Banff National Park: Johnston Canyon to Inkpots

Jon and Justin are constantly pushing one another to their limits. So when we came down from Borgeau that day, while I would have been content driving back to Banff to enjoy a latte and cookie (or five), it would have been blasphemous for me to suggest that. It was cold, rainy, and Jon’s legs were bleeding from breaking the ice over the avalanche paths and falling through (Justin and I were spared, too bad Jon is so heavy), but 11k? That’s nothing! So we had to go find another hike.

Which brought us to Johnston Canyon. Tourist destination extraordinaire about 15-20K down the Bow Valley Parkway (Highway 1A), the trail is paved all the way up to the upper falls. It is beautiful, with numerous falls along the path. I can see why this is so popular, as it is a high pay-off for a very short hike (just a few kilometres to the upper falls). There are catwalks and interpretive signs, and the place was FULL of families, tourists, and casual hikers.

Exhibit A: One of the lower falls

The upper falls are very neat, as there is a metal platform you can stand on very close to the falls. There is something so awesome about feeling the mist from cold mountain waterfalls!

Exhibit B: Standing on the platform over the upper falls

Upon getting to the upper falls, we (OK, maybe just the boys…) still wanted to go further. We decided to continue on the 4(ish) kilometres one-way to the Ink Pots. The journey to the Ink Pots had a few hills, and despite being described as a more rough, back-country hike, the trail was gravel and very well maintained. I was pretty tired, as we had hiked almost 15k at that point, but I trudged up the hills behind my companions. To be honest, this is probably a very easy hike. But because I was cold, soggy, and had already climbed most of a mountain that day it felt tough. But it was all worth it once we got to the Ink Pots, because the sun had come out and the pools were beautiful.

Exhibit C: The inkpots

The Ink Pots were gorgeous colors and crystal clear, if I had a towel I would have been so tempted to strip down and jump in (but I bet they are deceptively cold). It is also really neat that the pools are in a little valley in between a bunch of mountains, making the area surprisingly flat. No doubt the area has been a gathering place for a long, long time.

Exhibit D: View from the inkpots

I don’t quite remember why the pools are the amazing colors, but I believe it is something to do with the minerals in the water. I’m so informative, I know.

Exhibit E: The awesome colours of the inkpots!

Banff National Park: Johnston Canyon to Ink Pots

Distance: 11.5km (return)

Difficulty: 5/10

Scenery: 7/10 (might be higher if there were less people at Johnston Canyon)

Great for: Well, Johnston Canyon is great for a touristy, paved walk, with some beautiful views.

The hike to Ink Pots is great for if you want something less busy than Johnston Canyon and would like to break a sweat. The pools are very pretty, but be warned you may be taken over by an overwhelming urge to jump in.