Reviews of Johnston Canyon (Park)

Mrityunjay Bhadauria

Two generations of our family have enjoyed this trail. It is beautiful in the Spring/Summer/Autumn months, and absolutely breathtaking in the Winter season. It is a fairly easy hike to the Lower Falls (1.5 km) and if you are looking for a slightly more challenging (read: longer) hike, you can continue on to the Upper Falls and even more so to the Inkpots. Wear appropriate footwear and clothing for all seasons. It can get slippery when it rains or the path is covered in snow with ice. We regularly take our children on this hike and they love it. And our 70+ year old family members also love to walk this trail. Very highly recommend.

Mariana Garcia

Awsome experience. Very cold nights camping. Have not slept like that in years. Wish i knew how to obtain a fishing licence before leaving and did not have to pay for firewood i can not use durring a fire ban. Night fire after the night of thunder showers would have been a 10/10 . Loved banff town market on wednesday locals sell organic seasonal fuits and hand made wares.

Alla Teplenko

Beautiful place to hike. Love the view of the falls.

Martin Tetreault

Must visit place in Banff. Initially we thought to skip this place due to limited time but then we decided to quick visit. Parking: Paid parking is available but many are parking cars on the side of the road for free, we also choose that one. ???? Trekking: It was around 3km one way walking, lower fall is available on the half way. If u r not able to walk long, go up to lower fall. We visited with family & 9 year old son. Walk way is so beautiful safe, & adorable, we complete trekking till upper fall. Return is bit easy in comparison. Trekking forest is more awesome then falls. Food: Don’t expect any food or water, bring little bit with you (at least water bottle). However, small shop at the end of trekking where ice cream is enjoyable stuff after long walk. Only cash is acceptable at this shop. ???? Photos: Scenes are really lovey to capture in moments, so don’t forget camera or selfi-stick. We really happy to spent good enough time at this place compare to other spots.

Kevin W

It was amazing !! Look out for the chipmunks, they are super friendly and will come up to you for play. Love this place!!

Katherine Fines

Beautiful hike. I just went up to the lower falls (maybe took 30min) and then turned back around. The area is GORGEOUS. But the hike is quite busy. The path is a narrow 3 feet in some parts, and you have to pass people on these pedway/bridge things and it gets very tight. There is a nice cave spot to take photos by the lower falls but it was swarming with people and there was a long line/crowd to get a good glimpse of the waterfall. The hike was beautiful, and the air was quite crisp. Even though the hike is rated as easy (it is), it's not 100% accessible. There are areas with boulders/roots on the path, and trees leaning over into your line of sight. So if you are a little unsteady on your feet it could be difficult.

Emilie Pelletier

Great hike with many amazing views!

J B

Beautiful place. Definitely want to visit in other seasons

Sadaf

The most scenic trial in Banff by far. Each turn has something beautiful to see!

Nicholas Milton

Summer 2021 Review: YES THE ROAD IS CLOSED. Parking is at Castle Junction about 100 before Rockbound Lake Trail head. Its about 6.5km to Johnston Canyon Trail head. We biked and it was great, the Roam bus passed us so check that out. Basically stepping off the trail can result in a huge fine as the area is under restoration. The Canyon and Falls is gorgeous as always.

Jeff Catania

What CAN'T be said about Johnston Canyon? It's gorgeous. It's amazing. It's free beauty. You must hike to the lower and upper falls. The trails are well manicured, and the steel walkways are great. Take your time and soak it all in. You'll find yourself in areas that once were completely under water long ago, as you see the smooth cliffs that were carved out by the water and rocks. The colors are vibrant and the sounds are intoxicating, but the fresh clean air is even better. Most of the hike is uphill and but the payoff is worth every step. You will get a good workout going up, and coming back down. There's are lots of view points and places to sit and just gaze. Pack water and snacks so you can take your time, and get there early because the bus tours and crowds will have the parking lot full by 10am.

Lindsey Mateo

This place is never a let down, even if it’s crowded it’s still a great time out. Try to make it to the ink pots????

Bob Bruce

Great hiking trail and kids friendly. Nice side railing for safety. Heavily traffic. It is really beautiful to go out.

Nathalie Ellix

I was there with a group of friends some time ago and the experience is unforgettable! The hiking trails are amazing with new, interesting things to see around every turn. Definitely worth your time! I'd forsure go there again, would i happen to be in the area ???? The falls and scenery in gernal was not disappointing.

Nolan Chamczuk

Excellent hike which is easy and fast to complete. Bueatiful waterfalls and streams. Will recommend coming early morning else it gets extremely busy!!!

Stonerbabes18

Long walk for kids to the top only got to see bottom.lots of others said top was better it's breathtaking If taking kids be prepared for long walk. It's amazing.

Mr.J

Great place for a hike to see the falls. The trail is paved therefor easy for strollers and all hikers. It is quite busy so wildlife is minimal. Great views of the falls for photos!

rex forsyth

Relatively easy hike through the stunning canyon. We managed to get a parking spot but imagine it's easier to take the free shuttle bus in the peak periods. Washrooms available in the parking lot.

Katherine Phan

It is definitely an easier hike. The kids were able to handle it with no complaints. Be prepared for a super busy trail to the lower falls (and at least a 30 min wait to get into the cave). A very "touristy" place, so as long as you're expecting that you will enjoy yourself. We hiked to the upper falls area (upper falls trail was closed so we went to the lookout). Due to our bus schedule, we didn't make it all the way to the Ink Pots, but could be a really cool adventure. If you pack snacks and water you could be there for most of a day!

