Maligne Canyon is just gorgeous – I’d actually call it a gorge, it’s so steep and narrow. This turned out to be my favorite hike in the Jasper area, but we didn’t do it all in one day. With a time constraint to get to the Spirit Island boat tour, we hiked down and turned around at the waterfall at Bridge 3
Jasper National Park
This hike started not at the busy top of Maligne Canyon, but at the bottom at the sixth bridge parking lot to hike UP. I expected more of the beautiful gorge that we’d seen the day before, what I didn’t expect was all the water coming out of the ground! The meandering river at the top of Maligne Canyon becomes a rushing torrent after the fourth bridge because of all the underground springs that flow into it.
Maligne canyon first bridge 
Maligne canyon second bridge 
Maligne River and canyon 
Third Bridge Maligne Canyon 
Maligne River 
Maligne River 
Maligne canyon
Maligne River drains Maligne Lake through an underground cave system for many miles, finally popping up at the beginning of Maligne Canyon. Water seeping out of the ground and pouring out of hidden caves reminded me of the most impressive karst landscape I’ve ever seen – Plitvice Lakes National Park.
Exploration is really the essence of the human spirit. – Frank Borman
Oscar Wilde
