Unofficial Lake Louise Guide

Mistaya Canyon

Icefields Parkway

A limestone slot canyon carved by the Mistaya River 75 km north of Lake Louise along the Icefields Parkway. The Mistaya has cut a deep zig-zagging channel through layers of limestone, illustrating the power of hydraulic erosion in the post-glacial landscape.

The canyon is a short walk from the highway parking area and marks the transition between the Bow Valley headwaters and the Saskatchewan River Crossing; where the North Saskatchewan, Howse, and Mistaya Rivers converge.