Lady Bee

A beautiful hike, fully shaded with trees! Both lower and upper Lake is worth visiting.

Carl

Perfect place for a hike, amazing views!

Xavier Law

Grab e-bikes from Banff am make a day of it! So cool, hopefully they keep the road closed to cars.. lots of wildlife to spot from the road too.

Alina C

Fantastic especially for with young children and stroller. Beautiful views, options of trails. Highly recommended.

Katy Darhel

The Canyon was beautiful and view was unbelievable. The hiking was very intense. I think we would have had a better time to hike it ourselves. The tour felt rushed. Our opinion is you should have at least 4 hours of time to enjoy all the sights and take pictures.

Bill Que

Great hike. However, it's a bit touristy with a line up of people to take pics in front of the fall. We took it from the side haha.

Zi Wang

Great hike that's well maintained with good facilities. There are three really great look outs .. a cave, lower falls and upper falls. There are some benches along the way. We stopped and had a picnic after the upper falls. There are also a few over the path treks for the more adventurous.all in as great hike not far off the highway, easy to find and super to fit into a morning or afternoon.

Dragos Croitoru

Very nice hike Beautiful falls

Charu Deshpande

Great trail, especially the frozen waterfalls.

Merv Swan

Beautiful waterfall! The path is super well maintained and you can easily head to the lower falls viewpoint or go a bit higher to the upper falls viewpoint depending on how much time you have. I'd go back any day!

Craig H

I love the trails here! If you like hiking , must do!

Alan Hogg

Amazing place to hike and enjoy waterfall

Avinash Krishna Kumar

Incredible view and falls. Must visit The walk on the bridge along the falls is great experience. Enjoyed every moment.

Shray Sharma

Absolutely gorgeous if you have 45 minutes for an easy walk. Even more to see on a longer hike. Not recommended if you are afraid of heights.

Gerson Pacheco

This place is so beautiful. The trail is built through the middle of the canyon. For those who enjoy the beauty of nature, it's really amazing. There was a line up for viewing the lower falls from inside the cave, but it absolutely worth it. We visited this place on a weekday, it was not so crowded, but still there was a lot of people throughout the hike. The washrooms in this facility is well maintained.

Chris Stephan Trouillot

definitely worth going, expect 2.5 to 3 hr hike to the upper fall

Jan Chimera

Worth a visit if you can handle the crowds. Hike ahead of the canyon have few people if you are really into hiking.

Syed Zuhair Naqvi

Great place to take the family. About 2 to 3 hours with small kids to the upper falls.

Wilson Dos Santos

Awesome short hike with many falls. Pretty busy but not too bad during COVID.

Swetang Desai

You have to see this canyon - beautiful,especially if you’re some from a flat place like Ontario Took my daughters (9 and 7) to the ink pots which was a 15 km hike with 600 m elevation gain. We’re not in shape so it took us 5.5 hours. Used roam transit without major issues The falls were fantastic in August. I wish that I could see them in the spring. Super well maintained facilities. Go to the canyon. You won’t regret it

Sun Yueru

The canyon itself is very nice and approachable; good for kids and the lower falls are wheelchair accessible.. However, there are so many people it makes the hike difficult to enjoy. Found the Silverton falls nearby a more fun hike. (visited on a September Saturday)

Farid Kassam

It was an Awesome experience hiking upto Johnston Canyon Lower and Upper Falls... Amazing to witness the Falls starting to Freeze...

Miss S

Great day to hike to the Inkpots! Must try the soft ice cream when you are done. ????

Avery

Very scenic. A little bit crowded

Michael Landa

Very short, easy hike to the main waterfall. We are not avid hikers and just finished a 14km hike before this and we were in and out in 1.5hrs. Most of the trail is paved. Some parts of the trail were closed but it was still worth the trip.

Shawn Jacob

Easy hike in a well maintained trail. Toilettes at the parking lot area, bistro and coffee along the trail. There's two main stops, the upper and the lower falls viewpoints. We were fortunate to find parking in P1 but P2 seemed to have better availability.

Courtney K

Cool canyon with bright blue waters in the river and a powerful waterfall at the end. Hike was okay relatively easy some incline but not too much. Quite the long line at the end to go into the cave and get photos close to the falls

Alice AbiRaad

Great experiance. The walking trail is not difficult and the falls view is really great.

Wayne Falk

Fun friendly hike and trail is very scenic.

Bill Horn

Johnston Canyon is always worth checking out, but definitely try to come earlier in the day or on a weekday. In peak season the trail is packed. The trail itself is paved, which makes it easy for all ages and fitness levels. It’s a good idea to check before coming if there are any closures, as the catwalk was closed off for us to protect the black swift habitat.

Kevin Gulo

Loved the hike! Fully accessible this time of the year, though take precautions! It can be very icy, and cold, make sure you bring water, snacks, and of course dress for the weather.???? You're in the wild and may be being watched,???? hike with bells, snowshoes, and gloves! I hope you enjoy as much as we did!

Aria Pac

Simple and safe hike for family, lower falls have a pretty long line so I'd just skip if you're not interested in taking pictures. Unfortunately, upper falls were closed and there was literally nothing indicating that until we got to the very top so would've appreciated some notice there lol. Got caught in a thunderstorm but it was still pretty easy on the way down and it was a fun hike regardless.

Viralkumar Mistry

It was wonderful hike ????‍♀️

Hugo Lopez

Very busy but still a nice walk. Trail is paved and easily accessible to everyone. It's about six kilometers to the upper falls and back but it's an easy walk.

