienced hikers.
But a hike is still safe around the trail, which looks out over Maligne Canyon. The trails are normally covered in snow and ice still, and ice cleats are highly recommended for any hikes in the area.
An excellent route for those who want to keep the adventure levels to a minimum is to the first and second bridges and back to the parking lot above the canyon.
For those with equipment, a self-guided hike is around 5 km out and back along the canyon floor. This winter-only activity (in summer, the frozen canyon floor is the “la traverse maligne” river) lets you enjoy intriguing formations like ice stalagmites, frozen waterfalls adorning canyon walls reaching as high as 50 m, icy caves and more!
2. Ice Walk Tours in Maligne Canyon
An ice walk through Maligne Canyon will involve getting to the bottom of the deep canyon and exploring the frozen floors with the help of tour guides and ice cleats. This is Maligne Canyon from a whole new view if you’ve done the hike to the bridges before, and takes you into frozen caves, frozen waterfalls, and more unbelievable scenery.
- The SunDog tour company offer Maligne Canyon Ice Walks, Night Hikes at Maligne Canyon, and daytime guided hikes for ages six and up.
- Jasper Hikes and Tours offers Maligne Canyon Ice Walk tours for ages 7 and up, as well as Backcountry Skills programs.
3. Ice Climbing in Maligne Canyon
Ice climbing is a lot like rock climbing and is a more physical experience than ice walking. These guided tours in Jasper offer the chance to explore this unique sport with the help of professionals.
Rockaboo Mountain Adventures provides memorable mountain adventures with Ice Climbing Tours through Maligne Canyon for ages 12 and up until March 31.
4. Continue up the road to Maligne Lake
There are several shorter and simpler winter walking trails around Maligne Lake and the end of Maligne Lake Road. It is a 45-minute drive in normal conditions to get from the trails, bridges, and Kitchen to the lake. If this is a bit far or eats up too much time, there is also Medicine Lake to check out on Maligne Lake Road ,which is only about 20 minutes from the trails.
- Learn about the area’s history on the Mary Schaffer loop. The 3.2km loop offers interpretive signage explaining Mary Schaffre’s importance to early exploration in the Rockies while offering excellent views of Maligne Lake.
- The Moose Lake Loop is another 3km loop on the opposite side of the lake from the Mary Schaffer Loop. Along with Maligne Lake, the trail also leads to the much smaller Moose Lake.
You may like: 7 Things to Do on a Winter Trip to Pyramid Lake – Jasper National Park
Planning your Trip – Maligne Canyon in Winter
What: Maligne Canyon is carved by the rushing Maligned River, fed by the lake of the same name. Maligne Lake is one of the largest natural lakes in Alberta’s mountains, while Maligne Canyon is the deepest canyon in Canada’s Rockies.
Location and how to get there: north on Maligne Lake Road from the Trans Canada Highway (16). Ample parking is available.
Cost: tour costs vary depending on length and age; all Jasper NP visitors must get a National Park Pass at $21 daily.
Best time to go: Open year-round, Maligne Canyon Ice tours open from late November until late March.
Check trail conditions and warnings before you go.
The canyon is not open due to the impacts of the 2024 Jasper Wildfire. It is extremely unsafe.
https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ab/jasper/activ/experience/hiver-winter/canyon