Mistaya Canyon is one of the most commonly missed stops on the entire Icefields Parkway, and that’s genuinely a shame because it delivers one of the most dramatic natural scenes on the whole drive with almost no effort required. Located 5.2 km south of the David Thompson Highway junction and about 74 km north of Lake Louise, the canyon was carved over thousands of years by the Mistaya River, which originates all the way back at Peyto Lake to the south. The result is a deep slot canyon with curvy limestone walls and eroded pothole depressions that look like something out of the American Southwest rather than the Canadian Rockies. What makes the view extra special is the mountain backdrop — from the bridge you can look down into the narrow crevice between the rocks with Mount Sarbach looming in the background, and the river turns a brilliant turquoise from the glacial melt upstream. It’s one of those places that photographs almost too perfectly.
The walk itself is incredibly accessible. It’s just 0.5 km from the parking lot to the bridge, a gradual downhill through the forest that takes about 5 to 10 minutes. A 1.8 km loop trail crosses the canyon and brings you back, and most people can do the full loop in well under an hour. The bridge is the main viewpoint and the safest place to peer into the canyon — all other viewpoints around the canyon are unfenced, so getting close to the rim is very dangerous, especially when the rocks are wet. After the bridge, the trail opens up onto the rocks above the river, which is a gorgeous spot to sit, have a snack, and take in the mountain views with the turquoise water rushing past below you.
