Johnston Lake hike in Banff National Park
Johnston Lake hike in Banff National Park

Johnson Lake hike

Around Banff
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Panoramic views of the Johnston Lake hike in Banff National Park, AlbertaBeautiful trail on the Johnson Lake Hike near Banff, the Canadian RockiesLake views from the Johnson Lake Hike near Banff, the Canadian RockiesFamily-friendly trail of the Johnson Lake Hike near Banff, the Canadian RockiesGreat views from the Johnson Lake Hike near Banff, the Canadian RockiesScenery of the Johnson Lake Hike near Banff, the Canadian Rockies

Johnson Lake hike

Distance: 1.9mi
Elevation: 98ft
Time: 0.5-1h

Difficulty Rating:

User Ratings:
9.7 Overall Rating
Technical Difficulty
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This hike around Johnson Lake is a great choice for beginners or those with limited physical abilities and it is especially family-friendly. We also think it’s a great way to start or end the day and makes a great after-dinner walk in summer.

Johnson Lake Hike Map

Getting there

Head towards Lake Minnewanka from Banff on the Trans-Canada Highway. Take the second signed right towards “Two-Jack Lake”. Follow this road and take the first right, indicating the route to Johnson Lake. Follow this road to the parking lot at the end.

I’ve done this 35 people have done this
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About

When to do

All Year

Backcountry Campsites

No

Toilets

Trailhead

Family friendly

Yes

Route Signage

Average

Crowd Levels

Moderate

Route Type

Circuit


Johnson Lake
Elevation Graph


Route Description for Johnson Lake

From the parking lot, head towards the beautiful and enormous Johnson Lake. There is a path that can go either left or right. There isn’t any significant difference between the routes here. If you go right, you’ll pass the electricity pylons briefly and then circle the lake in the trees, with views coming and going as you proceed.

Coming to the end of the trail, you’ll continue downwards and pass a long, flat strip of land – otherwise known as a berm. Here, there are often people fishing in Johnson Lake. Pause for a moment to look at the water – sometimes it appears that the water is boiling due to the number of fish coming to the surface feeding.

On the other side of Johnson Lake there are two options: a high route or a low route. We prefer the high route, and Parks Canada has left two large red chairs to take a break and enjoy the views if you select this one.

The remainder of the trail is in trees. As you near the car park, there are several picnic tables. These can be busy, but if you’re lucky enough to find a nice spot you can easily spend a pleasant hour here enjoying a snack or a meal.

Insider Hints

  • This is a good trail to do year round, though bring micro spikes if it is snowy or icy.

  • When you have the chance, look into small bays and shallow water – there are often many fish to see.

  • There are some nice picnic spots to stop and enjoy a delicious lunch with wonderful views. To get there, come towards the lake from the parking lot and head left.

Comments

gpadva 4 years ago

%dummy-text%fun hike

10.0 Overall Rating
Technical Difficulty
Physical Difficulty
gpadva 4 years ago

10.0 Overall Rating
Technical Difficulty
Physical Difficulty
Chichi Uyi 4 years ago

refreshing short walk. the glimmering lake feels nostalgic.

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Chris F. 4 years ago

We had a nice picnic nearby the lake.

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Elmer J. 4 years ago

There's no repetition when it comes to nature. There's always something new to see.

10.0 Overall Rating
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RobCruz 4 years ago

Johnson Lake is inspiring! It's great to see plenty of fish into the shallow water.

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1h 00m Time Taken
MayP 4 years ago

I had a good time here. The scenery made me want to go back again, but this time with my family.

10.0 Overall Rating
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1h 30m Time Taken
dkdot1 4 years ago

Super chill super easy little stroll

Grant Ko. 4 years ago

The wildflowers and general vegetation were spectacular. Pretty easy and nice hike.

9.0 Overall Rating
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Physical Difficulty
Larry D. 5 years ago

It was stunning! It was a tranquil paradise for me!

10.0 Overall Rating
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13 Comments Show all

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