8 magical frozen waterfalls in Alberta that make the perfect winter trip

They're out of this world! ❄️

Someone at Troll Falls. Right: Someone at Johnston Canyon

Someone at Troll Falls. Right: Someone at Johnston Canyon

Creator

It might not seem that fun to head outdoors during the winter months, but in Alberta, there's a ton of incredible winter scenery to check out, including some magical waterfalls that will make you feel like you're in Narnia.

These waterfalls are full of stunning natural ice sculptures to view while taking time out in the chilly mountain air. There's truly nothing like it.

If you want to do winter in Alberta right, you'll want to plan a trip to one of these frozen beauties stat!

Johnston Canyon

Address: Banff, AB

Why You Need To Go: This Banff hike is popular year-round but when winter hits, it turns into the most stunning winter wonderland with huge glistening frozen falls.

Maligne Canyon

Address: Jasper National Park, AB

Why You Need To Go: Visiting Maligne Canyon in winter is like seeing the movie Frozen come to life. The huge canyon is 50 metres deep and covered in natural ice sculptures that have to be seen to be believed.

Troll Falls

Address: Kananaskis Country, AB

Why You Need To Go: This quick hike is just an hour's drive away from Calgary but has stunning views of the frozen Troll Falls surrounded by towering forests.

Lundbreck Falls

Address: Lundbreck, AB

Why You Need To Go: For the full winter wonderland experience without the hike, Lundbreck Falls is the place to visit. You can even walk up to the falls observation deck to take in the view.

Athabasca Falls

Address: Jasper National Park, AB

Why You Need To Go: While the Athasbasca River is usually seen rushing over the falls, winter sees huge parts of it freezing over with glacier blue water underneath.

Panther Falls

Address: Icefields Parkway, AB

Why You Need To Go: This 30-minute hike can be found just off Icefields Parkway between Jasper and Banff and leads you to one of Alberta's most stunning falls in the winter. Watch out for climbers tackling the icy falls too.

Sheep River Falls

Address: Sheep River Provincial Park, AB

Why You Need To Go: This easy hike is just half a kilometre long and relatively flat so it's perfect for any skillset. You'll also be able to catch a glimpse of the gorgeous frozen falls.

Grotto Canyon

Address: Kananaskis Country, AB

Why You Need To Go: This hike takes you along the bottom of a frozen creek before you hit the gorgeous falls. You'll definitely want to pack some micro spikes because it might get slippery.

This article has been updated since its original publication date in January 2023.

  • Creator

    Charlie Hart was a Calgary-based Creator for Narcity Media. Hailing from London, U.K., Charlie moved to Calgary with a passion for learning more about what Canada has to offer. She studied Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University and has over five years of experience for titles including Supply Management, Elle UK and InStyle UK.
  • Narcity's Western Canada staff cover everything you need to know about what's happening on the West Coast, from weather forecasts and local events to new restaurant openings and viral moments. Spanning from Vancouver to Calgary, Edmonton, and everywhere in between, they're highlighting local awards, rankings, and the latest trends across Western Canada.

You're not a true Ontarian unless you've been to at least 5 of these 12 natural wonders

How many of these have you crossed off your Ontario bucket list?

These federal benefits have payment dates in April and you could get hundreds of dollars

GST/HST credit, Canada Child Benefit, Old Age Security, and other benefits are paying out. 🤑

If you're new to Vancouver, please stop doing these 9 annoying things

We locals are quietly judging you if you do these...

Pierre Poilievre backs J.K. Rowling's support for controversial new Olympic gender policy

The new policy will require athletes to undergo genetic testing to prove their gender.

172 seats won't be enough for a Liberal majority in Canada's current Parliament — Here's why

An upcoming Montreal-area by-election will decide who really controls the House of Commons.

Toronto vs. Vancouver transit: Here's my brutally honest opinion on which is worst

And yeah — we're taking the coolest-looking subway tiles into account. 👀