Johnston Canyon Icewalk: Experience Natural Ice Sculptures in Banff National Park

Experience the natural beauty of Johnston Canyon in Banff National Park. Walk along steel catwalks to marvel at frozen waterfalls and towering ice sculptures. Don’t miss this popular guided icewalk!

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Johnston Canyon - This popular walk will lead you past the lower falls and to the breathtaking upper icefalls. You’ll hike on steel walkways built into the canyon walls and get an airy view of the canyon below.

What to expect:

ullet Walking Time: 2 - 2.5 hours

ullet Return Distance: 3.4 miles (5.4 kilometers)

ullet Elevation Gain: 443 feet (135 meters)

What's Included
  • Maple cookie snack, hot chocolate
  • Small group size (up to 12 guests per guide)
  • Professional guide
  • Ice cleats
  • Hiking pole
What's Not Included
  • Optional gratuities
Additional Information

Johnston Canyon, a renowned focal point in Banff National Park, offers a fascinating spectacle of natural ice formations in winter when its powerful waterfalls freeze into statuesque structures. Throughout the sun-drenched summer, the confined canyon elegantly channels wafts of water. A system of metal platforms affixed to the canyon’s faces, allows…

Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.9
(453 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Simonp339
Apr 21, 2025
Great morning out and spectacular views - Our guide Tim was friendly and very informative. The walk itself was relatively easy and was made extra special by the freshly fallen snow that morning. Although late in the season for the ice walk, there was still plenty of ice about. Spectacular views all the way.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Yingster
Apr 21, 2025
Lovely! - Went on an "icewalk" hike through Johnson Canyon mid-April 2025. The snow/ice has melted some, but it's still very picturesque! Thank goodness for those ice cleats, which are supplied by the tour company, as we'd come across some inadequate footwear and witnessed a nasty fall. Jeff, our guide, was knowledgeable and friendly. Really provided a really enjoyable trip! If you have your own cleats, it's very easy to hike up yourself - it's a set path, not difficult at all (save when there're too many people, you need to squeeze a little because of narrow walkways in some areas - with two-way traffic). Join the tour for a bespoke experience of hiking with locals who know the area well, and listen to the local stories/history they genuinely love to share with everyone.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Victoria_p
Apr 21, 2025
Well worth a visit in winter - We were picked up in a comfortable minibus from the designated pickup point, our guide 'Geoff' was very knowledgeable and on the way to Johnston Canyon spent some time discussing local wild life and land marks. Geoff brought ice cleats for our boots which were invaluable as the walkways were still covered in ice and very slippy. I am not sure we would have completed the walk if we were just wearing trainers. Geoff tailored the pace of the walk to the group and we walked to upper falls. The falls themselves had partially melted and were spectacular.
Review provided by Viator
K8xax
Apr 20, 2025
Fantastic Experience 10/10 - The Johnston Canynon icewalk was a fantastic activity, one not to be missed - our guide Elijah was so knowledgable and made it a brilliant experience! 10/10!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
L7510terichardj
Apr 20, 2025
Fun walk in Banff - Good fun. Small group with a good guide and happy travellers. Good scenery. Needed the ice cleats as the ice on the trail was tricky in places. Loved the waterfalls.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Trek64389213682
Apr 18, 2025
Ice Walk - Our guide Jeff was brilliant. Excellent guide. Great local knowledge. Beautiful experience with sensational views of the ice & landscape.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gordon_p
Apr 18, 2025
Great views & great guide! - We had Emma as our guide and she was exceptional! She was incredibly knowledgeable about the hike specifically and Banff / the overall region. She made sure that we were able to see everything of interest while moving at the right pace for the group. I would highly recommend for anyone interested in a great half-day activity.
Review provided by Viator
Annie_s
Apr 16, 2025
Johnston Canyon Hike - Excellent way to learn about Banff while taking in amazing scenery. Sights were breathtaking with our awesome tour guide, Andy. He was extremely informative as well as helpful in making sure we were comfortable and enjoying our future sights in Banff. He was very friendly as well. My boys and daughter enjoyed this tour and would definitely recommend as well as take any future tour with Andy as our guide!
Review provided by Viator
Joewi7981ox
Mar 25, 2025
What an amazing experience - A group of us from Scotland as corporate guests did the guided walk with Jeff . He was an excellent guide on the flora , fauna and geology and we all had a great time. We even saw some ice climbers going up and down falls at end.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jessica_l
Mar 21, 2025
Gorgeous winter hike - Our hike with Tina was our favorite excursion on our trip. The canyon itself was gorgeous. The hike was uphill for the majority of the way with moderate difficulty. We were given crampons to wear which were very helpful. The hot chocolate and cookies were a great little snack! I highly recommend this hike.
Review provided by Viator