Canmore: Rat's Nest Cave Rappelling & Squeeze Adventure

Rappel 60 Feet Into Canada's Longest Cave System

You hike uphill to Rat's Nest Cave, then rappel 18 meters underground with a guide and full safety gear. You crawl through tight squeezes, navigate the Laundry Chute, and reach the Grande Gallery: spending four hours total in one of Canada's longest cave systems. The guide handles all equipment and logistics. You just need moderate fitness and the willingness to get uncomfortable in a good way.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Rat's Nest Cave Adventure

• Arrive at Rat's Nest Cave
• Rappel down 18m drop
• Crawl, climb, and scramble inside cave
• Navigate to The Grande Gallery and The Grotto
• Complete warm-up and challenge squeezes
• Experience the Laundry Chute challenge
• Spend approximately 4 hours underground

The experience

"You're going to feel the rope catch you halfway down, and that's when it gets real," our guide said as we stood at the mouth of Rat's Nest Cave in Canmore, checking harnesses. He wasn't wrong. The Adventure Tour is the longest descent the cave offers: an 18-meter drop that looks a lot steeper when you're standing at the edge of it, helmet on, about to trust a rope and a guide you met twenty minutes ago. But that's the whole point, I think. You show up, they hand you the gear, and then you actually do the thing instead of just reading about it online.

The four hours underground aren't just the rappel. After you come back up, there's the crawling part: moving through sections they call the warm-up squeeze and the challenge squeeze, which is exactly what it sounds like. Your shoulders fit, but barely, and you're moving forward on your belly or your back depending on the passage. Then there's the Laundry Chute, a slide-and-scramble section that adds real difficulty but also the kind of fun you can't get anywhere else. The Grande Gallery and the Grotto are the payoff: big open chambers underground where the guide stops and lets you just stand there for a minute. The cave is cold, maybe 7 degrees Celsius year-round, and the walls are textured limestone that catches your headlamp in ways that make the whole thing feel less like a tourist activity and more like you've accidentally broken into somewhere you shouldn't be.

Getting there means a 30 to 40-minute hike uphill on a mountain trail before you even reach the cave entrance, so the physical part starts before you're underground. You need moderate fitness, not athlete-level, but you can't show up winded. The guide provides all the equipment: helmet, harness, lights, everything. Groups stay small, minimum two people, which means you're not shuffling through in a crowd of thirty. The whole experience, from the parking area to coming back out, takes most of a day, but the four hours in the cave itself is what stays with you.

What’s included

• Your day includes the expert guide, all caving equipment (helmet, harness, lights, and safety gear), the 18-meter rappel, access to all cave passages including the warm-up squeeze, challenge squeeze, Laundry Chute, the Grande Gallery, and the Grotto. The guide handles setup and safety.
• you provide the moderate fitness and the willingness to crawl through tight spaces for four hours underground.

Options for this experience

2 options

10:15 Adventure TourGuide in English · 10:15Lasting roughly 6 hours in total, with about 4.5 of those spent underground, this is our longest cave tour and is part of our Canadian Signature Experiences. The route features an 18m rappel and gives you ample opportunity to explore passages such as the Laundry Chute.

11:45 Adventure TourGuide in English · 11:45Lasting roughly 6 hours in total, with about 4.5 of those spent underground, this is our longest cave tour and is part of our Canadian Signature Experiences. The route features an 18m rappel and gives you ample opportunity to explore passages such as the Laundry Chute.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:15 and 11:45

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (16 to 80 years) · Youth (12 to 15 years) · Under 12: can't be booked

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 48 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Canmore Cave Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a full caving experience without having to arrange your own gear or navigate the cave alone. The guide and equipment are what make a serious underground adventure possible in a single afternoon near Canmore.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 15 years). Children under 12 can't be included in the booking.

How long is the hike to the cave entrance?

About 30 to 40 minutes uphill on a mountain trail before you reach Rat's Nest Cave.

What's included in the tour?

Expert guide, all caving equipment (helmet, harness, lights), and all activities including the rappel, squeezes, and cave passages.

How deep is the rappel?

18 meters: about 6 stories straight down.

How long do you spend underground?

Approximately 4 hours on the Adventure Tour, the longest option the cave offers.

What's the minimum group size?

Minimum 2 people. Tours may be cancelled after confirmation if the group doesn't meet the minimum, with a full refund or alternative offered.

Do I need to be very fit?

You need at least moderate physical fitness. The uphill hike and crawling through tight spaces require reasonable strength and endurance, but you don't need to be an athlete.

What are the squeeze sections like?

The warm-up squeeze, challenge squeeze, and Laundry Chute are tight passages where you move on your belly or back. They're challenging but manageable with moderate fitness.

Is there a weight or size limit?

The safety harness has a maximum waist size of 45 inches (114 cm) and maximum leg size of 33 inches (84 cm).

How cold is it in the cave?

The cave stays around 7 degrees Celsius year-round, so layers are a good idea.

Can I do this if I'm pregnant?

The tour is not recommended for pregnant women beyond their first trimester.