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Outdoors Bow Valley Parkway, Banff

Johnston Canyon

An outdoor spot in Bow Valley Parkway, Banff, free to visit and worth about 2.5 hours. Best time to go: Early morning.

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Johnston Canyon in Bow Valley Parkway, Banff
Photo: Theresa Yim · Google

Why go

Catwalks bolted into a limestone canyon lead to Lower and Upper Falls.

It is one of 10 curated places we feature in Banff, alongside 2 activities, 2 places to eat and 2 outdoor spots. The closest of our other picks is Cave and Basin National Historic Site, 19 km away as the crow flies.

Type
Outdoors · Nature
Neighborhood
Bow Valley Parkway
Price
Free
Time needed
2.5 hr
Best time
Early morning

Nearby

The 6 closest curated picks in Banff, measured as straight-line distance.

  1. 1
    Cave and Basin National Historic Site

    Birthplace of Canada's national parks, with a thermal cave and marsh boardwalk.

    Sight · 19 km straight-line
  2. 2
    Wild Flour Bakery

    Banff bakery-café for breakfast sandwiches, pastries and coffee.

    Food · 20 km straight-line
  3. 3
    Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies

    Local art and mountain history museum on Bear Street.

    Sight · 20 km straight-line
  4. 4
    Park Distillery

    Banff's distillery restaurant with glacier-water spirits, cocktails and campfire-style cooking.

    Drinks · 20 km straight-line
  5. 5
    The Grizzly House

    Banff fondue restaurant since 1967, with hot-rock cooking and game meats.

    Food · 20 km straight-line
  6. 6
    Bow Falls

    Wide falls on the Bow River below the Fairmont Banff Springs, an easy walk from town.

    Outdoors · 21 km straight-line

On these curated routes

Johnston Canyon is a stop on our Banff & Jasper Loop route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.

More outdoor spots in Banff

Another curated outdoor spot in Banff. See the full Banff guide.

When to go

Average daily highs in Banff run from -6°C in December to 21°C in July; June is usually the wettest month. For Johnston Canyon itself, we suggest: Early morning.

Modelled monthly averages for Banff from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Full Banff weather by month.

Getting there

Map links open a live search for Johnston Canyon, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.

Address
Bow Valley Pkwy, Improvement District No. 9, AB T1L 1K2, Canada
Coordinates
51.24553, -115.83990
Destination
Banff, Alberta

Johnston Canyon: quick answers

How much time do you need at Johnston Canyon?

Plan on about 2.5 hours at Johnston Canyon. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.

When is the best time to visit Johnston Canyon?

Our pick: Early morning. Insider tip: Arrive before 8am; parking fills quickly.

Is Johnston Canyon free?

Yes, we list Johnston Canyon as free to visit. Check locally before you go, since special exhibits, parking or tours can carry a fee.

Where is Johnston Canyon?

Johnston Canyon is at Bow Valley Pkwy, Improvement District No. 9, AB T1L 1K2, Canada, in Bow Valley Parkway. The Google Maps and Apple Maps links on this page open it for directions.

Which TripsCircle routes include Johnston Canyon?

Johnston Canyon appears on Banff & Jasper Loop, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.

Add Johnston Canyon to your crew's plan

Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Banff.

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Also in Banff

Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.