Canyon Creek Ice Caves Trail, Alberta

Start : The Ing’s Mine/Canyon Creek Ice Caves parking lot on Canyon Creek Road.

(S/E) Beginning from the Ing’s Mine/Canyon Creek Ice Caves parking lot, follow Canyon Creek Road as it leads North and runs parallel to Canyon Creek. This initial 5km stretch of the hike isn’t the most interesting, but hang in there, as it does get better!

(1) Reaching a junction in the road, you will keep left (West-North-West) on Canyon Creek Road for another 220m, where you will find a trail branching off into the forest on the right. This portion of the hike has a few intersecting trails, but it seems that they all join back up near the ice cave; follow the most defined route and you should have no problem reaching the cave.

(2) Following this route for roughly 1.16km, you will quickly gain some elevation as you work through the forest to reach the entrance to the ice cave. Nestled in the mountains, the cave keeps a fairly cold temperature year-round, creating the interesting ice formations that give it its name.

(3) Take some time here to get your safety gear and headlamp ready for a bit of cave exploration! While the cave system here sprawls out for about 0.5km, it is recommended that beginners don’t stray more than 150m from the entrance.

After taking some time to explore the fascinating caves, you can head back the same way that you came, planning out your next epic hike in the Bragg Creek area on the return to the trailhead at Ing’s Mine/Canyon Creek Ice Caves parking .(S/E)

* Safety Tip: Bring headlamps, helmets, a two-way radio, and warm clothing when exploring caves. There is a scramble so wear adapted shoes with you and some water.

• Consider bringing a bike to shorten the time necessary to travel the access road and get straight to the good stuff.

Find more hikes in Bragg Creek on 10Adventures.

Forests, foothills, ice cave and ice formations.