Johnston Canyon: the Perfect Trail for Chasing Waterfalls
Make your way deep into Johnston Canyon in Banff National park to experience many beautiful waterfalls! This hike is known for its two popular waterfalls-upper and lower falls, however you’ll get to experience many smaller ones as you make your way through the canyon. Continue reading this article for everything you need to know before visiting Johnston Canyon!
The Trail Head
Johnston Canyon is located on the Bow Valley Parkway, about 30 minutes from the town of Banff. There is a large parking lot at the trailhead, however, since this hike is very popular, it will fill up quickly. We got there around midday and were still able to find a parking spot. If you’re hoping to beat the crowds, I recommend getting there early in the day. There are bathrooms and a water fill up station at the trailhead. After passing the bathrooms, cross the footbridge then pass the Johnston Canyon Lodge before entering the forest.
Lower Falls
There is minimal elevation gain as you make your way to Lower Falls. The trail is wide enough in most areas for people to walk both ways. You’ll make your way through the canyon alongside the river for about ¾ of a mile before reaching lower falls. Take a dirt side trail off the main trail to view Lower Falls. You can view the waterfall from the bridge or through a tunnel off to the right hand side. During the day, the line to view the waterfall through the tunnel can be VERY long. We waited about 15 minutes and hadn’t made much progress so we decided to skip this part. I suggest going early in the morning so you miss the crowds and don’t have to wait in this line.
You can turn back here, but I recommend continuing on the trail to see Upper falls.
Upper Falls
Continue up the steep side path to reunite with the main trail, following this trail for another .8 mile to reach Upper Falls. The crowds thin some after this point, as a lot of people decide to turn back here. The path gains some elevation as you make your way to Upper Falls. The trail wanders slightly away from the gorge and into the forest a little, but always reunites with the river. Right before reaching Upper Falls, you’ll come to a fork in the trail. Turning left will take you to an upper viewing platform for the falls, while heading right will take you into the gorge and bring you face to face with the falls. If visiting mid day, you can expect to wait in a line to see the falls, because the end viewing platform is very small. The line here was considerably shorter than the line for Lower Falls and moved faster.
As you make your way to the trail, be sure to keep your eye on the river because there are more side waterfalls all along it. Below are four I noticed but there are more!
If you are feeling up for it, you can continue on the trail after Upper Falls to the Ink Pots. The Ink Pots are an additional 1.8 miles after Upper Falls and will lead you to 5 turquoise green pools.
Johnston Canyon – What to Know
This trail is one of the most popular in Banff! There’s a good reason it is very popular, but that means you should expect it to take a little longer to do the trail and might mean you have to wait for a parking spot. With this trail being so popular, it is not uncommon to see trash along the trail. Don’t be those people who leave their trash on the trail!! You are a visitor in nature’s home and you should always leave it better than you found it. If you see some trash, stick it in your backpack to throw away later.
Since this trail is located in Banff National Park, you will need to pay an entrance fee to get into the park. You can buy your tickets online ahead of time to skip the lines!
Be sure to pack enough water (1-2 liters) and a few snacks to keep your energy up.
