Rockies :: Banff-Louise :: Johnson Lake

Cascade Mountain Towering on west side of snow covered Johnson Lake in winter

Various Dates

Johnson Lake is probably the most beautiful body of water in Banff vicinity.  Popular year-round it offers something for everyone:  Picnic area,  paddleboarding/ice-skating and easy 45min to an hour walk around the lake for hikers.  Fishing used to be popular, but after outbreak of whirling disease Parks Canada were forced to drain entire lake to get rid of it, and now (autumn 2020) it is not allowed anymore.  Area is specially attractive to photographers as many easily attainable viewpoints offer superb landscape vistas.   Access road is plowed in winter (turn right at junction past Cascade Ponds picnic area on Lake Minnewanka access road).

Lake trail can be hiked in either direction.  Sunny north side is more open and has better views, while shady south side offers peaceful forested walk with some lakeshore views. I've hiked it many times both ways, and prefer clockwise direction.  Follow the obvious trail from picnic area below parking lot. Halfway around the lake trail splits;  climbing up to the left leads to best viewpoint around the lake: grassy montane bench that used to have these Red Adirondack chairs Parks Canada have been putting on strategic places throughout Banff National Park, but they have been taken out in summer 2020.  Side trail on left side  has been closed ("reserved for animals") but can be followed without much trouble down the hill to meadowy grassland where often deer graze.  Descent to east side is bit steepish and lose, but short.  Couple of picnic benches await and just beg for some relaxing zen-time.  There are couple more "reserved for animals" junctions here, but main trail crosses the bridge over lake outlet then follows forested south side back to parking lot.  Several openings and trails descend to lake shore and offer great views of Peaks rising on south side of Lake Minnewanka.  After returning back and crossing west side outlet, short trail leads down the creek to nice waterfall that is hidden and most probably never get to see.

Fairholme Benchlands:   This is nice extension that grants formidable views of Bow Valley corridor (see last photo in Gallery).  North part, also known as "Water Tower Trail" is best done as out-and-back from Cascade Ponds (see here for details).  South part, seasonally closed Apr 1 - July 15, is accessed by crossing lake outlet from picnic area below parking, but then instead of turning left into lake trail you continue straight on what seems to be deactivated forest road.  Within 10 min or so trail exits to wide open Montane bench directly above Trans-Canada Highway.  Directly across is Rundle Range, Canmore area peaks are left, while Cascade Mtn towers to the right.   It is possible to hike down this ridge for several kilometers eventually encountering wildlife fence; this is the good spot to turn back. 

Update March '22:  South side of the lake has rare find - Billy Carver Log Cabin, built in 1910!  It is declared Cultural Resource of Canada and protected under National Parks Act.  I won't reveal exact location, but it should not be too difficult to find. Please tread carefully and respect this historic artifact

Gallery