Parking
Start at the Moose Meadows / Johnston Creek parking area on the Bow Valley Parkway; the trail begins beside the lot.
Overview
About Ink Pots Trail
Why go
- Spring pools, benches and an open mountain meadow at the turnaround
Heads up
- A long return hike with a steep pitch after the creek
The Ink Pots Trail is a 7.1-mile (11.4 km) out-and-back from Moose Meadows to a mountain meadow of blue-green spring pools. Most of the walk is through forest, with a sustained climb, a brief steeper pitch, and a downhill finish to the springs. Allow about four to four and a half hours, including a proper stop at the pools. This is the longer hike for the pools themselves, not a quick walk to Johnston Canyon’s waterfalls.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs this the hike for you?Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Banff map
Full mapElevation1,432–1,773 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
8 active Banff alerts
- ClosureJohnston Canyon Trail and Day Use Area closedJohnston Canyon Trail and Day Use Area are closed to all traffic and travel through December 11, 2026, because construction work requires protecting public and workers’ safety.Official details
- ClosureBaker Lake and Hidden Lake campgrounds closed to campingCamping is prohibited at Baker Lake and Hidden Lake campgrounds through December 1, 2026, because a grizzly bear entered campsites and investigated tents and gear; the closures reduce risk to…Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Banff Tour Guide
Your drive to Ink Pots Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Banff National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Banff audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Moose Meadows to the Ink Pots0:00 / 0:24
“You're nearing Moose Meadows, a trailhead for the Ink Pots' cold blue-green springs. Allow four to four and a half hours for the return hike, mostly through forest with a sustained climb and a short steep pitch.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Johnston Canyon and the Falls
- The Woodpecker's Sap Wells
- Sea Lilies in the Limestone
- A Carpet That Helps Build Soil
- 185 audio storiesacross Banff’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grizzly Bear, Brown Bear, Gray Wolf, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 162 trails, 90 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“…Loved the commentary as you drove thru. I’m sure the app can do more than I know but the tips were very helpful. I’m gonna use it when we go to Banff next month.”
Trail guide
Hiking Ink Pots Trail
The approachThe path leaves the Moose Meadows / Johnston Creek parking area and climbs through evergreen…
The path leaves the Moose Meadows / Johnston Creek parking area and climbs through evergreen forest mixed with aspen. There are several signed forks in the first kilometre; stay with the Ink Pots route. Around 2.3 km in, the trees open for a view into Johnston Canyon before the route climbs more directly to the shared junction. A small creek crossing arrives at about 3.7 km. The steepest short section follows it; the grade eases near the high point around 4.5 km, then the trail drops into the meadow.
At the springsShort paths wind among the spring pools and benches.
Short paths wind among the spring pools and benches. The clear blue and cloudy green water is the reason to come, with an open meadow and mountain slopes around it. Their colors vary with how quickly each spring fills and how much fine material it carries. Stick to the marked paths around the springs. For a photo, get low beside a pool and keep both water and open meadow in the frame.
Getting in and outThe primary start is Moose Meadows / Johnston Creek; this route is not the same as the approach…
The primary start is Moose Meadows / Johnston Creek; this route is not the same as the approach from Johnston Canyon’s day-use lot and waterfalls. The pool area sits below the route’s high point, so budget some effort for the climb back out of the meadow before the final descent to the parking area. Dogs are allowed on Banff trails in summer; keep them leashed and under physical control.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Banff
123 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
150 sightingsBrown BearMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
44 sightingsGray WolfMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
12 sightingsRiver OtterMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
69 sightingsMooseMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
466 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 9 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Banff. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
