Johnston Canyon Hike: Lower Falls, Upper Falls & What to Expect

Johnston Canyon is one of the most popular hikes in Banff National Park. Before I went, I had already read plenty of posts from people describing the trail as feeling almost like part of a herd. The path is narrow in places, and when it gets busy, hikers can end up following each other very closely. For some people, that took away from the experience completely.

At the same time, Johnston Canyon is popular for a reason. It’s accessible, scenic and relatively easy to fit into a Banff itinerary, so I never expected to have the trail to myself.

My workaround was simple: I used the long summer daylight to my advantage and started hiking around 6 PM. At the end of June, I had more than enough time to reach Upper Falls and hike back before dark. The trail was still busy, but it felt much calmer than I had expected. With a little patience at Upper Falls, I even managed to enjoy the waterfall almost completely on my own for a few moments.

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Johnston Canyon Hike At-a-Glance

Johnston Canyon isn’t just a waterfall hike, the trail itself is part of the experience. Instead of climbing toward a distant viewpoint, you follow Johnston Creek deeper into the canyon. The route moves between forest and elevated catwalks built directly along the rock walls.

What makes it so memorable is how close you are to everything. The creek rushes below you as waterfalls appear between the canyon walls. The whole landscape feels enclosed and dramatic, a completely different experience from the wide-open mountain scenery Banff is famous for. It’s also relatively accessible, which helps explain why Johnston Canyon has become one of the most popular hikes in the park.

My Experience Hiking Johnston Canyon in the Evening

My biggest tip for Johnston Canyon is simple: go early in the morning or later in the evening. You’ll have a much better chance of enjoying the canyon without feeling like you’re moving in a line of people.

I started around 6 PM, and the timing worked well for me. The trail was still busy, but it never felt as overwhelming as some of the experiences I had read about beforehand.

Lower Falls was the one exception. When I got there, there was still a line for the main close-up viewpoint. And honestly, if you’re anything like me, waiting in line for a viewpoint isn’t really an option. I looked at the queue, decided I was fine missing it, and kept hiking.

I obviously can’t compare the Lower Falls viewpoint with Upper Falls because I didn’t experience it myself, but I still left Johnston Canyon completely satisfied with the hike.

Continuing upward gave me exactly what I was hoping for: rushing water below the catwalks, smaller waterfalls along the way, forested stretches of trail and, eventually, Upper Falls.

By the time I reached the upper section, fewer people were around. I could slow down, enjoy the waterfall properly and wait for the viewpoint to clear instead of snapping a photo and moving on.

I may have skipped the Lower Falls viewpoint, but I definitely didn’t feel short on scenery.

This is what the rest of the hike gave me instead: rushing water, canyon views, forested catwalks, a rainbow in the mist and Upper Falls waiting at the end.

Johnston Canyon Hike FAQ

How Hard Is the Johnston Canyon Hike?

For most visitors, Johnston Canyon is an easy to moderate hike. The trail to Lower Falls is fairly gentle, while continuing to Upper Falls adds more distance and climbing.

I never found the hike technically difficult. The route is well established, with paved sections, forest trail and elevated catwalks rather than rough mountain terrain. My hike recorded 299 metres of elevation gain. Even so, it felt much more like a scenic canyon walk than a strenuous Rockies hike.

If you’re comfortable walking for a couple of hours with some uphill sections, Upper Falls should feel very manageable.

What Is the Best Time to Hike Johnston Canyon?

If you want to avoid the heaviest crowds, I would aim for early morning or later in the evening.

I started around 6 PM in late June, and that worked very well. There was still a queue at the Lower Falls viewpoint, but the trail became noticeably quieter as I continued toward Upper Falls.

Summer evenings are especially useful because of the long daylight hours. I had plenty of time to hike to Upper Falls, enjoy the viewpoints and return without coming close to running out of daylight.

How Long Does the Johnston Canyon Hike Take?

If you’re hiking to Upper Falls and back, I would allow roughly 1.5 to 2 hours.

My recorded hike took 1 hour 47 minutes total. That included photo stops and some extra back-and-forth near Upper Falls while I waited for the viewpoint to clear.

Give yourself additional time if you plan to wait for the Lower Falls viewpoint, stop frequently for photos or simply want to enjoy the canyon without rushing.

Final Thoughts on Hiking Johnston Canyon

Johnston Canyon is popular for a reason. It’s easy to access, visually different from many other Banff hikes, and the combination of forest, canyon walls, rushing water and elevated catwalks makes the trail feel memorable from start to finish.

Would I go in the middle of the day? Probably not. For me, starting around 6 PM made all the difference. The trail was still busy in places, but I had more breathing room, a quieter experience toward Upper Falls and enough time to simply wait when I wanted a viewpoint to myself.

I may have skipped the Lower Falls photo stop, but I never felt like I missed out. I left Johnston Canyon completely satisfied with the experience and very glad I used the long summer evening to do it on my own terms.

I visited Johnston Canyon on the first day of my 3-day Banff itinerary, after exploring Canmore and Banff earlier in the day.