Most popular destination in the Canadian Rockies - Johnston Canyon

All the guidebooks, trail maps & guides, day hiking leaflets describe the hike and they all say the same thing - its the busiest hiking trail in the Banff area and expect lots of company. We hiked the Johnston Canyon Trail three times last year and, yes, it can be crowded. Today though, at the beginning of June, the crowds were not bad. It is also an "easy" trail with only moderate elevation gain, perfect for another tune-up hike this first week in Banff.

The entire trail is along flowing water which, this time of the year, can be furious through steep cliffs and rocky walls. The Canyon has been formed over 350 million years, a period in which the water flow has cut deep through the limestone walls. There are at least seven waterfalls, two that are enormous.

At the trailhead, we got a glimpse of Castle Mountain, just down the road on the Bow Valley Parkway.

Canyon views. We had waited until there was a forecast for a "clear" day. The temperature was in the low 70s.

The first of the seven waterfalls.

Two

This is Lower Falls. We crossed a bridge over the creek for a viewpoint that is up-close and wet.

Waterfall #4

#5

This is Upper Falls.

Waterfall #7, above the Upper Falls. Notice the people who have climbed over the guardrail and are sitting on the rocks next to the falls. Too bad they can't read the many signs that specifically prohibit such action. 

Descending the trail we could see this peak that looks like the Matterhorn.

Since Jacob wasn't here to bend the tree, Frederick exerted the force. (No trees were injured in the creation of today's blog.)

First waterfall selfie of the year. I'll have to find the selfie stick so that the waterfall and the two of us can all be seen clearly in the same picture.

Today's hike:

Length - 3.87 miles

Duration - 2 hours, 39 minutes

Elevation gain - 600 feet (66 floors on the Fitbit)