Victor Sutphen III

Spectacular and easy walks into a most beautiful canyon with waterfalls. Even with lots of people who visit the paths are well maintained and wide enough. Some of the path is on a catwalk and very safe

satya pasupuleti

Beautiful! And easy hike which is good news for lazy hikers like myself!

Bhavishyaa

An easy walk, handrail available, beautiful scenery. A line to view inside the cave moved slowly, but was fun to see. Difficult to distance while walking. I would suggest wearing a mask the whole way to be safe.

Remy Dogra

This was a great place to visit! The view is just astonishing. I would suggest coming in a little earlier to avoid big crowds. We came around noontime and I guess its peak time so there were a lot of people walking in the pathway in both directions. The path along the canyon is a little tight and there can be a congestion sometimes.

Harriet Cox

Great place for hiking. There's a cave at the lower falls with a surprise inside.

thomaskutty ta

Very beautiful. We got there around 1pm and was very packed for the first part of the trail. The Inkpots trail is definitely worth it and less people

Ali Shan

Winter Wonderland. A good workout too.

Ryan Osburn

Dog friendly hike. Slippery - wear proper footwear

Victor Gandon

Prepare your self and go till inkpot...10 km total back and forth but totally worth it...

Owen Tyndall

Very beautiful place! I'm sure it'll be easier in the summer but if you're going in the winter make sure you have ice cleats or spikes because it gets icy quick. I had hiking shoes but still slipped a lot. The trail isn't maintained well. The lower falls in on the way to upper falls so you can decide to go further later. The views were amazing and took about 2 hours roundtrip.

Jack Wickwar

The hike was fine and not challenging, and the river and both falls were beautiful. There were simply too many people for my taste. I prefer less crowded places. The amount of infrastructure in place for some of the paths is really impressive.

Evan Ashdown

Waterfalls are impressive. Go early to avoid the overcrowded trails in the early afternoon.....and to get parking.

Jenny Nakagawa

A beautiful place to visit both in the summertime and winter. In the summer the falls are majestic and you will get a little wet at the outlook. In the winter, I highly recommend you to wear spikes as it is pretty slippery both on the way up and down. Parking is a bit difficult to find but it didn’t seem too bad today (January 2nd).

Abul Hannan

This place is beautiful..beyond words!! MUST VISIT. Incase you are visiting in winters do make sure you wear proper shoes as it can get slippery. Rest my pictures can speak for how mesmerizing this place is ????

Beeboop Boy

Really crowdy but nice place to visit

Sara Lee

Johnston Canyon is worth checking out if you are in the area. Both the upper and lower falls are beautiful. The trail is easily travelled and allows for some excellent photo opportunities. Better to check it out first thing in the AM to avoid overcrowding

jinky TravelDiaries

Awesome place for an easy leisurely walk. The sound of the water is so relaxing and you hear it all the time. Also had fun getting wet from the spray of the lower falls. Just don't forget the bug spray coz there are lots and they're huge.

Bradley van Middelkoop

Finally got a time to hike! Great spot for kids and parents to enjoy. Bit crowded though . Otherwise it was very nice!

Rishi Chowdary Karnati

Beautiful place.Lovely climate! Experienced snow:) there are 3 points to visit Lower falls: which is close to 1 km.Beautiful and very nicely maintained. Upper falls: one of the path is closed due yo covid which is 1.5km from lower falls. Inkpot its quiet a moderate level trek.Good for beginners too! The scenery is worth the walk

Christina

Nice and easy hiking (even with a 3 years old in a backpack).

Yosheena Joganah

Such a beautiful hike! 11.7 Kim’s round trip to the ink pots but worth every step. If that’s a bit long just hike the Lower Canyon, it’s rated as easy and the scenery is stunning!

Suba Kalia

Beautiful water falls and waterstream. Just need to be prepare to hike up hill.

Stephen Chow

Best hike you can do close to Banff. Multiple waterfalls, bridges, and catwalks. The lower falls are easily accessible; I pushed a stroller. There is a cave with an excellent viewpoint. The upper falls are further and a bit tougher but easy enough for most people. They are spectacular and impressive. This place is extremely busy in the summer, even on weekdays. Expect lots of people.

Greg Dorscht

Beautiful small falls in a gorge/canyon with walkways up to the tall falls. Most people arrive late morning and do the short hike. The trails continue after that but with less crowds to the Ink Pots which are beautiful small azure color ground water pools surrounded with beautiful vistas of the meadow and mountains. We hiked to the Ink Pots arriving around 10am had our lunch, then headed back and saw so many people starting their hikes at that time. So glad we skipped the crowds. The parking lot fills up by 10am.

Daniela V

Easy hike. The trails are well maintained. Some areas are closed for safety reasons but a beautiful hike nonetheless

Salwa Musani

Very accessible, and the trail leading to the Lower Falls is paved and likely works for wheel chairs. But ultimately a bit of let down, for there are other very similar sights much closer to major cities, e.g. Lynn Canyon north of Vancouver.

Amanda Saunders

Nice hike with beautiful views! Bit crowded in morning and afternoon

JN Filippi

The walk up to the upper falls was packed and I couldn't enjoy it at all. However, if you are fit enough to venture to the inkpots, I recommend you do it. It is a 3km walk uphill so it's not easy but its super worth it.

Johan Cornelissen

Nice but lots of people when we went

Don. J.

Busy, even on a snowy November day… maybe a little too busy even, at the lower falls. Crowds thin out as you get farther up the canyon… stunning all along. Can definitely see why it’s popular. Best to get all the way to the ink pots and beyond.

