Grassi Lakes are amazing!!!! Truly emerald color and crystal clear waters. Since the easy trail was under construction and closed, we took the difficult trail, which was much more steep. Totally worth the climb. Loved it. read more

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So grateful for the recommendation we received from a local Calgarian Canadian to try this trail! The views are absolutely spectacular!! This hike is located near a residential area in Canmore. Follow your GPS navigation which ultimately will take you down a single road, surrounded by tall evergreen trees, and a small dirt lot on the left for parking before you embark on the trail. A few recommendations: Park on the street as the lot fills up quick, bring sunscreen, and take the harder trail. Initially when starting the hike there will be two signs for the "Easy" and "More Difficult" trail paths. Trust me when I say the more difficult path is worth the extra strenuous steps. We had no idea that halfway through the path you stumble upon a gorgeous waterfall and incredible views of a giant lake surrounded by beautiful mountains. Then as you continue on this trail, you'll ultimately come to a clearing with emerald and turquoise lakes which is the perfect spot to stop, indulge in a quick snack, and soak in all those spectacular views. All in all if you take the not so easy trail you'll complete the entire thing within an hour and a half, including those moments where you stop and contemplate just gorgeous this country is. One final tip: bring Bear spray and attach bells to your hiking gear. The last thing you want to do is startle a bear and end up in a frightening situation. Luckily we did not see any bears on the trail, but we did see a Black Bear crossing the road as we were leaving the parking lot! We heard from locals that Canmore has a lot of Bear sightings so just plan ahead, be aware of your surroundings, and enjoy your fantastic hike on this beautiful trail! read more

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Well worth the hike We took the easy path. Though it's a tad monotonous, the trail was pretty straightforward. The path was a constant uphill , so be prepared to ascend at all times To and from is about 2 mi so distance was definitely not an issue The lake was pristine, clear and colorful. Even on a cloudy day, we were still able to see the different colors and layouts of the landscape. Highly recommend this hike for anyone in the area. read more

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Grassi Lakes is the first major lake you'll hit in the cute town of Canmore if you're headed from Calgary to The Rockies. While it's one of the lesser known lakes in the area, it's definitely worth a stop. It doesn't have to take too long if you don't want it to, but I think you'll stay longer than expected. It's hard to pull yourself away, especially if you're not used to this kind of crystal clear water! The reflection in it is to die for, and although it's really beautiful in summer (I've seen photos) and probably good for a little dip that time too, it's stunning in early fall also, with the contrast of the burnt colors of autumn all around and the snow dusted mountains in the background! So postcard perfect! We really loved skipping rocks and watching the water ripple and taking a hike around the water's edge. I couldn't stop staring at the bottom of the lake through the glass like clear water!! I would highly recommend taking the drive up the mountain and seeing it from above also. It's breathtaking. I will say however to watch the signage because when we visited the main trail was closed because of aggressive mountain lions! Ekkk! We did literally wander into a family of elf nearby if you're waiting for some (safer) animal viewing. I would say just before sunset is a wonderful time for a visit to catch it's peak time for mirroring. It took me a bit to figure out which lakes in the area were best for sunrises and sunsets and this was definitely sunset. So peaceful. So gorgeous. And we had it all to ourselves the first week in October!! A lovely, invigorating stop!! read more

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If you're looking to avoid the crowds of Banff while still enjoying a beautiful hike, this is a great option. It can get crowded on weekends but during the week it's usually pretty quiet. The view is much better on the "hard" trail. There's a spur that will take you to the middle of the waterfall, which is absolutely incredible. Even when the trail has steady foot traffic, I've always found myself alone at the waterfall itself. If you take the hard trail, you can easily miss the turn for the lakes themselves, which requires a hard right through an area that's almost always flooded. If you can see the giant water pipe in front of you, it's time to turn or you'll walk right past the lakes! There's signage, but it's not obvious. The lakes are incredibly beautiful and the view of downtown is dramatic, no Instagram filters required. You can swim in the lakes if you're down with freezing cold water. While you should be prepared for bears or other animals, this trail has enough traffic that I've never seen anything and haven't bothered with bear spray. Lots of people are hiking with their dogs, something locals don't do if they're worried about cougars. ymmv, don't let my poor choices get you mauled by a bear. I like to walk up the Grassi Lakes trail, connect with the High Line trail, and eventually pop back downtown. You can reach the trailhead for Grassi Lakes from downtown by walking along the canal on an unmarked but well trodden path. You can also take the rock climbing trail to connect with the trailheads for Ha Ling Peak, Goat Creek, and the East End of Rundle if you want to keep going. read more

My first time hiking Grassi lake and it was great! Weather was around 10 degrees at 9 am, parking was full at main lot. Some water runoff half way up trail. 2 km each way, 450 ft elevation. A nice scenic beginner hike. Stay active during covid! read more

