Two Waterfall Hikes on the Icefields Parkway: One Overhyped, One a Hidden Gem

Kim Martinez
Jul 12
4 min read

One thing we've learned during our travels is that not every famous hike lives up to the hype—and not every hidden trail gets the attention it deserves.

Sometimes every trail you read about is described as "spectacular," "must-do," or "one of the best." Then you arrive and find yourself wondering, Really? This is what everyone was talking about?

Other times, you discover a trail that isn't even marked very well, and it ends up becoming one of your favorite hikes of the entire trip.

That was exactly our experience with two waterfall hikes along the Icefields Parkway: Mistaya Canyon and Stanley Falls via Beauty Creek.

Mistaya Canyon & Stanley Falls

One is a classic roadside stop that attracts crowds all day long. The other is a hidden treasure that many visitors probably never realize is there.

Mistaya Canyon – A Beautiful Canyon...

Mistaya Canyon has become one of the busiest stops on the Icefields Parkway, and it's easy to understand why.

It's a short hike—less than a mile round trip—with a large RV-friendly parking lot directly off the highway. If you're driving the Parkway, especially in a motorhome, it's one of the easiest scenic stops to pull into.

We've driven past several times over the years because the parking lot always looked packed. This trip we finally timed it right, arriving around 7:00 p.m. when most of the daytime crowds had disappeared.

One thing many visitors don't expect is that the trail is mostly downhill on the way in—which means every step has to be climbed back out. It's not a difficult hike, but we definitely noticed people realizing halfway back that they hadn't planned on the uphill return.

The canyon itself is impressive.

Mistaya River Formations

The Mistaya River has carved beautiful smooth rock formations, and watching the rushing turquoise water squeeze through the narrow canyon is fascinating.

What disappointed me was the "falls."

The viewing bridge sits almost directly over the drop, making it surprisingly difficult to actually see the waterfall itself. You can hear the power of the water and appreciate the canyon, but I never found a spot that gave me a satisfying view of the actual cascade.

If the bridge had been positioned just a little differently—or included a viewing platform—it could have been spectacular.

My Take

If we had visited during the busiest part of the day, I probably would have rated this about two stars simply because of the crowds.

Visiting in the evening improved the experience considerably, so I'd give it about 3½ stars.

I'm glad we finally stopped, but for me this is much more about seeing an impressive canyon than chasing a memorable waterfall.

Stanley Falls (Beauty Creek) – The Hidden Gem

Stanley Falls couldn't have been more different.

I'd found the hike on AllTrails before we left, because honestly, without the app I don't think we would have found it at all.

Trevor, Manny, and I had some extra time before our Athabasca Glacier tour, so we decided to give it a try.

Driving along the Icefields Parkway, we found a parking area marked Beauty Creek. That's it.

No Stanley Falls sign.

No waterfall signs.

Ravens Lead the way

Nothing to suggest that one of our favorite short hikes was hiding just beyond the trees.

But there were two Ravens perched on either side of the sign – like emblems of Wisdom!

The trail begins alongside a pretty little creek before turning into the forest and we began climbing a steeper grade. It wasn’t long before we were above the creek - listening and following the rushing water through an impressive canyon.

We knew we were headed the right way and the quick, super steep grade of the canyon promised the possibilities of good waterfall – this time we were not disappointed.

Waterfalls appeared one after another as the creek tumbled through the rocks. The trail brought us up above the canyon then down right alongside the water, offering incredible views into the canyon and plenty of opportunities to climb onto rocks for a closer look – then up and down many more times.

Of course, we had to reach down and touch the water.

Yep...still glacier cold.

One group hiking back gave us some excellent advice:

"Keep going after you think the falls are done."

They were absolutely right.

Every time we thought we had reached the highlight, another cascade appeared around the next bend until finally the trail rewarded us with a beautiful ending waterfall that somehow tied the entire hike together.

It reminded us of a smaller, more natural version of Johnston Canyon—without the boardwalks, railings, and crowds.