The Maligne Canyon Trail provides the best views of Jasper National Park’s famous limestone gorge. There are six bridges that cross the canyon spread at different length’s apart. This hike is a 4.4km loop with 390 feet elevation gain/loss that includes 5 of the 6 bridges. The trailhead is located off Maligne Lake Road.
The second bridge
View into Maligne Canyon
Maligne Canyon Loop Trail view
Maligne Canyon
At the beginning of the trail, the canyon is at it’s most narrow. The water of the Maligne River has carved deep into the limestone to create a winding deep gorge, one of the deepest in the Canadian Rockies. At it’s deepest, the gorge is 50 feet deep. It measures only 6.5 feet across in places. The canyon is over 170 feet deep at the second bridge. By the fifth bridge, the river is about 200 feet wide with a suspension bridge. The return trail heads steeply uphill and offers expansive views.
The Maligne River widens as it travels downstream
Maligne Canyon’s 5th bridge is a suspension bridge
