Adventures in the Canadian Rockies: Hiking to the Ink Pots

Banff National Park

What turned out to be my favorite hike destination in Banff National Park was the Ink Pots, another 3 kilometers (1.86 miles) farther from the end of the beautiful and busy Johnston Canyon Trail.

There are seven Ink Pot pools at the end of the trail, called Ink Pots because they have a distinct blue green ink like color, each one a little different, formed by spring waters bubbling up through the sand and river gravel. A fascinating sight to see the swirling circles created by the percolating spring water. A hike well worth the effort, even though it seems like ages going up up up and then down again to Johnston Canyon Meadows.

The amazing scenery is the reason to do this sort of easy hike to the Ink Pots… sort of easy? Well, it’s easy but there’s a lot of uphill through the forest after the last falls in Johnston Canyon where most people turn around, then FINALLY! you start to descend to the meadows at Johnston Creek where these unique springs percolate up through the sand and rocks.

The scenery coming down into the basin just enthralled me! Even though we didn’t know what the Ink Pots were and what we were going to see, I’m so glad we just kept going after Johnston Canyon to experience these gorgeous mountain views and the Ink Pots.