Johnston Canyon & Inkpots

We are using three different hiking trail guides and each of them mentions that Johnston Canyon is probably the most popular destination in the Canadian Rockies and the busiest hiking trail in the Banff area. Somehow, even though we have been to Banff several times, neither Frederick nor I have been on this hike (10.8 km, 6.7 miles; easy/moderate). It's a classic canyon hike past two of the park's most impressive waterfalls, with an optional add-on to six colorful springs in an alpine meadow. This last section in the "moderate" part of the hike.

An asphalt trail cuts through the center of the lush canyon.

After about 30 minutes we reached the Lower Falls.

The route to the Upper Falls is about 45 minutes from the Lower Falls and passes by some more cascades and minor waterfalls.

The Upper Falls - highest waterfall in the park.

View downstream from the Upper Falls.

Most people turn back at this point, but we took the Inkpots Trail that climbs fairly steeply through the forest for 1.9 miles and then descends into a vast mountain meadow. 

Inkpots and meadow with wide-angle lens.

More meadow and...

the Inkpots.

There are six of them. The pools get their name from the bright blue-green water that bubbles up from natural mineral springs deep inside the mountain. 

Another wide-angle picture of the meadow.

On the way back we took this picture of the Upper Falls with the wide-angle lens.

As usual, Johnston Canyon looks different on the way back.

Detail from the picture above.

Mineral and algae-encrusted wall.

Johnston Canyon on the way back.

There are several suspended catwalks high above the Johnston Creek.