Hike Alberta
Lower FallsStella FallsJohnston Creek ValleyCampsite 1 2 km N
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Johnston Canyon Trail

Near Moose Meadows · Banff National Park

Hard · Out and back

Upper Falls in Johnston Canyon, on the way to the Ink Pots
Upper Falls in Johnston Canyon, on the way to the Ink Pots. Photo by Chris Woodrich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Trail score 90 out of 100, from popularity, scenery and trail quality

Lower FallsCampsite 1 2 km Open the map

About this trail

Johnston Canyon Trail is a 15.1 km out and back trail near Moose Meadows in Banff National Park. It runs 7.5 km each way. The route gains 556 m in total and tops out at 1,750 m. Hike Alberta rates it hard. Allow about 5 hours 15 minutes of moving time. It passes 12 mapped trail junctions. Along the way you pass Johnston Creek Valley, Lower Falls, a spring and Ink Pots. Much of the route follows Johnston Creek. Also used for backpacking.

Length
15.1km
7.5 km each way
Elevation gain
556m
Estimated time
5h15min
Moving time
Route
Out and back
Highest point
1,750m
Lowest point
1,437m

Elevation profile

1,437 m to 1,750 m
1,7491,437 0 km7.6 km

Highest point 1,750 m, lowest 1,437 m, 556 m of climbing in total. Steepest sustained grade about 27% over 100 m.

Predicted coverage: 100% of route

0% LTE · 100% 5G

Longest modelled gap
0.0 km
Model
2024 · Natural Resources Canada

Predicted coverage is not guaranteed. It varies by carrier, terrain, weather, device and network load, and it does not guarantee emergency service.

Along the way

  1. 0.4 kmJohnston Creek ValleyViewpoint
  2. 1.0 kmLower FallsWaterfall
  3. 1.0 kmViewpointsAt 1.0, 1.8 and 2.3 km
  4. 1.3 kmTunnel FallsWaterfall
  5. 1.8 kmStella FallsWaterfall
  6. 2.2 kmMarguerite FallsWaterfall
  7. 2.3 kmUpper FallsWaterfall
  8. 5.4 kmSpring
  9. 5.4 kmSpring
  10. 5.4 kmInk PotsLandmark
  11. 5.4 kmSpring
  12. 5.4 kmSpring
  13. 7.4 kmCampsite 1Campground

Good for

  • Hiking, Backpacking
  • Dog friendly (on leash)
  • Waterfall, Views, River or creek, Canyon, Camping

Rankings

Trailhead

The trail starts at 51.2465° N, 115.8411° W.

Driving directions

Banff National Park admission

National park admission required

Buy day or annual pass

Pass details

Visitors spending time in a national park need valid daily admission or a Parks Canada Discovery Pass. Admission is separate from camping, reservations, parking and other service fees.

Information checked October 21, 2026.

Official details

Before you go

Carry an offline map and plan for no service in backcountry areas. Trails close for wildlife, fire, weather and construction. Check the official sources:

Nearby trails

All 588 trails in Banff National Park

Trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL
Elevation © Mapterhorn from NRCan HRDEM (Open Government Licence Canada) and Copernicus GLO 30