Gorgeous but Busy
The hike along Johnston Canyon follows the emerald green waters of the Johnston River. As you ascend to the Upper Falls, which is the destination for most hikers, you are rewarded with spectacular views of the river and the canyon. Given its beauty, accessibility, and proximity to Banff, this is a very, very popular hike. Located on the Bow Valley Parkway, the canyon is only 30 minutes from Banff. The trail itself is well manicured, mostly flat and gains elevation very gradually. You will be mesmerized with views of the emerald green Johnston River. For more detailed info about the hike itself check out the Parks Canada link here. There are facilities at the beginning of the trail, as well as a small cafe if you are looking for some nourishment. For even more info, you can check out the All Trails info here.
The hike to the lower falls is 1.2 km from the start. To reach the upper falls you will need to walk another 1.3 km, making for a total daily hike of about 5 km. The path is mostly hard-packed gravel and dirt. Parks Canada has done an excellent job with the pathways. Many parts are elevated boardwalks through the canyon, literally on top of the river.
Top Recommendation
This is a very popular hike and the parking lots can fill up very early in the day. Getting there before 9:00 will help you find parking and shorten wait times at the different view points. Another bonus will be better light, since the Sun will be lower on the horizon (for photography) which will even out your exposures. I was challenged trying to take compelling images, given the the deep shadows in the canyon, very bright sunshine illuminating canyon walls, not to mention the bright sky. But that’s me as a photographer. Cell phones capture scenes amazingly well, as does your eye.
When we arrived, at around 9:30, the main parking lot was very close to full. We were lucky that we found a “creative” spot relatively close to the entrance. There are two parking lots a little further away which are still within walking distance. This doubles the capacity of the main parking lot. These were empty when we arrived, but it gives an indication of how busy this location can get.
The Trail
The Lower Falls
After following the river for 1.2 km, you will come to a junction. Heading right (which is a dead-end) will lead you across the river through a grotto, which exits onto a wall of water. These are the Lower Falls. You can also see these falls from the junction in the trail. Heading left at the junction will lead you to the Upper Falls, the main event.
The Upper Falls
As you can see in the picture above, the line up to the Upper Falls starts well before you can even see the falls. Our wait was about 30 minutes, and this was at the end of June, about 10:30 in the morning. I have heard about having to wait for up to 1 hour to see the Upper Falls. Thus the recommendation to get to the hike early.
My Gallery of Images from Johnston Canyon
Prints of images in this blog are available from my on-line gallery through Pictorem. If you see an image which you like and it is not available on Pictorem, just contact me here. To save some dollars, frame your own picture. I can print a variety of sizes up to 19×13 inches. Just contact me.
Afternoon Tea Reads
A nod of appreciation to Afternoon Tea Reads for providing many of the images on this post. Afternoon Tea Reads is a great source for honest travel advice to many popular destinations like Europe, Japan, the US and of course Canada, especially PEI. Check it out for travel tips (like how to save some dollars while traveling) and for an honest assessment of popular tourist destinations. Oh, and they also offer advice on proper “High Tea”!
Alternatives to Johnston’s Canyon
Given the overwhelming number of people that go to Johnston Canyon, beautiful as it is, you should want to consider some alternatives. Check out my posts about
Marble Canyon A marvelous location about 1 hour from Banff. Far fewer crowds and an education about the evolution of a canyon.
Takakaw Falls A little further, but definitely worth the drive. There are also many sights along the way like the Spiral tunnels and Emerald Lake.
Copyright 2025 Philip Colet 