Johnston Canyon & the Inkpots

After a short climb through the forest, you feel the air cool through the trees. As you’re rounding to the descent into the lower canyon, you can hear the muffled rush of turbulent water. The smell of limestone mixes with the mist in the air. You are miniscule now, surrounded on either side by colossal walls carved over thousands of years of erosion and gushing waters. The view is astounding.

If you know anything about Banff, its probably Johnston Canyon. It is absolutely one of the most popular sights in Banff National Park. It’s more of a nature walk than a hike, even navigable with a stroller at most points, so it’s no surprise that it attracts such a vast number of people per year. It’s also accessible through all seasons, turning into an icewalk of frozen waterfalls during winter months.

Don’t let the crowds deter you from visiting. Get there early, as most of the crowds don’t start until well the late morning. And if you go, make sure you hike to the Inkpots, an entirely different experience full of reward.

The trail begins behind Johnston Canyon Lodge, on wide and well-maintained pathway that follows the creek. Sturdy catwalks take you through the canyon, reaching the Lower Falls about 1.1km in. Here you can make a little stop to take in the view of the Lower Falls. There is a bridge that allows for viewing, and a little tunnel through the rock allows a closer look (be mindful of electronics here, the thundering cataract will spray you from this distance).

Return to the main trail to continue up on more catwalks and well-maintained trail. Keep yours eyes wandering, there are many beautiful views. At 2.7km, you continue to the Upper Falls. This is more of an ascent so the crowds may thin out here. Get ready for more gorgeous views. You can again got and get closer via a catwalk, but yet again, you will be sprayed, so keep an eye on those electronics.

A short but steep climb will then take you to the top of the falls, with another view from above the fall. From here, you can choose to continue to the Inkpots (seven beautiful mineral pools in an open meadow) or turn around. I’ve heard many people complain that the trip was not worth it, and that they were extremely disappointed with the Inkpots, which just shows you how different people can be. I thought it was the best part of the visit, filled with beauty, wonder, relaxation, and best of all, probably less than a quarter of the crowds.

There will be less people hiking on to the Inkpots, so you can joy a little break from the heavy crowds. It is another 3km on, and the hike there is pretty much all uphill, and not very exciting until you reach your destination. The Inkpots are in open meadows with a cold river bed, and mountain views. It’s also the perfect spot for a rest and a picnic lunch.

What are the Inkpots exactly? According to the site signage: “Spring water percolates up through the sand and river gravel here to form 5 blue-green pools known as the “inkpots.” Look for swirling circles in the sandy pool bottoms – these mark the outlets of water and air bubbles as they move upward from the underground springs.

Why do the “Inkpots” differ in colour? They fill at different speeds. The milky-green pools fill more slowly, and thus have a heavier suspension of fine materials than the clear, deep-blue pools. The inkpots are cool springs – the shallow depth of the underground spring keeps the water temperature around 4ºC much of the year.”