Caleb Chan

This hike is absolutely stunning in the winter! Recommend bringing crampons/snow cleats during snow season as this hike can get a bit slippery. Beautiful views around every corner and even saw some guys climbing the frozen upper falls!

gordon jones

This was such a beautiful and easy hike on a snowy day. It was a bit busy at the end but worth it for the spectacular scenery.

Chidiebere Abarikwu

Very slippery in the winter, make sure you wear sturdy boots! Very nice view tho.

louise ngu

Excellent place to visit in Banff National Park. Very busy so recommended to try off peak hours.

Evelyn Fey

Absolutely beautiful place to have a little walk through nature! We just did the shorter path to the lower falls. You hike alongside a river on cliff edges. It was pretty busy though and the paths are narrow, not a place for a stroller. Young kids would have to be watched too, but still fairly safe. There are handrails along the whole path.

Ken Casto

We took a steady incline on wide trails through the beautiful forest via Moose Meadows with a rewarding decline to the beautiful bubbling ink pots. Then we enjoyed the grandeur of the canyon on the return trip . Highly recommended!

Heather Wubs

Beautiful! Make sure to wear good shoes and wear ice cleats if there’s snow

Joey Amor

So beautiful and what follows beautiful scenery???...people. But so nice that everyone can enjoy the trail!

Candace Olfert

Great hike, nice views and well maintained trial.

Rebecca Furry

A pretty easy hike with well paved paths. The Unfortunately the upper falls area was closed due to damaged infrastructure. Nonetheless, the surroundings views were beautiful and the water was crystal clear! The place was quite busy and a good chunk of the path wasn’t wide enough so social distancing wasn’t always possible. We also waited in line to take photos at the lower falls (about half an hour).

Rohit Dahiya

Great walk in winter ❄️

Dr. Abolfazl Ghorbani

Beautiful canyon however can get quite busy. Recommend coming early in the morning if you can. Otherwise be prepared to be around lots of other tourists. Several nice waterfalls on the way to the upper falls.

Bia Pasqualini

Ive only been here in the winters so it was full of snow but it was beautiful. A good walk with beautiful views abd frozen waterfalls. Would recommend it if you're in Calgary/Canmore/Banff region

Fartab Ahmed

This was a really scenic trail. Novice to normal. Walked it in sandals. The views were something to see. The lower and upper falls were well worth it. Highly recommend!

DR SAYANI

Nice place love to come back again

Brandon Hui

Beautiful place! An absolute must see if you visit Banff????

Chris H

Stunningly beautiful, but far too touristy. Made the mistake of thinking it was a good place to take my dog for a walk and there was just tons of people on a narrow path. Would highly recommend going in the off season

Meghan MacMillan

Wonderful hike, beautiful scenery, unfortunately second falls were closed when we were there. However, there was a lookout not to far away! Not sure if we missed more breath taking views.

Brandon Clark

Perfect hike easy and rewarding

Dawn Erath

We have been to Banff previously but didn't have time to do much hiking. This time around Johnston Canyon was at the top of the list and rightfully so. I should first off say that if you are doing any hiking in the area and don't already have a pass then you want to get at any of the local spots. We got a warning ticket that stated as much. Back to the canyon, we weren't sure what to expect having only seen pictures but what we found was a well marked trail with real effort put into the history and the easy of moving around. Each of the falls has its own cool feature, but before you get to either of those you are guided through a series of fenced/unfenced areas as you wind your way through the canyon. The views are unique and it really helps to help you understand both how small you are and how amazing nature is. You eventually make your way to the Lower Falls and are met with waterfall that ends in a stunning emerald green pool of water. For a closer look there is a bridge, then a cave and a viewing area. After leaving the Lower Falls, you then ascend to the Upper Falls. The initial hike is relatively flat with not real elevation, this changes as you go to Upper Falls. You immediately head up some steps and that sets the tone for this part of the trail. Although still paved, it can be challenging for those that don't hike often. When you get to the top of the falls, there is a steel grate viewing platform that you can look at the Upper Falls. I didn't go out there as I have a fear of heights. But my girlfriend did and quite enjoyed it. If you are up for it, you can continue to the Ink Pots for an extra challenge. All in all, this is a must see area of Banff - we will definitely be back.

Ankita Verma

Breathtakingly gorgeous!!!! The trails were challenging enough to be exciting but still very doable with amazing views throughout the entire hike. (Shoe spikes highly recommended). The frozen waterfalls and snow covered pines were amongst the most beautiful sites you’ll ever see. Clean bathrooms were a real bonus!

Negar Javan

A great hike to do in the winter. The canyon, waterfalls and the inkpots look special in the ice and the snow

Andrew Beaudin

Must do when in Banff

Courtney Albrecht

It was an easy hike. If you have extra time, it will be fun to add this hike in your itinerary.

J H.

Definitely a bit of a hike but we'll worth it. The natural beauty of the canyon is beyond belief.

Michael Holmevik

Beautiful well groomed trails, a few downhills were slippery so we opted to slide down parts of it. Great family fun during our winter visit to Canada!

Gaëtan Trellu

Great hike, beautiful place ????

Laura the Explorer

Super amazing view a good place to hike. First falls is almost 30 min walks and second falls for 1 hour. But when we hike there 2 falls was close and try to continue hiking to the top to see the waterfalls.

Helmi Ansari

An incredible waterfalls with trails offering great views. You will see limestone bedrock, steep hanging canyon walls, waterfalls, the deep pools of Johnston Creek, and lush forest. All are breathing and must see.

