Grassi Lakes walk - Banff walks

Route: Grassi Lakes

Area: Alberta, Canada

Date of walk: 20th September 2024

Walkers: Andrew and Gilly

Distance: 2.8 miles

Ascent: 600 feet

Weather: Light rain, cloudy with some bright intervals

After this morning’s short walk around Johnson Lake there remained plenty of time for another walk in the afternoon. We drove from our base in Canmore to the car park at the trailhead to Grassi Lakes. It was a thrill to see a large herd of elk near the roadside near Canmore along the way

Grassi Lakes is a well known beauty spot and can be very busy at peak times. The lakes are named in honour of Lawrence Grassi, a pioneer trailbuilder. We were late in the season and the weather was changeable so we were glad to see that there were only a few other cars in the large car park. The start of the walk is well signposted and it would be impossible to go astray. Indeed leaving the obvious paths is not permitted as there are wildlife corridors throughout the area. We brought our bear spray along just in case, as bears can sometimes be seen along the trail

At a junction near the start of the walk we followed the lower Interpretive Trail and decided to return via the Upper Trail. It may be thought that the lower trail would be easier but it’s not. Grassi Lakes are at a height of over 5,000 feet and the lower trail involves quite a steep climb. The steeper section is well maintained and there’s a rocky staircase with hand rails to ease the climb. Along this section there’s a view back over Canmore and a spectacular waterfall

We soon reached the two small lakes. Even though it was raining at the time, the colours were stunning. Both lakes were a deep aquamarine and crystal clear thanks to minerals in the rocks and algae. For walkers, the trail ends at the furthest lake. Beyond it lies a path for climbers where there is a danger of rockfalls. Having explored both lakes we set off along the Upper Trail, which is a wide track set at a gentle gradient and makes for a very easy descent back to the start

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On the way from Canmore to nearby Grassi Lakes we spotted a herd of elk

I stopped the car and grabbed the telephoto lens...

A couple of calves...

As I looked around for the bull I noticed a huge pair of horns

Bull elk. Despite appearances, I was some distance away

After that entertaining diversion we carried on to the Grassi Lakes car park and set off along the obvious track

We turn left at this junction. The Interpretive Trail is harder but much more interesting than the Upper Trail, which we will use for the return leg

We follow a path through old and atmospheric woodland...

A gentle gradient at first, but it becomes steeper later on

Looking across the Rundle Forebay, a reservoir, with Canmore beyond

We pass by a spectacular waterfall

The path narrows and the gradient steepens

Grassi Lakes walk, Mount Lawrence Grassi

Lawrence Grassi was held in such esteem that Mount Lawrence Grassi is named after him, as well as the two lakes

We climb some steep rocky steps

Mount Lawrence Grassi again

Further along the path, which is quite rough by now though there are no difficulties

We pass by a mountain pool

We cross a footbridge over a stream (the same one which forms the waterfall seen earlier)

We follow the sign - navigation is a simple affair, and the authorities are keen to avoid walkers leaving the paths and straying into the wildlife corridors which surround this route

We arrive at Lower Grassi Lake

The extraordinary colour is caused by two factors - the blue is glacier melt and reflected sunlight from silt particles and and green is algae which creates oxygen for insects, a food source for diving birds such as the American Dipper