Canmore drivers and hikers face an ongoing detour after a rockslide covered Highway 742 with waist-deep boulders near Grassi Lakes on June 1, 2026, and the road remains closed in both directions as of June 5.
The slide tore loose from the East End of Rundle Mountain shortly before 5:30 p.m. on Monday, June 1, completely blocking the road between the Grassi Lakes parking area and Goat Creek trail head. Witness Tricia Livingston said the debris is waist-deep in places and that a vehicle ahead of her narrowly escaped being struck.
Emergency crews, including Canmore Fire-Rescue, arrived at the scene about 6:30 p.m. that evening. Alberta Parks trail reports confirm the closure remains in effect until further notice. Drivers looking for an alternate route are being sent along Highway 40 through Kananaskis Country.
Heavy rainfall across the region has put a stop to any cleanup for now. Environment Canada issued advisories earlier this week, with an extra 30 to 70 millimetres of rain expected before the system tapers off. Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors says a geotechnical engineer must inspect the slope once the rain stops, and only then can crews start clearing the rock. No reopening date has been set.
Hikers can still reach The Grassi Lakes trail from the Canmore side, but access to Goat Creek and points deeper into Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park is cut off for now. Anyone planning a trip into the backcountry this weekend should check the Canmore Nordic Centre trail report and Alberta 5-1-1 before heading out.
