Hiking Beauty Creek to Stanley Falls in the Canadian Rockies

Looking for more adventures along the Icefields Parkway?
Try a guided walk on the Athabasca Glacier or climb Parker Ridge for an incredible view. For a great place to camp, check out Silverhorn Creek Campground.

CURRENT INFO

You can find a map for the Beauty Creek to Stanley Falls trail on the AllTrails website. Planning a trip to the Canadian Rockies? I recommend the Moon Canadian Rockies guidebook by Andrew Hempstead. For the most up-to-date information, be sure to visit the Jasper National Park website with Parks Canada.

GOOD TO KNOW

• There is a small parking area right along the Icefields Parkway at the Beauty Creek and Stanley Falls Trailhead. It isn’t clearly signed, so keep an eye out for a large pullout on the east side of the highway.
• All visitors must pay the national park entrance fee or have a valid annual Parks Canada Discovery Pass to drive the Icefields Parkway. Check the Jasper National Park website for current information.
• There are no toilets or water available at the trailhead. Vault toilets are located at the Stutfield Glacier and Tangle Creek Falls parking lots to the south. Fully equipped washrooms (that’s Canadian for restrooms) are available at the Jasper National Park Icefield Information Centre.
• The trail starts off wide and flat, but is much hillier and rougher once you turn to follow the gorge along Beauty Creek. It’s a natural trail, so there are no railings, paved sections, or stairs. Some of the more exposed sections along the trail wander quite close to the edge of the cliffs above the gorge
• Wear shoes or hiking boots with good traction. Hiking poles are not required, but may be useful for some.
• Always follow Leave No Trace principles.

HIGHLIGHTS

I absolutely loved this short yet very sweet hike in Jasper National Park. Mountain views, frothing waterfalls, and a forested trail overlooking a dramatic gorge — no wonder this river was named Beauty Creek! The fact that it’s easily accessible from the Icefields Parkway yet not overly crowded adds to the allure.

THE KIDS’ TAKE

This is a great hikes for kids, but only for those old enough to stick to the trail and away from dangerous ledges. The trail skirts very close to the lip of the gorge at times, although for the most part it stays a safe distance away from any drop-offs. With that said, there are no barriers in place to prevent hikers from approaching the edge, so be sure your kids understand the rules for safe hiking. Kids who are ready will be wowed by the twists and turns and countless waterfalls of Beauty Creek as it powers through the gorge.

I admit this hike wasn’t exactly well received by my 7-year-old, largely because we did a glacier walk earlier in the day, and he was in no mood for more hiking. My 12-year-old appreciated the more challenging sections of the trail (he’s always looking for an adventure), and the lack of crowds.

WHILE YOU’RE HERE

There are so many wonderful stops along the Icefields Parkway in Jasper National Park that I only have space to mention a few. South of the Beauty Creek and Stanley Falls trailhead, stop by Tangle Creek Falls to experience another stunning waterfall. Although you can see the falls from the road, it’s fun to clamber over the rocks to get a closer view of its many tiers.

Not far from Tangle Creek Falls, the Athabasca Glacier flows from the Columbia Icefield, providing some of the easiest glacier access in North America. A short hike leads to the toe of the glacier. For those interested in walking on the glacier, I strongly recommend booking a guided hike. We did a half-day tour with IceWalks, and it was an incredible experience. A few kilometers further south, the hike to Parker Ridge leads to amazing views of the Saskatchewan Glacier.

Across the road from the Athabasca Glacier, the Jasper National Park Icefield Information Centre features informative exhibits and washrooms with flush toilets. They also offer a Starbucks, restaurant, gift shop, and Columbia Icefield Adventure tours that drive large groups of tourists onto the glacier in a giant ice explorer bus.

Campers can make their home base at Silverhorn Creek Campground. Located just off the Icefields Parkway in Banff National Park, this small campground is surrounded by incredible Rocky Mountain views.

Following a few days of smoky skies and cold weather, we were blessed with a gorgeous day in Jasper National Park. After enjoying a guided walk on the Athabasca Galcier with IceWalks in the morning, we headed north along the Icefields Parkway in search of a short afternoon hike to take advantage of the glorious weather.

It wasn’t far to the Beauty Creek and Stanley Falls trailhead. We almost missed it, as there is no obvious sign as you approach the parking lot. Perhaps this is one reason Stanley Falls sees fewer visitors than many of the more famous stops along the Parkway. Luckily, parking was available, and soon we were walking the flat gravel path alongside a slow moving creek.

Now, the views from this path are incredible, but you’re essentially hiking parallel to the highway, which detracts a little from the experience. That, however, was about to change. At the turnoff for Stanley Falls, we took a sharp turn to the left, and it was immediately clear that we were leaving the flat, easy trail behind. The trail rose sharply, and the sound of rushing water replaced any lingering traffic noise. Surrounded by evergreens, the sights and sounds of civilization disappeared.

After checking out the gorge from the top of the path (the steep section was mercifully short), I continued around the bend, where the first of many waterfalls greeted us. Michael and our older son quickly forged ahead, eager to explore. My younger son, T, was struggling. I had promised him a “short” hike, but this did not fit his definition of short. I tried to encourage him while also endeavoring to urge him forward along the trail.

Distracted as I was by T’s complaints, I was constantly pulled to the natural wonders around us. Besides, traveling with a slow hiker meant I had more time to soak in the details. While enjoying the view of one of the many cascades, I discovered a small hollow behind the waterfall. Perhaps a hidden cave or tunnel through the rock?

As we slowly made our way toward Stanley Falls, I enjoyed the changing terrain along Beauty Creek. At times the gorge was high and narrow, while at other times the trail was almost within touching distance of the water. Of course, this was no place to splash in the waves. The sheer power of the rushing water gave a clear signal to keep a safe distance.

The trail was often rocky, rooty, and uneven. Surrounded by all this beauty, I had to remind myself to pay attention to my feet. Also, it pays to look up from time to time. Along more open areas of the trail, mountain peaks appeared, rising majestically over the forest.

As much as I was enjoying the hike, by now I was wondering when we would finally make it to Stanley Falls. More significantly, would we even know when we reached the falls? We had already passed so many, and none of them were signed.

As it turns out, I had nothing to fear. Stanley Falls was in fact signed, and it was also significantly taller than the other waterfalls along Beauty Creek. For some perspective, see if you can spot Michael standing on a rock to the left of the waterfall in the photo above.

It was a gorgeous spot, and a dozen or so other hikers were enjoying a break beside the trail. A few people continued on, as the trail does not end at Stanley Falls. I don’t know how much further it goes, but if you wander a short distance beyond the falls you’ll come to a small, pebbly beach along the creek. If you want to dip your feet in glacial water, this is the place.

After breaking for snacks and photos, we turned to make our way back to the trailhead. Young T was more than eager to get back to the car. The return trek went much more quickly, although we still stopped a few times to admire the waterfalls.

We hiked gingerly down the steep hill and rejoined the easy path back to the parking lot. Across the Icefields Parkway, the Canadian Rockies stood proudly, their peaks striped with fresh snow from the previous night.

On the way back to the car, I savored every last view. This, I thought, is what Canadian Rockies dreams are made of. Well, this and a paddle across a sunlit turquoise lake. But don’t you worry, the time for that is just around the corner. For now, it was more than enough to revel in the wonder of Beauty Creek and Stanley Falls.