Here after only 500m or so, you reach an open hillside with better views of the lake and views of the glacier not available elsewhere. An interpretive loop of under 1km adds a little ecological understanding to the visit with various pillars explaining the plants and animals that make this harsh enviroment home. A short descent leads through forest to this beautiful gorge sculpted by the rushing meltwaters of the Mistaya River. The river can be heard before it is seen and the noise gives an impression of the force of the rushing waters. Looking down from the bridge it is remarkable how deep the canyon is whilst remaining narrow.
Many people clamber out on the limestone shelves of the canyon for a closer view.
Extreme care should be exercised if doing this, as a fall into the waters would mean almost certain death. Big Bend - After a length approach along side the broad streams of the Saskatchewan River, the parkway switchbacks to rise steeply into the Columbia Icefields Area. Here a number of pullouts offer views over the U-shaped valley below and of Bridalveil Falls. As unlikely as it might first seem, this area was formed as a seabed reef about 350 million years ago. It is interesting to spot fossil coral forms in the rocks that line the trail.