Johnston Canyon is one of the most popular day hikes in Banff National Park. It’s fairly easy, making it perfect for families and people of almost any fitness level and age. It’s accessible year round, including the winter when you can enjoy hiking to Johnston Canyon’s frozen waterfalls.
The Trail To Lower Johnston Falls
The catwalks that are affixed to the limestone cliffs allow access into a deep canyon that would otherwise be exclusive to climbers.
The trail to the lower falls covers minimal elevation as it works its way through the forest. It then takes you over catwalks alongside Johnston creek and up into the canyon above the rushing waters below.
As the trail approaches the lower falls the first site that comes into view is a deep pool that has been created by the plunging water.
A bridge crossing the creek serves as an excellent viewing spot, but there is another platform that sits within meters of the falls. To get to it you have to go through a tunnel in the canyon bedrock. Don’t be surprised if you and your camera get misted with water.
The Trail To Upper Johnston Falls
The trail to the upper falls covers more elevation as it climbs its through the forest and out of the lower canyon. It works its way back towards the creek and offers several scenic viewpoints, like this small set of cascading waterfalls.
There are two viewing areas. The first is accessed by a catwalk that leads to a viewing platform looking across to the bottom of the falls.
The other viewing area can be reached by taking a steeper trail to a platform overhanging the gorge. It looks across to the top of the falls that drop a dramatic 40 meters.
The Trail To The Ink Pots Beyond The Upper Falls
The Ink Pots consist of several pools made up of greenish coloured mineral springs that bubble to the surface. If you have time, carry on to the Ink Pots to leave the crowds behind you and get some solitude. From the upper falls the trail is a moderate climb out of the canyon for 3 km’s through the forest. It opens up to a meadow where the Ink Pots sit. The hike from the upper falls to the Ink Pots takes approximately one hour.
The Ink Pots are also accessible via Moose Meadows. This route completely bypasses the Johnston Canyon Trails. The trail head is located 1.4 km’s west of Johnston Canyon on the Bow Valley Parkway. It is 5.9 km’s one with an elevation gain of 215 meters. Allow 4 hours round trip.
Distances, Hiking Time And Elevation To The Upper And Lower Johnston Falls
- Time to reach lower falls 30 minutes, 1.1 km one way, elevation gain of 30 meters.
- Time to reach upper falls, one hour , 2.6 km’s one way, elevation gain of 120 meters.
- Return trip going to both lower and upper falls allow 2 to 2.5 hours.
Directions To Johnston Canyon
- From Banff: head west on the Trans-Canada Hwy for approximately 5 km’s. Take the exit for the Bow Valley Parkway and continue west for 18km’s (11 miles) until you see the sign for Johnston Canyon on your right.
- From Lake Louise: follow the Trans Canada Hwy #1 to the Castle Junction exit. At the top of the exit turn left and follow the signs to Castle Junction until you come to a T-section with the Bow Valley Parkway. Turn right and follow the signs to Johnston Canyon, approximately 6 km’s down the road.
- Alternative route from Lake Louise: you can take the Bow Valley Parkway the entire way. It is a slower route that will add approximately 15 minutes to the drive, but offers a chance of spotting wildlife. From Lake Louise village take the overpass crossing the Trans Canada Highway. Take the first right, (Bow Valley Parkway) follow it until you get to the signs for Johnston Canyon on your left hand side.
Public Transportation To Johnston Canyon
The Roam Bus offers daily service from the town of Banff to Johnston Canyon from late June to mid-September. For the schedule and fares see: Banff Roam Bus Service To Johnston Canyon. There is no public transportation to the falls outside of this time frame. Booking through a a company offering a tour to the area or taking a taxi would be the only options.
Hiking Tips For Johnston Canyon
- The trail has a lot of shaded areas, it can get cool even in summer months, dress in layers to adjust to the temperature as needed.