Andrea Hall (Epic SCAR)

Beautiful place! We spend the night at the camp ground and the morning after went to the waterfall and made up to the ink pot! Easy hacking, super suggest!

Inga Rozin

Awesome Experience. First Time to visit :)

Amedz Traveller

Highly recommend visiting at least once. Several things to note before you visit: * Use the restroom before beginning the hike! There are no services up on the trail and going off-trail is prohibited. * It's very busy, so keep that in mind especially if you have concerns with crowds with COVID (e.g. at risk). * There is almost always a line (there was one both times I visited) to get into the cavern to view the lower falls. Only one family or two couples at a time can fit safely into the viewing area, so it can take quite a while depending on how long the line is (for us, it was about 30-40 minutes). It's pretty cool up-close look at the falls, however I recommend skipping unless you're really enthused about waterfalls or have never seen one up close before (city dwellers, you need to see this).

ram jothiram

Easy hike for all ages. Well kept paths. Lots of wildlife.

Rasoul Akhavan Mahdavi

Beautiful so worth the walk to the cave which at the other end is a waterfall

Gayan Amaradasa

Very good place. Hike isn't hard.

Sift Singh

Great hike! The Johnston portion was great. We aren't experienced hikers but continued the hike to Ink Pots. It was an amazing location but harder than expected.

Steve Nickel

Amazing place in winter, very easy hike.

Mason Prokop

A short hike. I joined the guided tour by discover banff. The tour guide Jeff was really good and accommodated to our slow pace without compromising the rest of the group's pace.

Helmer T’naja

Head warning: if you’re hiking these trails in the winter, for the love of all things Canadian PLEASE CHECK WEATHER WARNINGS. More often than not in the winter, you’re recommended to wear picks/ spikes/ clamp-ons (whatever you choose to call them) for your shoes. You WILL have a difficult time climbing even the heavily trafficked trails if they are icy without this equipment, which you can rent at several different locations in Banff. (Now that that’s out of the way...) My husband and I hiked all the way to the ink pots last winter. Aside from about a dozen people stuck on the trails and causing some backup because of improper footwear, it was a wonderful experience! After you get past the falls with the engineered walkways, majority of the people don’t go much further in the winter; so things get more calm, private, and easier. A few of the ink pots were frozen over (but it was also December!) but the ones that were visible were still really cool to see! Bring water and snacks, layers you can take off as well. We even got to see some ice climbers on the side of some frozen waterfalls!

Sebastien Chabot

It is beautiful, but it is a highway if you start any later than 9am. Concrete path all the way. More a walk than a hike. We witnessed, coming down, a Ridiculous line up at one of the falls. Price of being too popular. Very Accessible. We saw people with crutches, heels, and on the opposite people fully geared to hike the Everest ????

jean-pierre meloche

Really good hiking place. It has two falls lower and upper canyon fall and hike through that really impressive. Summer time and winter time both worth view. Must visit during Banff trip.

Brian Hagan

Wonderful place indeed. Very quite and calm place. The trail is so beautiful. you hear the flowing water sound that will make your mind calm and peace Visitors and tourists around the world come here to enjoy the nature. A national park with hiking trail , waterfall with bridges, all together it is a wonderful place. It is a perfect place who want to enjoy trails. I recommend and refer you to come over here.

AR

Fantastic and very scenic hike to the lower and upper falls. We ran out of time however am told that going further up to the ink pots is definitely a must. Sadly it will have to be next time. This is a popular spot so be ready for line ups at the various scenic points.

aly c

Get here early to avoid the narrow walkways getting too crowded. There will be quite a lot of bugs during the warmer months so be sure to bring some bug repellent. There are no facilities at the end of the trails or up the more intense hike to the ink pots, and a hat/sunscreen would be recommended during a sunny day hike up there. Plenty of parking around the entrance and large washrooms at the trail head, and also a cafe/gift shop just a little down the trail.

Naomi Marsh

Very beautiful hike all the way up to Stella Falls

Abhi Patel

Great short hike.. very easy to do.. the upper falls were very definately worth seeing covered in ice.

Ron Cann

So lucky to live in this province. This hike is amazing. Would absolutely recommend to be there before 0830 to miss the crowds. We went with our two ten year olds and they did great, but it was slippery in places. Because we went so early, we were practically alone on the way up; however, on the way back down the crowds were showing up and it was way more slippery. I would not recommend the hike with how slippery it was that late in the morning/day.

Greg Hayman

Amazing trail into the canyon. Easy trail, properly maintained. Nice path way. Fantastic view. Less than 2 hours back and forth.

cherry varghese

Very enjoyable learning day. Busy on the weekends but beautiful clear water and two waterfalls to see. The hike is around 1 km to the first lower falls and another 1 km to the upper falls. Both are nice. They aren't large in terms of the falls themselves but the beauty is in the clarity if the water and how it has carved through the canyons. There are mice walking paths that have been made here. There is also a Cafe here and washrooms which were clean. Nice for a 3 to 4 hour visit . Better to come on a weekday as most spots it gets very busy on summer weekend days.

Cera Z

Good hiking experience and you have very good restaurant while you return back .

A Dawn

First ever visit to this canyon and I enjoyed it thoroughly. It has incredible views to enjoy while you wind along the canyon walls to the various waterfalls. It was quite busy in July however, I would imagine June or late August might be the quieter times to visit.

Emma Langham

It was a cool canyon in the heat wave, you need hiking shoes to go all the way to Lower Falls, upper falls and the Ink Pots , It’s totally worth it. Not stroller friendly , You must have the carry on .

sameh hilu

Great hike wonderfull falls

Cole Readman

Easy trail, busy usually.

