Water cascades into this narrow canyon in the heat of summer, but in the winter the thundering falls freeze solid to create natural ice sculptures.
Johnston Canyon is one of the most popular attractions in Banff National Park, and in winter is home to Banff’s most spectacular frozen waterfalls. This popular guided hike takes you along steel catwalks built into the canyon walls all the way to the iconic frozen upper falls, with airy views into the icy gorge below.
Starting with a gentle walk to the lower falls, wander through a natural cave to gaze down at the flowering waters of the frozen falls up close. Then, continue onto the awe-inducing upper falls – a glittering tower of ice that rises 30 metres above your head. These gigantic pillars of ice are the tour highlight and ice climbers can often be seen scaling the frozen columns.
You’ll also travel through prime wildlife habitat to reach the canyon, and learn clues from your friendly guide as to how Johnston Canyon was formed.
This tour is recognized as a Canadian Signature Experience – a collection of once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences found only in Canada.

Gina's Pick
"It’s amazing in the morning when no one else is there." - Gina , Hiking Guide, Discover Banff Tours
The best parts of the tour for most people include the following:
Bow Valley Parkway
Catwalks
Lower Falls
Upper Falls

Gina's Pick
"It’s amazing in the morning when no one else is there." - Gina , Hiking Guide, Discover Banff Tours
We provide ice cleats that will be attached to your boots that will prevent you from slipping on the ice. We also have hiking poles if you would like to use them for extra stability.
Most guests choose to self-drive into Banff, although please note that you will need to find parking in Banff that exceeds the duration of the tour. Please refer to the Town of Banff website for general parking information, or the banffparking.ca website for live parking availability. For guests staying in Canmore, you can also use the Roam bus service and disembark at the Banff High School. The closest pick up point to the Banff High School is across the road at the Elk and Avenue Hotel.
We provide ice cleats that will be attached to your boots that will prevent you from slipping on the ice, and we have hiking poles for extra stability if you would like to use them as well.
The Johnston Canyon Evening Icewalk is a 2.5 hour tour that visits the lower falls with 1.5 – 2 hours of walking 2.2 km with an elevation gain of 65 metres (213 feet) and includes a souvenir headlamp (yours to keep after the tour!) to light your way under the stars.
The Grotto Canyon Icewalk allows you to walk directly on a frozen creek bed at the bottom of Grotto Canyon past unusual rock formations, ancient Native rock art, and icefalls. The icewalk is 4.2km (2.6 miles) and has an elevation of 100 metres (328 feet), with a total walking time of 2 – 2.5 hours. This icewalk is generally considered easy, with a few small inclines.
To ensure that you enjoy the tour, please wear/bring:
- Thermals/base layers/long johns.
- Snow pants are recommended for this tour and are mandatory if it is below -16C (3F). Otherwise on warmer days, jeans/regular pants over long johns are okay. Snow pants can be rented from stores in Banff such as Snowtips-Bactrax.
- A warm sweater.
- A warm jacket. Ski jackets can be rented from stores in Banff such as Snowtips-Bactrax.
- A hat and mitts.
- A neck warmer or scarf.
- Sturdy warm shoes, ideally winter boots or hiking boots. They do not have to be waterproof, but they must be warm. No heels, ugg boots, flip flops or sandals. If you do not have warm shoes, we recommend a rental store such as Snowtips-Bactrax.
- A water bottle.
Please note that safety is our first priority. If the guide thinks your attire or footwear isn’t appropriate and compromises your safety on the tour, you may not be able to participate.

Gina's Pick
"It’s amazing in the morning when no one else is there." - Gina , Hiking Guide, Discover Banff Tours
- The minimum age is 8 years.
- All children aged 15 years and under must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian.
- All adults must sign a waiver. A waiver must also be completed by the parent or legal guardian of any child under the age of 18 years.
- This tour stays on the trail and does not traverse the ice for safety reasons.
- This tour requires a minimum of 4 participants, please call the day prior to confirm the tour.

Gina's Pick
"It’s amazing in the morning when no one else is there." - Gina , Hiking Guide, Discover Banff Tours