After making it to Banff National Park and driving the Bow Valley Parkway, we checked into the Johnston Canyon Campground which was the only campground open in the area. I was taking a walk around the periphery of the camp by myself late in the evening when at about 9:30 or so, I spotted a big black bear. He was only about 35 yards away but he wandered away from me. So we knew that we were in the ‘wilds’ of Banff National Park.

The next morning, we awoke to blue sky and sunshine which was a real treat for us. We got up early and hiked just across the road from the campground. We hiked up Johnston Canyon to just beyond the Ink Pots and back which was about seven miles. The waterfalls, moss, rivers, cat-walk, trails, and snow-covered peaks were all glorious to see. Our hike took less than five hours and we ate lunch at the Ink Pots.

I’ve attached some photos from our hike up Johnston Canyon.

The first photo was a series of waterfalls. A tunnel led through the rock on the right and you can stand there with the spray from the falls coming right at you.

The second photo was one of the Ink Pots. They were blues and greens and circles and bubbling areas. They were interesting but not wildly dramatic.

The third photo is another falls farther along up the canyon. The snow just to the right of the falls was old glacial blue in color, if you can notice it.

The fourth photo, I titled: “Three Ladies on a Bench”.