Riding an e-bike from Banff to Johnston Canyon
White Mountain Adventures runs the only bike tour on this site, a summer half day that pairs an e-bike ride out of Banff with a guided walk into Johnston Canyon. It costs more than any other tour we compare. Below we cover the route and the rules for riders, plus what the tour leaves out.
What the half day looks like
The White Mountain's e-bike tour, from ~$143, takes about 4 hours in total. A guide leads the ride out of town. Then everyone leaves the bikes and walks into the canyon as far as the Lower Falls bridge.
It holds 4.8 from 240+ reviews on Viator and 4.7 from 90 reviews on GetYourGuide. The listing puts these items in the price:
- An e-bike for the ride
- A helmet
- An interpretive guide for the ride and the walk
- A one-way vehicle shuttle
You can cancel at no cost until 24 hours before the start. The tour runs in the summer season only, so there is no winter version of this ride.
Meeting point on Bear Street
The tour starts at White Mountain Adventures, 202 Bear Street in Banff, on the corner of Bear and Caribou. Most of downtown Banff is a short walk from there.
You make your own way to the shop, so allow time to walk over or find parking in town. Check the start time on the listing for your date, since the booking page sets it.
The ride out past Vermilion Lakes
The route leaves Banff past the Vermilion Lakes, a chain of shallow lakes on the west side of town with Mount Rundle behind them. On a calm morning the water can hold a clear reflection of the peaks.
From there the tour follows the shaded Legacy Trail, a path built for bikes and walkers, before it joins the road. The trees keep the sun off on warm days, which matters when you are wearing a helmet.
An e-bike adds motor assist when you pedal. It takes the edge off the climbs, so you can arrive at the trailhead with enough energy left for the walk.
Sharing the Bow Valley Parkway
The last stretch runs along the Bow Valley Parkway, the older road between Banff and Lake Louise. It is slower and quieter than the Trans-Canada Highway, but it is still a road with cars and RVs on it.
Elk and deer can appear on or beside the parkway, and a bear occasionally does too, though no animal is ever promised. Drivers who slow down to look are a hazard of their own, so riders need to stay alert.
Our guide to reaching the canyon on your own covers the parkway's spring overnight restriction. It applies at night in spring, so it does not touch a summer daytime ride.
The walk to the Lower Falls
At the trailhead the bikes stay behind and the group walks into the canyon with the guide. Steel catwalks bolted to the limestone walls carry you above Johnston Creek, which cut this gorge over a very long time.
The walk ends at the Lower Falls bridge, about 1.2 km (0.75 mi) from the trailhead with roughly 50 m (165 ft) of climbing. In summer the spray from the falls drifts across the viewpoints and feels cool after the ride.
Near the Lower Falls a short natural rock tunnel leads to a platform facing the water. The listing does not say whether the group goes through it, so ask your guide on the day.
The Upper Falls, about 2.7 km (1.7 mi) in, are not part of this tour. Our Lower and Upper Falls guide describes the climb beyond the bridge.
Who can ride, and who should skip it
The listing sets firm rules for riders. Read them before you book, because they rule out some guests completely.
- Minimum rider height of 152 cm (5 ft)
- Closed-toe shoes, no sandals
- Not suited to people with back problems
- Not suited to people with heart conditions
The height rule leaves out most younger children. Families with small kids should read our family guide first, since the other tours on this site have different limits.
For clothing, think in layers. The ride can be sunny and warm, while the canyon stays cool and damp near the water. Our clothing guide covers the summer side too.
Banff to the Lower Falls on two wheels
A summer half day with the bike and a guide in the price, plus a shuttle for one leg so you only ride one way. Meet at 202 Bear Street in closed shoes. Cancelling is free until 24 hours before.
Three reasons to think twice
Price comes first. At ~$143 it is the dearest tour on this site, well above the ~$78 icewalk and the ~$58 day tour. A good share of that pays for the bike and the shuttle rather than the canyon.
It is a summer tour, so it cannot show you the frozen falls. For those you need a winter trip, and our guide to the best months for the canyon sets out when the ice usually forms.
It also stops at the Lower Falls. If the Upper Falls matter to you, you can walk on another day by yourself. Our cost guide puts the four tours and their prices in one table.
Who it suits
This tour suits adults and older teens who like being outdoors and want more than a walk. The ride turns the trip out to the canyon into part of the day instead of a bus transfer.
It also solves summer parking, which can be hard at Johnston Canyon on busy days. If you would rather sit back between the big sights, the Rockies Journey day tour in our Lake Louise day guide is the cheaper, longer alternative, though in summer it skips the canyon.