Krista Hofer

In winter you should get a traction aid for shoes, the paths freeze over with ice. The walkway is build into the side of the canyon and gives very impressive views of the upper and lower falls. It is the most popular destination around Banff becuase its beautiful. There are heated bathrooms and a cafe near the parking lot, though the cafe is only open in the summer.

Jerome Basa

A great place to hike with family. However, it is hard to keep the social distancing.

Mark G

A relatively easy hike even after 20cm of snow the night before. We managed in hiking boots but many had crampons/poles etc. We only did the first portion of the hike to the lower falls. If you notice a group show up with a tour, I recommend hanging back a few minutes if you can so it’s quieter. Even with the time of year and weather there were still about 20 other cars (2 tour busses) already in the parking lot when we arrived at 10am! I imagine in the summer it’s a circus. If you are driving in from Banff, over shoot on the main highway and double back if there has been a lot of snow. You’ll spend less time on the secondary highway which is plowed much later.

Juliette Normandin

It is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Banff. If you go in winter, make sure you have got some good non-slippery shoes. It has 2 hikes to reach lower falls and upper falls respectively. It was definitely a wonderful place to visit in the month of december. And yes, don't forget your winter gear.

David Shuman

Easy hike! Worth stopping to visit!

Robert Fortin

We got an early start at 7:00 am day after Labor Day and it was truly enjoyable. If you wait until 10 am the parking lot will likely be full. Magnificent views of the multiple falls and interesting river and rocks. The upper falls are about halfway to the ink pots and worth going and enjoying a lunch in the meadow with the dramatic mountains around you. Recommend bear spray and bells. No one had seen a bear recently that we spoke to, but you want to be safe.

Chuck Horne

Johnston Canyon is a walking trail laid along the cliff wall, fenced with railings. Johnston Creek flows along the bottom of the canyon, forming 2 large watterfalls Lower Falls and Upper Falls and several smaller ones. Johnston Creek flows into the Bow River. The canyon consists of calcareous rocks that reminded me of ruined brickwork. Some part of the surface of the rocks covered with mosses. The upper tier of plants is represented by firs. Of the animals I was lucky enough to meet a chipmunk????️. The one-way trip (to Upper Falls) took me 50 minutes. I'm very sorry that I didn't get to Ink Pots (I will definitely do it next time). The landscape I saw seemed to me slightly grayish. Weak fir trees grow on gray-brown rocks. I think this landscape looks better in the middle of summer (not in autumn) in clear sunny weather. Nevertheless, I was very satisfied, because climbing the mountains is a great physical activity. There were a lot of tourists. But it didn't upset me in any way. After all, I understood that more people there are, the less likely it is to meet a bear????.

Maria M

Well maintained hiking trail with 4 view points. All of them were great.

Rajakumaran R

LOVED IT!! THE WALK WAS AMAZING ALL THE WAY TO THE BIG FALLS. WELL WORTH THE WALK

Ritesh Patel

Beautiful hike!

Clelia P.

Great trail to do it take between 1-2 hours to go and get back . Nice views and nice walk in the woods

Isabel Neves

It was a scenic and relaxing hike which me and my family enjoyed.

Steven Snidal

Amazing scenery !!! Wonderful place to visit !

Monisha soans

This is a wonderful spot. If you're looking for a wilderness hike, you're in the wrong place, but the canyon is really cool and the hardened trail surface makes it appropriate for a wide variety of users. It does get pretty busy though. Awesome with kids as they loved the canyon and it's a pretty easy walk.

Victor Rubba

We stopped here after driving the Icefields Parkway from Jasper to Lake Louise. It was so beautiful, a short walk to the lower falls and really magical on the sunny snowy day we visited in December. We spent about 45mins here as we had a busy day, would have loved to have walked to the upper falls too. Definitely recommend while around Banff. Also, the drive from here towards Banff was one of our favourite drives.

Social Kidney

Amazing walk. You don’t need to be a hiker to make it to the second falls. We had three kids with is aged 12, 10, and 6 and we made it up to the second falls in 40 minutes. Mind you we do hike once a week as a family. Lots of places for nice pics. Very busy though. So you have to have patience and understand that everyone is there for the same reason. Be kind.

SHRIRANG PATEL

Can get busy on the path as there is only one and it's narrow, but it's a good hike and plenty of opportunities to take pictures! Would definitely recommend to stop by before or after lake Louise, a great secondary stop! Parking is free!

Bibi Ali

Amazing place small and easy hike to do pet and child friendly. With an amazing view of two waterfalls

abby kempt

If you are planning a trip to Banff, Make it a point to visit the Johnston Canyon. Johnson Canyon is 23 minutes away from the town of Banff and a gorgeous hike. We did the Lower and upper Falls plus the Ink pot, Total of four hours round-trip. From the main gate it’s a narrow bridge with railings that leads you to the lower Falls and then 30 meter-hight to the upper Falls. These two will take you around 45min to 1h to complete. From the upper Falls it’s another hour and a half hike to the ink pot. The trail to the Ink pots is through the forest and there are a lot of Uphill and downhill, Only recommended if you are wearing adequate hiking shoes or sneakers. But when you finish this hike you will be Rewarded. The Ink pots are in a meadow where water bubbles from deep below the Earth surface into shallow pools called the Ink pot. Johnston Canyon’s are popular area and parking is limited if you can take public transit (Roam) from Banff town to this location. Elevation gain in this hike is around 330meters and the hike is easy to moderate.

