Johnston Canyon
A Limestone Canyon With A Catwalk Path Bolted Into The Rock Beside A Creek, Leading To The 30 M Lower Falls, The 73 M Upper Falls And The Ink Pots, Set In Banff National Park (UNESCO Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks, 1984). Very Busy In Summer; Frozen Waterfalls And Ice Walk Tours Draw Winter Visitors. A Paved Start, Then Steps And Slippery Sections. · Banff, Alberta
Johnston Canyon is a limestone gorge on the Bow Valley Parkway, roughly 25 km west of Banff townsite in Banff National Park. A catwalk path, partly bolted into the rock wall with railings, follows the creek upstream to the Lower Falls and then the taller Upper Falls. It is the busiest trail in Banff, and on summer days and weekends it can feel like a queue rather than a hike. Go early in the morning or in the evening, and if the parking lot is full, expect a wait or a diversion; check for shuttle or parking limits before you drive out. The Lower Falls are roughly 1.1 km one way and the Upper Falls roughly 2.7 km one way (confirm), so a family can do the first part easily, while the upper section has more steps and steeper grades. Farther on are the Ink Pots, cold spring-fed pools in a meadow. In winter the falls freeze and guided ice walks run, and the catwalk gets icy. A Parks Canada pass is needed for the park. Allow two to four hours.
Limestone canyon and waterfalls on the Bow Valley Parkway about 25 km west of Banff townsite in Banff National Park, with a catwalk trail along the canyon wall to the Lower Falls and Upper Falls, Banff, Alberta, Canada
The canyon trail is open all day, every day, and has no gate or ticket office of its own, but you need a valid Parks Canada pass or day permit for Banff National Park. Daylight is your real opening time, so in summer you can start early or walk in the long evening light, and in winter the short days make a mid-morning start the practical choice. Parts of the trail or the Parkway can close for wildlife activity, bears, rockfall, ice or maintenance, so check the Parks Canada trail report before you drive out. The nearby bistro and gift shop keep seasonal hours, and the Bow Valley Parkway may have seasonal vehicle restrictions in some months (confirm).