Banff Adventures for Couples: 3 Winter Icewalks You Don’t Want to Miss!
Discover romantic winter activities in Banff! Explore Grotto Canyon and Johnston Canyon icewalk tours for couples, featuring frozen waterfalls and scenic trails.
Couples who are spending their winter vacation in the Rockies have their pick of things to do in Banff! If you and your partner are the adventurous sort, one of our go-to recommendations for couple activities is a winter ice walk. Strap on a solid pair of ice cleats and walk across Grotto Canyon's frozen creek beds, or take a wintry forest tour in Johnston Canyon's powdered trails.
Keep reading to learn what to expect from three of our icewalk tours, from departure times to nature highlights to included cozy snacks!
Grotto Canyon Icewalk
This ice walk is just a short drive from Banff and takes place on the Grotto Canyon creek bed, which is surrounded by beautiful ice formations, ancient rock artwork, and tall canyon walls.
Departure time is 8:30 a.m., so you’ll be done just in time for a romantic lunch at one of Banff’s best restaurants. Make sure to get up early enough to eat something beforehand, too; you have a lot of cardio ahead! Don’t worry, we’ll provide the hot chocolate.
Highlights include:
- Ancient native pictographs with symbols that have several possible meanings and origins
- Frozen-over waterfall
- Geology and history lessons from our knowledgeable tour guide
Book your Grotto Canyon Icewalk tour here.
Johnston Canyon Icewalk (Day)
The Johnston Canyon Icewalk takes you through a snow-covered forest trail down to the Lower Falls and up to the Upper Falls, and your surroundings will make you think you were transported to a winter wonderland!
There are several departure times to choose from for the daytime tour: 8:30 am, 10 am, and 1:30 pm. If you need more time in the morning to sleep or want to enjoy a leisurely breakfast before hitting the trail, the Johnston Canyon Icewalk offers many more options to accommodate your Banff visit.
Highlights include:
- Beautiful evergreen forest trails
- Natural cave with icicle waterfalls and iced-over blue waters
- 30-metre frozen ice tower
- History and geology lesson from your tour guide
Book your Johnston Canyon Icewalk here.
Johnston Canyon Icewalk (Evening)
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to wander the woods and mountains in the middle of the night? Well, the Johnston Canyon Evening Icewalk is the place to be! This tour departs at 6:30 pm (which, in January, definitely feels like the middle of the night) with a reduced time of 2.5 hours.
You get all the same highlights of the day excursion, with the addition of…
- Headlamps to light your path!
- Walk on suspended catwalks built into limestone walls
- Warm up with hot chocolate and maple cookies at the end of the night
Book your evening excursion here.
Ascend the Ice with Banff Adventures
If you and your partner are looking for a fun winter activity to do in Banff, our ice walk tours are a great way to spend quality time while enjoying a bit of a thrill! Visit our Things to Do page to learn more about the icewalks, and visit our Blog to check out a few more ideas for your Banff itinerary.
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