There are several beautiful winter hikes with a frozen waterfall (or icefall) as the destination. At some, you may even see ice climbers skillfully scaling the ice with their ice axes and crampons. I’d absolutely recommend visiting each of these hikes at least once. They are beautiful, easy to moderately difficult, and allow you to see a different side of these trails compared to the summer months.
As with any winter hiking, I recommend bringing microspikes (trail crampons) and poles for added grip and stability. Not only does this keep you safer on the trail, but it also makes hiking across ice and packed snow much easier. As well, make sure to stay hydrated, as cold weather can sometimes make you forget to drink enough water. Keep an eye on the daylight hours and the weather forecast so you can be prepared.
Green Monster Icefall
The Green Monster is a frozen waterfall known for its green hue. The trail starts at Evan-Thomas Day Use parking lots, about 1 hour from Calgary, and continues along Evan-Thomas creek.
There is one technical section that includes chains and a rope to help you navigate a narrow ledge and steep descent around a narrow section of the creek bed. Otherwise, the trail is fairly flat, covering almost 11 km out-and-back. You’ll pass a number of frozen waterfalls along the cliff adjacent to the creek before reaching the Green Monster itself. It’s common to see ice climbers here enjoying the icefall.
The Green Monster is particularly interesting in the winter, as the frozen falls and creek make it possible to get up close to the waterfall in a way that isn’t possible during the summer months.
Grotto Canyon
The hike to Grotto Canyon is short and sweet, only 4.4 km round trip. This out-and-back trail off Highway 1A near Canmore takes you along the canyon floor to a couple icefalls at the end.
Make sure to bring spikes for this hike, as you’re walking along the frozen creek for the majority of the trail. Keep an eye out on the left side of the canyon just before you reach the falls, as there are some Hopi pictographs visible here.
Please be respectful of the space and follow leave-no-trace, including no vandalism of the canyon walls and rocks.
Johnston Canyon
Johnston Canyon is a popular and well-known 5 km hike in Banff that is packed during the summer and less, but still popular during the winter. Much of this hike is on a grate walkway over the canyon floor and waterfalls. I’d highly recommend wearing microspikes on this trail, as the walkway ices over badly due to the condensation from the falls.
I recommend going early on the weekends or visiting on a weekday if possible, as the trail can get very busy. Both the upper and lower falls are stunning while frozen over, and there is a good chance you’ll see climbers on the upper falls.
You can continue hiking to the Ink Pots past the upper falls; however, it’s important to note that the trail may not be packed down. If you’re planning to hike this section, it’s recommended to bring snowshoes. Check the comments on AllTrails before you go to see if snowshoes are necessary for the current conditions.