EP

Our Calgary Nature Lovers Group loved this beautiful trail.

Kate Atadzhanova

Great day easy hike. Weather was perfect. Lots of people had same thought. Crowded

Jeff Dover

Great way to spend the day! Bring your camera, pack a lunch, and eat a good breakfast, this hike will take you along an adventure of waterfalls, crystal clear waters, canyon rock formations and you might even encounter the odd squirrel that will look at you with the same curiosity and amazement as you looking at him! So be kind and say hello! The path is well maintained, and easy walking, it is a uphill walk , but plenty of areas to rest along the way. The path gets narrower at points, and being covid you might feel more comfortable having a mask on hand. This is a very popular location so try to get an early start to avoid crowds, and take advantage if your schedule allows you to go during the week. Enjoy your day... we did!!????

shevy willing

Great day to be out hiking

Shelly Grenier

Fantastic 3 mile hike to reach the spectacular upper falls. A very scenic hike which would have been even more spectacular if we had gone further to the ink pots but ran out of time.

Christopher Goes

A must visit if you're in Banff! There are 7 falls in this Canyon and hiking is easy.

luca babici

A great hike with mesmerizing views. The trek to the upper falls is about an hour one way. There is a bit of elevation so I wouldn't say it's an easy hike.

Gina Glyngsdal

A really busy place, so be sure to get there early to avoid the onslaught of visitors coming in from Banff. The suspended paths do get narrow in places, so plan on being stuck as you wait for folks passing in the opposite direction. Also, if the upper falls path is closed, continue up the path to the ink pots and there is another extended platform to give you views of the upper falls

Sukhvinder Malhotra

Really good place. It is a long walk though. If anyone has any medical conditions, it's best to avoid this. For healthy people who can walk over a kilometer, it is another breathtaking view....especially from the cave

Tim Chu

A great family friendly hike on well organized and quite flat walkways. The lower falls were easy to reach with our young children and they really loved being able to get so close to the falls. Well-maintained washrooms at the start of the hike/parking area. Well worth a visit.

Jimmy John

Beautiful, not a hard hike. Perfect for families with young children and dogs. Strollers not recommended

Babandeep Dhillon

We went in December. That too in freaking cold temperatures. Wear a proper outfit. Frozen waterfall and water falling from behind the ice give an excellent feeling. Must do thing. Dont skip it.

Brenda Anderson

Trails with varying length to suit everyone. The first 2km is paved and an easy walk through a beautiful canyon with running water and metal fences. After that the trail becomes less man-made and more of a real hike.

Kerstin Pelletier

One of the most beautiful hikes for little effort but because of that the crowds are usually busier then I like when I go to the mountains. If you continue to the ink pots it is definitely less busy and the ink pots are very cool in a very beautiful valley.

Kim Nguyen

The roads weren't clean and icy, slippery. Few cars went into the ditch and most of the vehicles needed a push to get up the inclination. But the hard work is worth it. The falls are amazing

Preet Aujla

Beautiful canyon and nice hike, even for the kids

Emilie Oim

Easy place to walk.. the upper falls remain closed and it was a bit dissapointed that we arrived to the location to find out it was closed after walking for 1h. Even though, place has amazing views.

Justin Trupp

Easiest hike in the Rockies and a high recommend. Mosquitoes are bad at the moment and it is very crowded. Upper falls was closed off but an extra 150m up the trail is a viewing spot just over the top of it. Didn't go today, but Paint Pots in another 3km up the road. Lineups also on the lower falls Bridge, but only a few minutes wait I would say.

Tryphina Aviles

Good trail with several pretty waterfalls to enjoy

Ynot R

Gorgeous stream-side hike with many fabulous waterfalls and features along the way. You can go for 1h, 3hor 5h+ depending how far up the canyon you want to hike before turning back. Paved path with steel sides much of the way so incredibly comfortable and safe. Plenty of parking too.

austingerald pinto

Amazing scenery and well maintained trails. Upper falls is about 90 min round trip.

Marrianne Crawford

Amazing place with lots to do! There's a cafe and icecream shop at the entrance. But if you're going, I'd suggest bringing lots of water and a hat or cap for the sunny weather. The trail is beautiful with multiple waterfalls and plaques that show the history of the canyon. I only went 2km into the trail, but had lots of fun and I can't wait to go again.

Richard Krahn

Amazing workout during this hike. Great views.

Tegan Scott

Best to take a bus from Banff to get here as the road is currently closed. The waterfalls are nice but it is definitely worth hiking further to the ink pots, gorgeous view and not many people when we went there. Enjoy!

Mike Mac Donald

Tiring but fun! Make sure to bring enough water for ~2-hr hiking.

MissKAGE666

Easy & well maintained trail with precise direction & mesmerizing sights...clean bathrooms as well

dr9106

Its a steep hike up to the two waterfalls that follows the river. Very well maintained throughout the trail even when we did this trail during a rainy day. The lower falls actual photo spot almost always has a queue to take pictures, because why not. You do get a lot other enjoyable views along the way. Not recommend if you do not like steep hikes or have young kids and/or stroller to take with you as few sections are quite narrow on this hike.

Jeremy Kroetsch

Absolutely beautiful place to see! It is well worth it to continue past the lower falls and continue to the upper falls, you will not be disappointed. The cave by the lower falls is really neat to see the falls up close, our kids loved it! Our kids are 2, 5 and 7 years old and they all made it to the upper falls. Took us about 2 hrs to go to the upper falls and back, taking our time to look around and take pictures. I would highly recommend going early in the morning as the trail was so empty and we really enjoyed the quiet and not having to wait in line to go in the cave and take pictures. We were there at 8am and there were only a few other people on the trail.

