Grassi Lakes Loop
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 3.4 km
Elevation Gain: 172 m
Parking: Grassi Lakes Trailhead
Trail Report: Grassi Lakes Interpretive Trail
Combine With: Highline Trail, Nordic Centre Trails
Download GPX FileFor any outdoor lovers who’ve visited Canmore, odds are they’ve spent time Grassi Lakes. It is a not-so-hidden gem that is equally popular with hikers, runners, families and rock climbers. Be prepared to share the trail with many other folks, or arrive early or late to enjoy a more peaceful experience.
This loop is best done in a clockwise direction but can also be done as an out-and-back. From the trailhead, start up the wide gravel road beside the outhouse. After ~100 metres, take a left at the signed junction and follow a gently ascending path through the forest. Eventually, this trail breaks through into the open. A steep climb along the waterfall provides spectacular views of Canmore and the peaks along the east side of the Bow Valley, including Mount Lady MacDonald and Grotto Mountain.
At the top of this climb, you’ll be rewarded with the iconic Grassi Lakes. Depending on the light, time of day, and season, the colour of these lakes can be totally different but always spectacular. When you are done admiring the lakes, either return the way you came or take the wide upper trail to make a nice loop.
Extend your Run
The Grassi Lakes trail is a favourite access route for getting onto some of the higher routes in the valley. Some of the nearby trails that can be connected to this run:
Highline Trail via Riders of Rohan
Ha Ling and East End of Rundle via Grassi Lakes climbing area
Nordic Centre Trails
Local Tips
The lower, more difficult trail is closed seasonally due to ice flows that cover the trail from the waterfall.
On busy summer weekends, both the upper and lower parking lots will fill up quickly. Consider parking at the nearby Canmore Nordic Centre and running along the Rundle Forebay to reach the Grassi Lakes Trailhead.
If you decide to go beyond the gate at the end of the upper lake, be aware of potential for rockfall from sheep, vehicles, and rock climbers. If you are stopping to admire the cliffs, pictographs, or owls that next here every spring, make sure that you stand far back enough that you won’t be hit with falling rocks.
