Banff & Canmore
Canyoning
Half Day Heart Creek Canyon Tour
Embark on our Heart Creek Canyon Tour for an unforgettable half-day adventure that will immerses you in the thrill of canyoning in the heart of Banff and Canmore. The shorter time frame of this four-hour excursion makes it our most accessible tour from Banff & Canmore. Perfect for beginners, or for those looking for a half day tour. With a total of 5-6 rappels that grow in length you will build up your rappelling confidence for the rush of the final (optional) 60-foot wet waterfall rappel ! Make unforgetable memories amidst the stunning landscapes of Heart Creek Canyon.
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Quick Details
Location: Banff & Canmore
SKILL Level
Beginner
No. of Rappels
4 - 5
Length of trip
Half Day (approximately 4-5 hours
GROUP SIZE
2 - 8 people
AGE
Ages 12+
Seasonal Availability
May 17 to Oct 01
Waiver Required:
(View Waiver Here)
TRIP Itinerary
Looking to try Canyoning for the first time? Then this is the trip for you! An easy approach, an ideal location to learn rappelling, and amazing scenery all make this trip the perfect choice for your first canyoning experience. Heart Creek Canyon is also our closest trip to the townsites of Banff & Canmore. Upper Heart Canyon provides a perfect location to learn and develop your rope rappelling skills. Introductory short rappels allow you to ease into rappelling and increase in length as you progress down the canyon, finally culminating with an exciting 60ft wet waterfall rappel and slide (optional: it is possible to hike around the lower falls).
*Heart Creek Canyon is approximately a 10 min drive from Canmore and a 25 min drive from Banff
9:00 am:
Meet and greet at Heart Creek Trailhead Parking lot. Here you get to know your guides and other members of the group. Your guides will provided with all the necessary equipment and they will also do a pre-trip briefing prior to starting the trip to ensure everyone knows what to expect and to ensure everyone has everything they need for an amazing adventure experience. During our pre-trip briefing the guides will also provide you with a copy of the Waiver for you to review and complete prior to heading out . All participants are required to sign the Waiver as a condition of
participating.
9:30 – 10:30 am:
An approximate 45min – 60min hike brings us to the top of the canyon and the start of our adventure.
10:30am – 1:00pm:
We gear up! Before we begin with our first rappel your guides will go thru a mandatory safety briefing and rappel clinic. Your guides make sure everyone is ready and prepared for the canyon. We begin the descent of the canyon. It takes approximately 2 – 3 hours to descend the entire length of the canyon which ALWAYS includes one final wet rappel.
12:30pm – 1:00pm:
A 20 – 25 min hike from the bottom of the canyon will bring you back to your Vehicle. Here we do a finaly change out of the wetsuits, unpack and undress gear. *Please Note: The itinerary may change according to unforeseen events, ability level and speed of group.
WHAT’s Included
We only use the highest quality equipment and canyon specific gear. The gear we provide on all of our canyon trips includes:
- 5mm wet suit (Farmer John bottom, thickest wetsuit available to ensure everyone stays warm)
- 5mm wetsuit top
- Petzl helmet (UIAA – CE certified)
- Petzl high quality harness
- Petzl canyon specific rappel device.
- Neoprene booties (similar to socks that go into your shoes to keep your feet warm)
- Waterproof bag for any valuables
WHAT YOU
SHOULD BRING
- Bathing suit
- Towel
- A pair of sturdy runners or light hikers which can get wet when descending the canyon. (no sandals or open toed shoes, no tennis shoes)
- Rain jacket or hardshell (optional If available)
- Extra clothes to change into after the trip (Will remain in the vehicle)
- Waterproof Camera or Gopro
FAQ Heart Creek Canyon
Due to the active nature of this trip we require all participants to be at least 12 years of age. Participants do not require any previous rope or rappelling experience, they must though be relatively comfortable with heights.
The Heart Creek Canyon Parking lot is located 17km east of the town site of Canmore and approximately 10 min drive from Canmore and 25 minutes from Banff. Look for the Heart Creek Trail exit
Although most trips take around 4 -5 hours car to car please note these are only approximations. We strongly recommend planning for additional time when planning your day. Occasionally due to factors out of our control, trips can take longer. Groups speeds can also vary a lot so please plan on being back later than the estimated time.
Depending on the trip you booked, your meeting time may be 9:00 am, 10:30 am, 12:00pm, or 1:30pm at the Heart Creek Trail Parking lot. We recommend to arrive about 5 min early.
It is a good idea to change into a bathing suit before arriving at the meeting point. There are rudimentary public toilets at the Heart Creek Trailhead. We will “suit up” and change into wet suits before we rappel into the canyon which is after our short approach hike up the top of both canyon sections. Please also keep in mind that there are no services at the staging area. The closets gas station is in Deadmans Flats.
We recommend to bring some snacks and a bit of Water. You are also more than welcome to bring a lunch as we provide water proof bags for your cloths and equipment. one water bottle per person is fine as the canyon is spring fed and provides a great opportunity to fill up you water bottle with fresh mountain spring water
Because we are so busy over the summer it can be very challenging for us to provide pick up and drop off options from your Hotel in Banff. We will try our best but if you do not want or cannot drive yourself you can always take the Banff Roam bus line 3 From downtown Banff to the Legacy trail bus stop in Canmore (First bus stop in Canmore) and we will always gladly come and pick you up there. We recommend arriving at the bus stop abut 15 – 20 mins prior to your departure time.
We usually recommending bringing a good pair of outdoor running shoes or light hiking shoes. Tennis shoes and open toed sandals are not recommended as you will be using them to hike up to the top of the Canyon (Approx. 1 hour) and for in the canyon itself. Your shoes will be getting wet so we also recommend bring a second pair of shoes or sandals for after. We do provide neoprene socks to keep you feet warm.
Participation in activities with Canadian Wilderness School Expedition/Bow Valley Canyon Tours involves risk, dangers and hazards. All participants must read and agree to the Waiver as a condition of participating in any activities. By signing you will waive or give up certain
legal rights, including the right to sue for negligence, breach of contract, or breach of the Occupiers’ Liability Act or claim compensation following an accident. PLEASE READ THE WAIVER CAREFULLY! The Waiver can be viewed here
The Waiver will be presented to each participant, for their review and completion, at the start of the activity. A refund will be given if a participant does not sign the Waiver. Take the time to read the Wavier before proceeding with your booking.
If you are booking for others, it is your responsibility to ensure you bring this Waiver
requirement and the terms of the Waiver to their attention.
Our canyoning season usually runs from May to October. Bookings can be made directly by clicking the: BOOK NOW link or call us by phone. We would love to answer any remaining questions you might have. Please be ready to provide a credit card when booking by phone. We are normally available between the hours of 8am – 6pm seven days a week, Mountain standard Time.
PH: (403) 679-2309
Email: tours@cwexpeditions.ca
All trips may be subject to last minute itinerary change or in an extreme case even possible cancellation due to such things as unexpected water levels and/or weather conditions. Safety of all participants and our guides is ALWAYS our number one concern and so we need to make decisions accordingly. In these rare circumstances, please refer to our cancelation policy provided upon booking the trip.
