Johnston Canyon: Hikes, Waterfalls & the Winter Ice Walk

Johnston Canyon is the most accessible piece of dramatic scenery in Banff National Park. Instead of a long hike into the backcountry, a series of steel catwalks bolted straight to the canyon walls carries you above a rushing creek to two waterfalls — and in winter, when those falls freeze solid and ice climbers scale the blue columns, it becomes one of the most magical short walks in the Rockies. It’s easy enough for families and spectacular enough for everyone else. Here’s how to do it in any season.

Where is Johnston Canyon?

Johnston Canyon sits on the Bow Valley Parkway (Highway 1A), between Banff and Lake Louise — about a 25–30 minute drive from Banff town. The Bow Valley Parkway is the quieter, more scenic alternative to the Trans-Canada, and it’s one of the best places in the park to spot wildlife on the way in. Note that parts of the parkway have seasonal restrictions (a spring closure on the eastern section to protect wildlife, plus cycling-only windows in some years), so check current conditions if you’re driving yourself.

The Johnston Canyon hike: Lower Falls, Upper Falls & the Ink Pots

The trail is really three walks in one, and you can turn back at any point:

• Lower Falls — about 1.1 km each way (~30 minutes round trip). Mostly flat catwalk to a viewing platform, with a short tunnel through the rock that pops you out right beside the falls. This is the family-friendly section, and for many visitors it’s enough.
• Upper Falls — about 2.7 km each way (1.5–2 hours round trip). The trail climbs gently on the catwalks to the park’s tallest of the two drops, roughly 30 metres, viewed from platforms above and below. This is the classic Johnston Canyon turnaround.
• The Ink Pots — about 5.8 km each way. Beyond the Upper Falls the crowds thin and the trail climbs into a meadow holding six blue-green mineral springs that bubble up cold and clear. It’s a longer, more strenuous half-day, but the payoff is a completely different landscape.

The elevation is modest and the footing is good, which is exactly why it’s so popular — real Rocky Mountain drama without a mountaineer’s effort.

Johnston Canyon in winter: the ice walk

Come December, the canyon transforms. The waterfalls freeze into towering blue-white columns, the catwalks ice over, and the whole gorge turns into a quiet cathedral of ice — often with climbers inching up the frozen Upper Falls on ropes. The Johnston Canyon ice walk is one of the signature winter experiences in Banff, and because far fewer people brave it than in summer, it can feel like you have the place to yourself.

The one non-negotiable: ice cleats (traction devices) over your boots. The catwalks and packed snow are genuinely slippery, and every winter people try it in regular shoes and regret it. Add warm layers and, ideally, trekking poles. Solid ice usually holds from roughly December through March, though it varies with the winter.

Getting there & parking

In summer, the Johnston Canyon lot fills by mid-morning — arrive before 9 a.m. or after mid-afternoon, or plan for the overflow. Roam Transit runs a seasonal route from Banff in the busy months, which sidesteps the parking problem entirely. Like everywhere in the park, you’ll need a national park pass to be here ($11.25/adult or $22.50/vehicle, 2026 rates); the canyon itself is free to walk once you’re in.

What to bring

• Summer: comfortable closed-toe shoes, water, and bear awareness — this is a wildlife corridor.
• Winter: ice cleats (essential), warm layers, gloves, and poles for the icy catwalks.
• Any season: a camera — the tunnel viewpoint at the Lower Falls is one of the most photographed spots in the park.

See Johnston Canyon on a guided tour

Johnston Canyon is a highlight on two of our tours, and going guided means someone else handles the early-morning parking scramble and the timing:

• Banff in a Day: Lakes & Johnston Canyon — $149 — our most-booked tour pairs the canyon with Lake Louise and Moraine Lake in one full day from Calgary. It runs year-round, so in winter you’ll see the frozen falls — our guides bring the traction you need.
• Banff & Beyond: Emerald Lake & Canyons — $149 — combines Johnston Canyon with the lakes and jade-green Emerald Lake across the Continental Divide in Yoho.

For where the canyon fits into a longer trip, see our Banff itinerary guide; for what each month looks like, the best time to visit Banff guide.

FAQ

How long is the Johnston Canyon hike?

About 1.1 km each way to the Lower Falls, 2.7 km to the Upper Falls, and 5.8 km if you continue to the Ink Pots. You can turn back at any of the three.

Can you do Johnston Canyon in winter?

Yes — the frozen-waterfall “ice walk” is one of the best winter experiences in Banff. You’ll need ice cleats over your boots; the catwalks get very slippery.

Do you need ice cleats for Johnston Canyon?

In winter, yes — they’re essential for the icy catwalks. In summer, sturdy closed-toe shoes are enough.

How do you get to Johnston Canyon, and is there parking?

It’s on the Bow Valley Parkway (Hwy 1A), 25–30 minutes from Banff town. There’s a parking lot, but it fills by mid-morning in summer — go early, take the seasonal Roam Transit route, or join a guided tour.

Is Johnston Canyon free?

The walk itself is free, but you need a national park pass to be in Banff ($11.25/adult or $22.50/vehicle, 2026). Both are included on our tours.

Does a Banff tour include Johnston Canyon?

Yes — our Banff in a Day and Banff & Beyond tours both include Johnston Canyon, with parking and timing handled and park fees covered.

Skip the parking scramble — we’ll get you to Johnston Canyon at the right time of day, in any season. Park fees included, year-round departures from Calgary, Canmore and Banff. Browse All Tours