- Pack drinking water and a snack
- In the summer months comfortable footwear is fine, but hiking shoes are more appropriate if the trails are wet, muddy or have snow packed and/or icy sections.
- You may feel out of breath due to the higher altitude of the area. Take your time and stop for a rest as needed.
- There is no public transportation to the falls, if you can’t hitch a ride with fellow hikers you can book with one of the many tour companies based in Banff.
Baby Strollers And Dogs On The Trails
- Technically the route to the lower falls is accessible with an infant stroller, but there are some narrow spots on the trails and catwalks. It’s extremely busy in the summer and early fall. It would be better suited to a baby backpack. In the busy season a stroller could cause yourself and other visitors a lot of grief. In spring and fall the trail may have snow and/or ice or be wet and muddy. You will want to check the trail conditions before attempting to take a stroller. The upper falls is not suitable for strollers due to some steeper inclines.
- Dogs are allowed on the Johnston Canyon trails, but they must be on leash at all times. During the peak hours of the day in the summer months it can be jam packed with people. It may not be the best situation for hiking with your dog. During the rest of the year check the trail conditions first. If there’s slippery conditions due to ice your dog could be sliding all over the place and possibly sprain their leg muscles or incur an injury due to a slip or fall.
Avoiding The Crowds On The Johnston Canyon Trail
- This is an extremely popular trail for independent tourists and tour groups. In the summer months it can get very congested, especially on the trail to the lower falls.
- If cars are parked for long distances down the Bow Valley Parkway near the canyon it means the large parking lot at the trail head is full and the trail will be packed.
- As with many tourist attractions, if you want to avoid the crowds come very early in the morning or take advantage of the long daylight hours in the summer and visit in the early evening.
- The farther you go on the trail the more the crowds will thin out. The upper falls trail is by no means a place of solitude in the summer, but the majority of people will not venture past the lower falls. The large tour bus groups rarely have time to go beyond them.
Springtime And Fall Hiking
The trails are still busy in the spring and fall, but less crowded in comparison with the summer months. Due to the amount of shade and cooler temperatures in the canyon the trails can remain snow packed or have icy sections until May or even June. They can also be muddy and slippery. The first snowfall of the season can vary from year to year. Sometimes as early as the end of September, in other years not until late October or early November. It’s always best to check with one of the tourist offices in either Banff or Lake Louise for current trail conditions or online at: Banff National Park Current Trail Conditions
Hello,
I just wanted to appraise you on the photo’s, they are great and full of life. I’m a big landscape photographer but still learning what all the camera has to offer. If you haven’t stopped in Big hill springs near cochrane then you should, it offers a lot of smaller about great waterfalls.
Keep up the great work, i enjoyed the pictures and i can’t wait to head up to Johnston canyon to take some photo’s.
Thank you for the compliment on our photos and the tip about the waterfalls near Cochrane. We are also still learning more about our camera and photography in general. It’s a fun hobby!
Hi,
I plan on hiking this this weekend with my boyfriend. We are getting icecleat and will dress warm. My only concern is that we are doing this alone and have never hiked before. Is this a safe area to do a hike in without a tour group during the winter months?
It’s not a particularly difficult hike, you just need to use caution on the icy sections of the trail. If it is a descent day weather wise and you are going on the weekend you would likely see a good amount of other people on the trail. I don’t think it’s necessary to do it with a tour group, but it’s really up to your comfort level.
P.S. I just noticed you posted this on the summer hike, I assume you saw the details and photos in the post we have on the winter hike? It will give you an idea of what it is like. You can view it here: https://banffandbeyond.com/johnston-canyons-frozen-waterfalls/
Cheers,
Audrey
Are there cabs etc on hire that can take us from Banff to Johnston and back ?
There are certainly taxi cabs available in Banff that you could hire to take you to Johnston Canyon. Unless you have a number of people in your party to share the cost it would be quite expensive. It’s a half hour drive and I can only guess at what they would charge. I once took a taxi one direction only from downtown Canmore to downtown Banff, the driver gave me a special flat rate of $50. It is almost twice the distance from downtown Banff to Johnston Canyon.
