BANFFS #1 HIKE, Johnston Canyon. Lower Falls, Upper Falls & the Ink Pots

The Ink Pots are a series of five beautiful mineral springs located in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. These springs are known for their stunning blue-green colors, which vary due to the different rates at which each pool fills with water.
July 6/2024 Summer Hike, Alberta Canada
Today we are in Banff National Park at Johnston Canyon. This is one of the most popular hiking areas in Banff. We will be hiking up to the Ink Pots. Along the way we will see two stunning waterfalls, the Lower and Upper Falls. The trail is 13.2 kilometers (8.2 miles) with an elevation gain of 524 meters (1720 feet). We started our hike at 8:15 AM and finished at 3PM. Our total time was 6 hours and 45 minutes. If you plan on hiking Johnston Canyon, it is best to get here early as this is a very busy trail. They have two parking lots, but these will fill up fast and you may end up parking on the road.
Right at the trailhead they have real bathrooms with running water. Once you cross the creek there is a Gift Shop there and places to get cold drinks. This was closed when we started, I am not sure what time it opens. From here it is .8 kilometers (.5 miles) to the Lower Falls, and 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) to the Upper Falls. This trail is paved in portions and is a very easy walk. Johnston Creek will be on your right. There are a few viewpoints where you can look down at the beautiful turquoise creek. Just under .9k (.6 miles) you will arrive at the catwalks, and you will start to get a little elevation gain. There are numerous benches along the way. In addition to the Upper and Lower Falls there are numerous smaller waterfalls along the way. Just under 1.5k (.9 miles) you will arrive at the turnoff to the Lower Falls. You will get a great view of the Lower Falls before you cross a bridge that will take you to a tunnel that you go in to get a close-up view of these falls. The ground is very wet going into the tunnel and you will have to duck, so watch not to hit your head. Here you will get an incredible view of the falls and the power of the rushing water. These falls are 10 meters (33 feet) high. Later in the day you will have a long lineup to get up close these falls. From here you will have 1.4k (.9 miles) to the Upper Falls. Now you will start and get some more elevation gain. There will be a little up and down and the catwalks will continue in portions of the trail. Again, take some time to view a few smaller waterfalls along the way.
Soon you will come to a section of the trail which is above the hidden cave.
GOING OFF TRAIL HERE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED TO PROTECT THE BLACK SWIFTS, AND ENDANERED BIRD SPECIES. VIOLATERS MAY BE CHARGED TO A MAXIMUM OF $25,000. This area is closed from May to November.
Soon you will arrive at the first viewing point of the Upper Falls. These falls are 30 meters (98 feet) tall. Now it is 155 meters (509 feet) to the upper lookout. Just under 3.5k (2.2 miles) you will arrive at the upper lookout. Here we were treated to a beautiful double rainbow in the mist of the falls. From here it is 3k (1.9 miles) to the Ink Pots. The number of people on the trail will now drop off drastically. The trail will now take you away from the creek and into the trees for quite a while. At 4k (2.5 miles) you will reach an intersection and you will want to go right. The left trail comes up from Moose Meadows which is a different trail if you want to hike up to the Ink Pots. You will now also get some more elevation gain. Just under 5.4k (3.4 miles) you will reach a lookout. Now the trail is pretty much all downhill to the Ink Pots. Soon the trail will open into a beautiful valley as you approach the Ink Pots. Just over 6.7k (4.2 miles) you will arrive at the Ink Pots sign.
The Ink Pots are 5 blue-green pools which are fed by an underground spring. You can see the water bubbling up in the sandy pool bottoms. We found a bench here, to enjoy our lunch and I had my beer. There were quite a few people here. After lunch we explored this beautiful area.
Soon it was time to head back. You will have an uphill climb to reach the high point on the trail. Our maximum elevation was1748 meters (5730 feet). We decided to take the trail back past the Upper and Lower Falls. As we went past these the trail got busier and busier with people. This is the only downside of this hike. This trail is open all year round and is known for its frozen waterfalls. I actually prefer hiking this trail in the winter, as there are a lot less people.
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Thank you,
Cary Mason
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