Banff: Johnston Canyon Icewalk to Frozen Falls｜Canada

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You're on a steel catwalk drilled into the limestone, moving deeper into Johnston Canyon on a winter morning. Your cleats bite into packed snow. Somewhere ahead, a 30-metre waterfall has frozen mid-fall into a tower of ice, and there are usually climbers on it.

Your guide picks you up in a heated minibus from the Rundlestone Lodge in Banff, or from central Canmore if you're staying on that side of the valley. From Banff it's a 30-minute drive up the Bow Valley Parkway, a quieter road than the Trans-Canada and one of the better wildlife corridors in the park; deer, elk and the occasional wolf track are all in play.

At the trailhead your guide fits ice cleats over your own winter boots and hands out poles for anyone who wants them, then runs a short winter-hiking briefing. From there it's 2.7 km and 135 m of climbing to the Upper Falls — moderate, steady, no scrambling. The catwalks do most of the hard work, carrying you along the canyon wall anywhere from ground level to about 10 m above the creek.

You'll stop at the Lower Falls first, where a short natural rock tunnel opens onto a viewing platform right beside the frozen cascade. Then you continue up to the Upper Falls, where your guide breaks out hot chocolate and cookies on the upper deck while you take in the ice. The hike back down is quicker. Total tour time is about 4 hours door to door, with 2 to 2.5 hours of that on foot.

Small groups, always. Maximum 12 guests per guide — a size where you can actually hear the interpretation and aren't queuing behind a coach group on the catwalks.

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. If we cancel for weather or trail conditions, you get a full refund or a reschedule, your choice. We don't run below −30 °C.