I’m not sure if this shuttle is still operating or if it is only in the summer months, you can try this link for more information: http://www.banff.com/2007/130707.shtml
If you are booking accommodation in Banff you ask them if there are any shuttles running to the canyon during your stay. I think there might be in the summer months, but not sure about the rest of the year.
If you are okay with driving it’s actually quite reasonable to rent a car for just one day, it can be as low as $50. It might be your cheapest option, you could use it to see some other sites while you have it.
You could look into booking a hike to the canyon through a tour company and see how the costs of that weigh out against the other options. Tours are generally around $65 per person.
Hope that helps you out a bit.
Cheers,
Audrey
My family and I hiked the Tea House hike. It was a little strenuous for my Mom and Dad (70+ years). I’d like to take everyone on the Johnston Canyon. Is it easier? Also, any recommendations for a safe solo hike (moderate)? We are staying in Canmore. Thank you. Your information has been helpful.
The Lake Agnes Tea House trail can be strenuous, the elevation gain is quite a lot and over a relatively short distance. You could definitely take your parents on the trail to the lower Johnston Canyon falls, it is relatively flat and not too far. The trail to the upper falls has sections with steeper grades, but it I still don’t think it is as bad as the tea house trail.
If you are going to hike alone it might be best to stick to popular trails that other people will be on. In Canmore the hike up to Grassi Lakes is quite nice. In Banff I like the Tunnel Mountain Summit Trail. https://banffandbeyond.com/summit-a-mountain-right-in-the-town-of-banff-on-the-tunnel-mountain-hike/
Cheers,
Audrey
I have a question,
Is there overnight parking there or close by there?
There’s the Johnson Canyon campground, otherwise there is no overnight parking in the park unless you are at a designated parking area for a backcountry trailhead.
Thank you for including a link for trail conditions! Although I am sad to see the trail is going to be closed while I am visiting, I am appreciative to know this before arriving at the trailhead. Your site is GREAT!
You’re welcome!
Is there a certain address I can use to get to the lower falls trails? Staying in Canmore but I’m from Ottawa so I don’t know the area. Thanks!
There’s just the directions we’ve provided in the post for the falls. There’s no specific address I know of. The Johnston Canyon resort is in the same location, but their address just says Highway 1A. Once you get on Hwy 1A you can’t miss the falls, it’s a simple two lane road with no where else to go. There’s a sign that marks the parking area for the falls.
Are the trails stroller accessible or is a carrier recommended?
It depends on when you are attempting to do the trails. You can take a stroller to the lower falls, however right now it’s still listed as fair to poor conditions with icy sections. It can get extremely slippery, ice cleats are recommended for your footwear. I don’t know how easy it would be to try and use a stroller in those conditions. As it approaches summer and through to early fall the trail gets extremely busy and I would also find it difficult to try and navigate through the people with a stroller at that time.
Hi there. I am planning a trip through Banff on May 10th and would love to stop for a hike through these falls. My question for you; is there tent camping near Johnston Canyon Falls? I havent been able to find a campsite that is available this early in the season. Am I out of luck?
There is the Johnston Canyon campground, but it’s not open until the 3rd week of May. You’re unfortunately a few days away from several others opening on May 12th. I think the Tunnel Mountain Village II campground is open during your visit. It’s near the Banff town site. You can find more information on the Parks Canada site here: http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ab/banff/activ/camping.aspx
I think that might be your only option.
Thankyou for the quick reply! You are a trip saver! Cheers 🙂
Are the trails dog friendly??
You are allowed to bring a dog on this trail. It must be on a leash at all times. Something to keep in mind the trail is extremely busy during the summer and into early autumn, particularly the trail to the lower falls. Not all dogs might like being around so many people, especially in narrow places like the catwalks.