FookSin Ong

Beautiful trail. It was very busy but everyone seemed to move smoothly through the trail. I suggest continuing through the lower and upper falls towards the inkpots. The view is pretty great the whole way.

Chuiya Meng

Gorgeous!! The views were spectacular. Enough parking and wasn’t that busy.

Alpha Ruby Maningas

Great hike. Paved trails make it crowded. However, worth it for great views.

Tiff S

Busy but beautiful

BTC trees Bourne to climb

Very nice place. Did this trip today and it was not busy. Good family friendly trail.

Janet B

It was great experience especially my first time hiking. "Secret cave" trail is still closed plus they closed the other part of the upper falls due to some safety concerns. My friend and I, didn't have a map and neither of us have gone to Johnston Canyon, but we made it.

Braveen Ravi

What a fun hike! Easy enough for the kiddos to enjoy as well.

Nabeel M

Glacier river canyon at its best. Must see. East trail along the river.

Kathy W

Beautiful, here you feel great peace, sounds of water are calming... but a little dangerous, it's very easy to fall, you need to go with the right shoes

joz m

The lower fall is so easy to walk to. It is literally a 1km flat walk from the regular parking lot. The path is more or less stroller friendly, has its up and downs for sure. A very popular spot for tourists of all abilities.

Don Carter

Absolutely beautiful! Lovely hike in to see beautiful water falls! So glad we stopped! Breath-taking beautiful!

Ali Abdullah

Mother nature lives here. Perfect destination for a short break. Hour and half the most to get here from Calgary downtown. If you are lucky you can find some wild life as well. Lots of trails for hiking around this area.

Sindy Cowan

Such a great hike. Leaves you tired but wanting to see more. Highly recommended going early we were walking out around 11am and was getting busy. All my other photos will be uploaded soon.

mahtab Shaikh

Go to the inkpots, worth the extra time.

Beulah Schneider

Amazing hike!

Aurelien N-R.

Nice trail with full of amazing views and waterfalls beside the Bow river in the Banff national park. There is a good hike through out the trail. You can go up until you reach top of the waterfall. I do not recommend for biking because the some parts of the rout is very narrow. Separate parking lot is available for the people who are going here. But finding a spot may be challenging during the period June-July. Recommend to go early in the morning if weather is good. Better to take a raincoat or umbrella since we can not predict the rain.

Sean Brown

Beautiful place. Good for beginners and experienced hikers. Must visit ink pots.

Graeme Malcolm

Very scenic hike, hard to find parking especially on summer weekends. Most people go to the lower falls only, some go to the upper falls and even fewer hike to Ink Pots. Hiking to Ink Pots takes about 1.5 to 2 hours depending on your speed. I would definitely recommend this hike. Once you reach Ink Pots you will experience a different landscape and will be worth the almost 6 km one- way hike.

Chris Aloi

Really amazing! *trails are well kept *use crampons in winter for good grip *every moment was enjoyable *go till upper-falls, you won't regret *very clean indoor washroom by parking *parking space is good

Stephanie

THIS PLACE IS JUST HEAVEN. If you dont believe me look at the pictures I posted. The hike is easy. but long.

Kat Eleanor

Beautifully maintained trails all the way up to both waterfalls. Overall parking was easy even though it was busy. Great amenities on site as well which included bathrooms and a local hotel that has a coffee shop. Overall highly recommended the hike itself was also extremely easy.

Tuyet V

Smoth easy trail. Beautiful spot for some pictures.

Solon H

Superb hike - easy level - fun with kids. Waterfalls are beautiful. Lots of squirrels!

Rohit Aggarwal

Beautiful falls, especially upper falls. Not worth lining up for the lower falls on the inside.

Ish Singh

Very busy trail but great views. Parking lot and facilities are modern and nice. Having Parks staff on-site is a nice touch. Trail is very busy and some parts of the path get pretty narrow. Upper falls are currently closed due to a damaged railing so the lower falls are even busier than normal. Tons of signage asking patrons to stay on the path so there's unfortunately no access to the water if you follow the rules. Would be nice to have maybe a small path down to the water for dogs on hot days.

valerie sutton

Love walking through the canyon nice trail. Can be pretty busy at times. The trail isn't super wide in spots so there can be congestion. Lovely views though

Partha Sarathi Sinha

Yep, it’s worth to get to the Upper waterfalls.

adi almog

Excellent hike. It took me 1.5 hours from the bistro to the upper falls. Wear good footwear.

Brett Lauder

Good for family getaway....nice view and healthy hike

Brian Sinclair

Johnston Canyon is always a pleasant hike. Packed with water falls and great views. As of recent it’s bike in only to reduce people going because of covid. Drive past the usual entrance for Johnston Canyon and head to castle mountain junction. It’s only 6km bike ride in. If you go by the other way it’s 17km to the trial. (I challenge you that next time you hike that you bring a grocery bag and pick up some trash of the trail and bring it back to a garbage can. #cleanthetrail #donttrashthepath

Bua Pitcha

Popular Johnston Canyon, it's a favorite hiking spot.

S. Hughes

Pictures do no justice on how beautiful this place is. It's also not an easy hike! Alot of the path is blocked off so the Instragram photos you see are not accessible. Plan accordingly. Also, go early to get parking.

Amrit Singh

Well paved and amazingly beautiful. We only went to the lower falls.

Brian Yuan

This was the best part of my trip, beautiful landscape, longer trail that i expected but totally worth seeing.