Our pick
Johnston Canyon Icewalk, Morning or Afternoon, Discover Banff Tours
Discover Banff Tours is a Banff company, and its icewalk is the most reviewed Johnston Canyon tour on both booking sites. You choose a morning or an afternoon departure. A modern minibus collects you from a pickup point in Banff and drives the Bow Valley Parkway, a slower road through forest where wildlife often crosses.
At the trailhead the guide shows you how to fit the ice cleats over your winter boots and hands out hiking poles. The walk runs 2.7 km to the Upper Falls, gaining about 135 m on catwalks and forest path. On the way you stop at the Lower Falls, where a short natural tunnel in the rock leads to a platform facing the ice.
- Price
- from ~$78 per person, sometimes shown lower
- Duration
- About 4 hours with transport
- Walk
- 2.7 km each way, 135 m gain
- Turnaround
- The Upper Falls
- Departure
- Morning or afternoon, pickup in Banff
- Gear
- Ice cleats and a hiking pole provided
- Treat
- Hot chocolate and maple cookies
- Cancellation
- Free up to 24 hours before
How the walk runs, step by step
Pickup times differ by hotel, and the pace follows the slowest walker. This is the outline the listing gives:
Out of Banff
- Pickup at your chosen point in Banff; be there 5 minutes early
- About 30 minutes along the Bow Valley Parkway with eyes out for elk and deer
- Cleats on at the trailhead, a few tips on walking on ice
Inside the canyon
- Catwalks to the Lower Falls, with the option to step through the rock tunnel
- The climb to the Upper Falls and hot chocolate with cookies at the top
- The same way down, then the drive back to Banff
What the price covers
Everything you need on the trail is handed to you. What it leaves out is mostly what you wear.
Included
- Pickup and drop-off in Banff
- Ice cleats and a hiking pole
- A professional guide
- Hot chocolate and maple cookies
Not included
- Tips for the guide (optional)
- Warm boots and ski clothing
- A walk on the frozen creek
- A promise of fully frozen falls
Between us, before you go
The listing asks you to come dressed for skiing in a hat and mittens plus warm boots, and it means it: the canyon floor gets little sun in midwinter. A moderate level of fitness is recommended. Wheelchairs cannot manage the route, and the group keeps off the frozen creek.
Boots matter more than the jacket. Our guide to dressing for the icewalk covers the rest.
Why it beats driving yourself
You can walk the canyon on your own, but in winter you need a car on icy roads, a park pass, a space in a busy parking lot and your own traction for your boots. The tour folds all of that into one price and adds a guide who reads the rock and the ice for you. Going without a tour weighs the two.
Who we would not send on it
Anyone who struggles with a steady 2.7 km climb on snow, who will be happier on the shorter evening walk. Travelers who only have the evening free after a ski day. And summer visitors, since the icewalk runs in winter, who should look at the e-bike and hike.
Book it if
You want to see both waterfalls frozen without any planning. Get picked up in town and borrow the gear, then learn how the canyon formed on the way. It suits couples and friends as well as families with older children who can manage a few hours in the cold.
Skip it if
- Only free after dark? Try the evening icewalk, from ~$78
- Here in summer? Check the e-bike and hike
- Want Lake Louise too? Go with the lakes day tour
- Bringing small children? Read Johnston Canyon with kids first
Ready for the catwalks?
The icewalk is on Viator and on GetYourGuide. Viator shows more reviews, and both let you cancel for free up to 24 hours before, so you can watch the forecast for a cold snap before you commit.
