Water Erodes the Rock Every Year at Athabasca Falls

At Athabasca Falls, water erosion is the dominant natural force sculpting the dramatic canyon and rock formations seen today. The Athabasca River, fed by glaciers from the Columbia Icefield, surges over a ledge of hard quartzite before plunging into a gorge of softer limestone below. As the water crashes down, it carries with it fine silt, gravel, and larger rocks that grind against the canyon walls and riverbed. Over thousands of years—and continuing every spring with the force of snowmelt—this abrasion has deepened the canyon, carved potholes, and smoothed rock surfaces. The constant pressure and swirling currents gradually widen cracks in the rock, allowing the river to change course slightly over time. Despite the strength of the quartzite, even this hard rock yields slowly to the persistent force of water erosion, giving Athabasca Falls its ever-changing character and breathtaking beauty.

The water erosion at Athabasca Falls has directly shaped both the upper and lower viewpoints, creating the dramatic perspectives visitors enjoy today.

Athabasca Falls Upper Viewpoint Erosion

The upper viewing platforms sit near the point where the Athabasca River crashes over a ledge of quartzite rock. This ledge is extremely resistant to erosion, which is why a waterfall has persisted here for thousands of years. However, cracks in the rock—created by natural faults and further widened by freeze-thaw cycles and water pressure—have slowly allowed the river to carve new mini-channels and potholes in the immediate area. This erosive action has created deep crevices and narrow chutes where water thunders down, producing intense spray and roaring sound. Some lookout areas here bring you almost level with the top of the falls, where you can observe water disappearing into the gorge below.

Lower Viewpoint Erosion

Downstream, the falls have carved a narrow canyon through softer limestone, shaped into tight bends, walls, and tunnels. The lower viewpoint trails follow this eroded path, revealing how thousands of years of fast-moving water, laden with grit and rock, have drilled into the canyon floor and sides. The winding pathways and pedestrian bridges here lead into areas once carved by ancient river flow—some of which are now dry, showing potholes and rock shelves once hidden beneath rapids. These lower trails offer striking views of the canyon's interior, the sculpted rock walls, and the continuing work of erosion.

Athabasca upper and lower Falls views tell a powerful geological story of how the relentless force of water slowly shapes even the hardest stone. Hiking Athabasca Falls