Johnston Creek is a tributary of the Bow River in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico in ...

. The creek is located in

Banff National Park Banff National Park is Canada's oldest National Parks of Canada, national park, established in 1885 as Rocky Mountains Park. Located in Alberta's Rockies, Alberta's Rocky Mountains, west of Calgary, Banff encompasses of mountainous terrain, wi ...

Course

Johnston Creek originates north of

Castle Mountain Castle Mountain ( bla, Miistukskoowa) is a mountain located within Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies, approximately halfway between Banff and Lake Louise. It is the easternmost mountain of the Main Ranges in the Bow Valley and sits ...

in a glacial valley southwest of Badger Pass and south of

Pulsatilla Pass Pulsatilla Pass is a mountain pass located in Banff National Park. As the sources for both Johnston Creek, and Wildflower Creek it is located near the Sawback Range between Johnston Canyon and Lake Louise, Alberta. The pass was named for a sub ...

, at an elevation of . The creek flows southeast between Helena Ridge and the

Sawback Range The Sawback Range is a mountain range of the Canadian Rockies that stretches from the Bow Valley in Alberta into southeastern Banff National Park. Mountains This range includes the following mountains and peaks: See also * Ranges of the Cana ...

, and then south through a

gorge A canyon (from ; archaic British English spelling: ''cañon''), or gorge, is a deep cleft between escarpments or cliffs resulting from weathering and the erosion, erosive activity of a river over geologic time scales. Rivers have a natural tenden ...

known as Johnston Canyon. The stream empties into the Bow River, south of Castle Mountain, between Banff and Lake Louise, at an elevation of .

Johnston Canyon

As Johnston Creek approaches the Bow River, it flows through a large canyon formed by erosion over thousands of years. The creek has cut through the

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

rock to form sheer canyon walls, as well as waterfalls, tunnels, and pools. A popular hiking trail follows the canyon and leads to a meadow within the Johnston Valley above the canyon. The first part of the trail consists of a constructed walkway with safety rails and bridges, while the last part of the trail is natural and more rugged. Within the meadow are the ''Ink Pots'', which are six blue-green spring-fed pools. In August 2018, a few of the "natural" trails near the falls were closed off, in an attempt to help recover the small nesting population of the

American black swift The American black swift, or more simply black swift (''Cypseloides niger''), is a species of bird that is found from northern British Columbia in Canada through the United States and Mexico to Costa Rica and Brazil. They are also found in the Ca ...

. Ice climbing is a popular activity on the frozen waterfalls in winter. A tourist lodge and large parking area is located at the foot of the canyon, close to the creek mouth, along the

Bow Valley Parkway Alberta Provincial Highway No. 1A is the designation of two alternate routes off the Alberta portion of Trans-Canada Highway 1. However, it is not the only name used for spurs off Highway 1 - Highway 1X is another such designation ...

( Highway 1A).

Gallery

Image:Johnston cascade.JPG, Cascade in Johnston Canyon Image:Lower fall johnston Canyon.jpg, Lower Falls in Johnston Canyon Image:Johnston-Canyon-Szmurlo.jpg, Frozen Lower Falls in Johnston Canyon Image:Banff inkpots.jpg, Ink Pots Image:Johnston Canyon in Banff National Park.jpg, Johnston Canyon in Banff National Park Image:Ice climbers at Johnston Canyon Banff National Park Canada.jpg, Ice climbing in Johnston Canyon in December 2016

References

* Patton, B and Robinson, B. ''The Canadian Rockies Trail Guide''. Devil's Head Press Ltd. Canmore. 1978.

External links

Banff.com
- Johnston Canyon
Johnston Canyon Trail to Ink Pots
{{authority control Rivers of Alberta Banff National Park Bow River