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A lovely trail that isn't difficult but also doesn't compromise on the beautiful views about an hour and a half outside of Calgary. Family friendly and dog friendly. Unfortunately, as of July 20, 2018 they have fenced off the lake area, so we were unable to get closer for some nice pictures, and the photos I posted are all along the "difficult" route - I highly recommend this! It was not very difficult (at a walking pace) and young children and older adults alike were hiking along this route. We got here around 11am on a weekday and it hadn't gotten crowded yet. I don't really have anything to compare this trail to yet as this was my first Alberta hike, but I would definitely say it's an awesome trail for beginners or day trippers to Canmore (PS: if you're in Canmore, try Amore Mexican Restaurant for lunch and walk on over to Old School Bus ice cream for dessert after your hike!) read more

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Great hike! Easy to navigate through. Beautiful picturesque views! There were people of varying fitness levels able to do this hike. Warning - do not go on trails that are closed, apparently you will get a hefty fine if caught! As I've learnt from being in Canmore for a couple days, it can rain at any moment so be prepared with a rain jacket! read more

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Great trail with beautiful views if you choose the more difficult route. Both routes end up at the beautiful, mystifying Grassi Lakes. Clear blue water awaits on this relatively easy hike. Started on a weekday, mid-July, around 11am. Decent crowd. Enough people to not have to worry too much about the bear notices but not overcrowded. Cool to see the rock climbers, too. Enjoy! read more

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This is probably one of the most underrated places in the area. I could not believe how beautiful the lakes were and the hike was awesome. Unlike Lake Louise, the place was pretty empty. The hike itself is a relatively quick and easy one (dog friendly too) to get to the lakes. You then have the option of traversing some stairs to a higher point. Quick tip...ignore Google's directions because it will put you at the top of the stairs off a road. The easier/better way is to come in at the bottom of the trail by the parking lot (near the power lines). I cannot wait to come back! read more

Absolutely amazing!! Took the 'more difficult' trail up & easier down. Difficult isn't that difficult & there were seniors as well as families with small children going that way. I would recommend. There are some fairly well trodden 'off trail' trails, use at own risk etc that we found easy enough- right to the waterfall! So gorgeous!! We went early September. The weather was about 16... perfect for the hike. The actual lake was fenced off. Still completely worth it. You can get some great pics with there being no one around the lake. You won't be disappointed! read more

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We chose the more difficult way up, and got countless wonderful views/photos as well as a workout. The lakes themselves were closed for restoration which was a little disappointing but the walk up is really the best part anyway. Took the easier way back down, no panorama views, but had more shade, wider gravel road to walk, and wildflowers and birds to see among the trees. Mostly a quiet walk, with a few chattering groups passing by. Not too crowded for an 8:30 Saturday morning start. read more

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Did this trail towards the end of winter, it was a good trail and you get to see some beautiful peeks. The lake at the top is absolutely beautiful and completely crystal clear. However it was a bit challenging walking this in the ice, people were falling all over the place and was a bit dangerous in parts. That's the only reason it lost a star otherwise it would get 5 stars. read more

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Difficult trail has better views and not too difficult. Gorgeous twin lakes of turquoise at the trails end. Black bear in the area and close to trail. Great family 1-2hr hike. Must do if you're in Canmore. read more

Grassi Lakes - Lakes Near Me - Kananaskis, Alberta

Only one review for Grassi Lakes?! This is a great beginner/intermediate hike that is just a few minutes by car from downtown Canmore. We went on a Saturday and parked well up the road, as there were lots of people enjoying pleasant fall weather. The trip to the top and back took us just about 1.5 hours, and there are bathrooms at the base, but the porta-potties at the top were chained up and closed while we were there. There are two options for hiking up to Grassi Lakes. There is a trail that goes up the mountainside, and a service road that is more in the forest. We did the more challenging way up, and decided to take the service road down. The more challenging hike had many places to stop for incredible views, and had wooden handrails on steeper parts of the trail. I saw lots of younger kids and families on this trail, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it if you have any mobility concerns. There are a number of parts where the trail cuts through flowing water, so make sure you have waterproof hiking shoes, or shoes with good grips on the bottom at the very least. I saw some girls in leather ballet flats and don't know how they managed without either slipping or totally ruining their shoes. At the top is a mountain lake with some picnic benches, and a mountainside rock climbing area, for experienced climbers only. I liked having a definite destination in mind, and it was quite scenic. The service road down did not have any views, but was wide, fairly even and very easy to walk down. The hike up to Grassi Lakes is challenging enough to make me feel like I accomplished something, but not too difficult or intimidating to a beginner hiker (me). read more

Very easy hike that's great for first timers (if you take the easy trail). Takes about 1 hour or so if you take frequent breaks, otherwise it's pretty doable within 45 minutes if you don't need to slow down and stop. It isn't super steep either. There was a smaller bear bear the trail, but it minded its own business and my dogs didn't seem to even notice! PS the view at the end is a very calm little green and clear lake that connects to another smaller lake. There's benches to sit on and relax and to also take nice pictures! read more