Originating at an icy mountain lake about an hour southeast of Jasper, the Maligne River spends much of its life under ground. At Maligne Canyon Park, it emerges in an impressive waterfall that you’ll hear long before you can see it. Far below the footbridge over the falls, it races northward through a steep, narrow gorge until it joins the mighty Athabasca.
You can walk from the parking lot to the falls and back in 15 minutes or so, but there’s much more to see if you have the time. Though the floor of the canyon is accessible only by expert hikers, the upper rim is lined with safe, relatively easy walking trails. The going gets steep in a few places, but there are plenty of handrails and other safety aids. As the photos show, an extra half-hour or hour exploring the further reaches of canyon will reward you with memorable views of rock cliffs and wild crevasses.
You could, conceivably, hike all the way back to Jasper; Maligne Canyon Park is on the network of trails radiating from the city. It was only a 15-20 minute bus ride, from town, so should be well within the range of a reasonably fit walker. (Had I been travelling independently, instead of with a group, I’d have probably tried the hike myself; there was an easy-to-follow map posted at the trailhead.)
Shuttle bus service was available for CDN $8 (a little under USD $5.)
In the winter, when even the fast-moving water freezes over, our guide tells us that many locals actually rappel down the frozen waterfall so they can walk through the canyon over the ice!