Fall is usually a quieter time to explore Johnston Canyon in Banff National Park, once the summer crowds have thinned out. But if you were hoping to visit the waterfalls over the coming weeks, you’ll need to change your plans.
Credit: Banff & Lake Louise Tourism
Parks Canada has closed the Johnston Canyon Trail from October 13 to December 11, 2026, for essential rock slope remediation work.
The closure affects the entire main trail from the parking lot to the Lower Falls and Upper Falls viewpoints. The Johnston Canyon Day Use Area, including the P1 parking lot and washroom facilities, is also unavailable.
According to Parks Canada, the restrictions are necessary “to ensure public and workers’ safety during construction work.”
The closure is legally enforceable under the Canada National Parks Act. Anyone entering the restricted area could face charges, with a maximum penalty of $25,000.
Can You Still Hike to the Upper Falls and Ink Pots?
Yes. Parks Canada says visitors can continue to access the Upper Falls and Ink Pots using the Moose Meadows Trail, located approximately two kilometres from the main Johnston Canyon parking area.
The alternate route follows a forested trail with sections of exposed roots and rocks, rather than the paved walkways and narrow canyon-side bridges familiar to Johnston Canyon visitors.
Hikers will climb through the forest before reaching a junction connecting to the Upper Falls and Ink Pots trails.
The Ink Pots are shallow pools in a mountain meadow, where water bubbles up naturally from beneath the ground.
Visitors should allow more time and prepare for a more demanding hike compared with the regular Johnston Canyon route.
Normally, the main Johnston Canyon Trail provides a relatively short walk to two waterfalls:
- Lower Falls: 1.1 km one way, with an estimated one-hour return hike.
- Upper Falls: 2.4 km one way, with an estimated two-hour return hike.
The usual hike to the Ink Pots from Johnston Canyon covers 5.5 km one way, with 425 metres of elevation gain and an estimated four-hour round trip.
The main Johnston Canyon trailhead is situated along the Bow Valley Parkway, approximately 25 km northwest of Banff and 33 km southeast of Lake Louise.
With the regular trail, parking facilities and washrooms closed until December 11, visitors planning a fall hike should instead use the Moose Meadows access route and stay outside the designated closure area.