Johnston Canyon Frozen Waterfalls & Banff Backroads Wildlife Tour: Discover a Winter Wonderland
5.0
11 Ratings
Banff
Discover the frozen beauty of Johnston Canyon and explore the hidden gems along Bow Valley Parkway on a winter wildlife tour. Experience a morning of awe-inspiring landscapes and heartwarming moments.
Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Johnston Canyon - Discover the breathtaking splendor of Banff National Park’s premier winter walk at Johnston Canyon!

Upon arrival, your expert local guide will provide you with ice cleats/crampons and (optional) hiking poles, regaling you with fascinating tales and trivia as you journey along the gentle path towards the Lower Falls.

This trek takes about 30 minutes, covering a distance of 1.2 km with an elevation gain of 50m.

Upon reaching the Lower Falls, you can either return to the trailhead where a complimentary hot drink by a toasty firepit awaits or venture further to the Upper Falls, which adds another 30 minutes and 1.3 km to the trek.

There, you’ll be spellbound by the most magnificent frozen waterfalls in the canyon and can watch intrepid ice climbers navigate the icy cliffs.

The complete round trip to the Upper Falls spans 2 hours, 5.0 km, with an elevation gain of 120m, suitable for those of average fitness.

What's Included
  • Guaranteed small group tour (Max 13 guests)
  • Comfortable transport in a spacious, air-conditioned van
  • Complimentary hot drinks (hot chocolate, coffee, or tea)
  • Knowledgeable local guides with winter skills & photography expertise
  • Convenient pick-up & drop-off at Banff Train Station (contact for hotel pick-up)
  • Included gear: ice cleats, crampons, and hiking poles
  • Availability of ice cold water refills (bring your own bottle)
What's Not Included
  • Lunch & snacks (BYO or contact before booking to purchase a picnic lunch)
  • Tips for our dedicated guides (entirely optional but always appreciated)
Additional Information

Immerse yourself in the winter wonderland that is Johnston Canyon. From breathtaking vistas of frozen falls to the hidden gems along Bow Valley Parkway, experience a morning packed with awe-inspiring beauty and heartwarming moments.

Highlights:

  • Johnston Canyon’s Icy Allure: Traverse through the enchanting snow-draped Johnston Canyon. Your expert guide will lead you to the mesmerizing Lower Falls, where nature’s frozen artistry awaits. For the more adventurous, continue onward to the Upper Falls and witness grandeur on a whole new scale with daredevil ice-climbers scaling the icy towers.

  • Bow Valley Parkway Revealed: As we travel en route to Johnston Canyon, we’ll make special stops at lesser-known viewpoints along the Bow Valley Parkway. Ready your camera for scenic shots that only locals are privy to!

  • Rekindle by the Fire Pit: For those looking for a cozy end to the journey, snuggle up by a fire pit and immerse in the serenity of the surroundings, hot beverage in hand.

Location
Banff Train Station
Railway Avenue
Park in the free parking lot. Please meet our guide at the front of the Banff Train Station building and allow an extra 5 minutes for parking and walking to the meet point. For select hotel pick-ups in Banff please contact Radventures before booking.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(11 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Kevin_h
May 23, 2024
Excellent day at Johnston Canyon via Radventures - Connor was excellent. Extremely personable, knowledgeable about the area, and just a great tour guide.
Review provided by Viator
Alleyn_5
May 21, 2024
Great tour! - Nathan and Rae were excellent guides for our Johnston Canyon adventure, which was amazing. Both guides were very genuine, easy going, easy to chat with, sweet, and flexible. We never would have known that it was Nathan's first time guiding a trip!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ivana_p
Apr 30, 2024
Great winter experience! - I had a great time during my trip. Michael, our tour guide, was very knowledgeable about the area and you can see he loves what he do. All the places we stopped were beautiful and I felt comfortable all the time. So, I will recommend this company.
Review provided by Viator
312haleighs
Apr 21, 2024
Amazing hike with knowledgable and friendly guide - Had an amazing time on our hike to Johnston Canyon. Our guide, Tyler, was friendly and knowledgable, sharing information about the trail, the wildlife and Banff more generally, including his own personal experience. The trail isn’t too long but steep in places. Tyler was great at making sure we went at a pace suitable for everyone with lots of stops and the option to go ahead for those who wanted to go quicker than the rest of the group. The trail is still very icy at this time of year so it was great that ice cleats were included in the price of the tour - they were a life saver and would make the hike very hard without them. We saw multiple people slip, slide and fall in trainers and even hiking boots, so cleats are a must. Definitely check the conditions before you go! Overall, it was a fanatic experience and would highly recommend booking with Radventures.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Haleigh_s
Apr 21, 2024
Amazing hike to see the frozen waterfalls - Had an amazing time on our hike to the Johnston Canyon Frozen Waterfalls. Our guide Tyler was knowledgable and friendly, a great and experienced guide who shared loads on information about the falls and Banff, including the wildlife. The hike isn’t too long but is steep in places and would 100% recommend ice cleats for this time of year - we saw lots of people in trainers and even hiking boots sliding around and falling over. Overall, highly recommend this beautiful hike and definitely recommend Radventures.
Review provided by Viator
Brendaj365
Apr 17, 2024
Amazing experience with tess ! - Our guide Tess was amazing. She made the tour personable with her never ending mountain of knowledge, conversation and witty jokes. A real sweetheart. She explained so many things along the way, took some amazing photos, and made this a truly memorable experience. I would recommend anybody doubting a tour to book one specifically with Tess. Ps. She also makes amazing hot chocolate.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tricia_n
Feb 21, 2024
Great experience, awesome tour guide - Friendly tour guide! She was very helpful, gave good recommendations and cool facts during the trail
Review provided by Viator
Katherine_c
Jan 17, 2024
Fun at Johnson Canyon - Our guide was very informative providing us with a history, animal overview, and shared her life experiences with us. The hot chocolate was good too. We loved the time we spent on the trail. Overall it was great. Thanks for the experience.
Review provided by Viator
Bradford_j
May 19, 2023
Spectacular Trail Walk - The walk through Johnston Canyon to the Lower and Upper Falls was absolutely spectacular. A highlight of our trip!! Riley collected us right on time at our agreed upon collection place. He was polite and easy going throughout our trip and was very knowledgeable about the history of the trails. Riley also took great care to ensure that we were always safe. Riley also offered to take photos and then took the time to email them to us. We were extremely satisfied with everything and wish to thank Riley for his dedication and care. Well done. The old but awsome Foursome.
Review provided by Viator
Minluk
May 13, 2023
Great little tour! - Really nice tour with Kayla and we went to see Marble Falls as well because the upper falls at Johnston were closed for maintenance. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Viator