Canmore Cave Tours

Join us YEAR ROUND for a Natural History tour into Rat’s Nest Cave: a wild, undeveloped cave under Grotto Mountain near Banff and Canmore, Alberta, Canada!

By wild, we mean no interior lighting, no handrails, no walkways; a cave in its natural state.

Discover how caves form; find out how animals and humans use caves; examine stalactites, stalagmites, animal bones and fossils; learn about the geology of the picturesque Bow Valley in the Canadian Rockies where Banff and Canmore are located.

During the Pleistocene Glaciations of the past 1.6 million years, the dynamic melt waters of the ancient glaciers dissolved and carved the limestone rock in the Bow Valley to create Rats Nest Cave: a 4-km long cave system. In present day, the energetic waters have receded (as in the past) leaving behind their traces of glacial deposits, fossil animal bones, pools of sparkling clear water and glistening calcite formations, all for you to discover on our cave tours. As you hike up to the cave entrance through the pine forest, you will look down on the Bow River as it flows along the impressive glacial valley that once contained the cave-forming glaciers.

The adventure begins with a 30 minute hike up a mountain trail to the entrance. Knowledgeable guides take you on a Natural History tour of this exciting underground world – etched and sculptured over hundreds of thousands of years – through twisting passages and chambers of stalactites & stalagmites, animal bones and fossils.

Come to Banff and Canmore for your caving adventure.

Explore the information on our site, choose an activity, view a caving video, or visit the Gift Shop.

Bookings are made by phone only. Email an inquiry first if you prefer.

We look forward to hearing from you.