Johnston Canyon Cave (Closed)

Improvement District No. 9, Alberta

4.4/5
based on 13 reviews

Details

Distance

3.4 miles

Elevation Gain

700 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Tiffany Nguyen

Off-trail is prohibited and this adventure is closed. Visit parks.canada.ca for more information. 

Johnston Canyon is one of Alberta’s many gems. Located in Banff national park, this stunning waterfall hike is a quick 3.4 miles roundtrip.

It’s amazing how much varied scenery you see over the course of the very short 1.7 mile hike. Follow the catwalks through the canyon as the stunning turquoise water flows below. If you’re feeling up for a longer hike, you can continue along the trail to the Ink Pots (makes for a great winter hike!), which is an additional 3.6 miles. To avoid the crowds, it is highly recommended to start this hike early in the morning or later in the afternoon.

To get to Johnston Canyon, simply follow the Bow Valley Parkway west to Johnston Canyon for about 11 miles. You’ll find the parking lot on the east side where you’ll then follow the footbridge to the trailhead. The trail begins immediately past the lodge with a gradual ascent.

Shortly, you’ll come to Lower Falls that has several very unique vantage points. If you’re feeling adventurous, there are a few areas along the trail where some off-trail exploring will take you to some amazing spots. The Johnston Canyon cave is one of the most photographed locations in Alberta. Pay attention between Lower and Upper Falls and you’ll see an easy to follow trail that leads you to this incredible spot. Shortly after the cave, you’ll reach Upper Falls which features an impressive 30 meter drop.

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Features

Hiking
Scenic
Waterfalls

Johnston Canyon Cave (Closed) Reviews

A great quiet place to get away from the tourist crowds of Johnston canyon. Highly recommended in the winter!

Did this hike as an afterthought on our final day in Alberta -- we were tired but glad we decided to go. It's short and sweet and the famous "secret spot" off the trail is a must have Instagram shot!

Completed the hike to lower and upper falls at around 7am. Had the place to ourselves and it was absolutely amazing. Weaving through the canyon walls on suspension bridges provides excellent views of the canyon, river and various falls. Managed to find the Johnston canyon cave but it took some serious looking! Not easy to spot but lies near the entrance of upper falls on the right. We left the canyon at around 9am and hoards of people were coming in so I recommend getting there early!

Luckily this spot is still not common knowledge to the thousands of people on the Johnston Canyon trail daily, used the directions here to find the cave easily. It was nice to enjoy our lunch and snap pictures without the elbowing up above at the upper and lower falls. There were only a handful of people hanging out around down here when we arrived. If you are hiking at Johnston Canyon, do not miss this gem!

It is a great spot with not nearly as many people as the main falls. The instructions to get there were a little confusing . The trail to get to the Cave is on the right if you are going up and is just before the upper falls. Also, graffiti has ruined the walls on the cave. Other than that is was a cool spot and a must do if you are in Banff

Cool little cave with great photo opportunities esp as a lot of tourists can't find this spot

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Hike to the Ink Pots via Johnston Canyon

Johnston Canyon Lower and Upper Falls

Snowshoe to Rockbound Lake

Hike to Silverton Falls

Snowshoe to Silverton Falls and Rockbound Lake

Hike to Bourgeau Lake