Parking
Limited paved parking is available at the Moose Meadows/Johnston Creek trailhead on the Bow Valley Parkway. There are no full-service facilities at this trailhead, so bring water and plan ahead.
Overview
About Moose Meadows to Ink Pots
Why go
- Quieter approach to the Ink Pots than Johnston Canyon
- Reaches the bubbling springs and open mountain meadow
- A straightforward half-day outing for hikers who want to bypass the canyon boardwalk
Heads up
- 11.5 km return with a sustained climb and rolling terrain
- Roots and rocks make the route uneven in places
- Limited parking and no full-service facilities at Moose Meadows
Moose Meadows to the Ink Pots is a quieter forest approach to Banff's bubbling mineral springs. From the Moose Meadows/Johnston Creek trailhead, the route is about 11.5 km (7.1 miles) return, with roughly 425 m of elevation gain. It is a moderate hike that usually takes around 4–4.5 hours, depending on trail conditions and time spent in the meadow.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy hike itMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Banff map
Full mapElevation1,432–1,773 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
Safety
8 active Banff alerts
- ClosureRed Deer River valley bottom closed for ceremonial bison harvestThe Red Deer River valley bottom is closed to the public during an Indigenous ceremonial bison harvest taking place through November.Official details
- ClosureLake Minnewanka and Aylmer area closureLake Minnewanka Trail, Aylmer Pass Trail, and campgrounds Lm8, Lm9, Lm11, Lm20, Lm22 and Lm31 are closed to all users because black bears are displaying food-seeking behaviour.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Banff Tour Guide
Your drive to Moose Meadows to Ink Pots, 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.
Recorded for this trailhead
Moose Meadows: The Quiet Way to the Ink PotsListen
“The parking area coming up is for the Moose Meadows trail. If you want to see the famous Ink Pots but are looking to skip the big crowds at Johnston Canyon, this is the trail for you.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Why Banff Burns: A Story of Renewal
- Johnston Canyon's Famous Catwalks and Waterfalls
- Waterfall Ghosts: Black Swifts of Johnston Canyon
- Highway Rest Stop with a Wildlife Crossing Exhibit
- 178 audio storiesacross Banff’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grizzly Bear, Brown Bear, Gray Wolf, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 177 trails, 236 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 Moose Meadows to Ink Pots
Trail notesThe path leaves the limited parking area and climbs through forest before joining the Johnston…
The path leaves the limited parking area and climbs through forest before joining the Johnston Canyon Trail near the final approach to the Ink Pots. The mapped one-way corridor is approximately 5.74 km; the visitor distance is the full out-and-back return. Expect roots, rocks, and rolling terrain rather than the paved canyon boardwalk. At the destination, shallow pools bubble up in an open meadow, with mountain views beyond.
Logistics and tipsTrail type: out-and-back from Moose Meadows/Johnston Creek to the Ink Pots; the stored line…
- Trail type: out-and-back from Moose Meadows/Johnston Creek to the Ink Pots; the stored line follows the physical corridor once, while the distance describes the return hike.
- Parking is limited at the Moose Meadows/Johnston Creek lot, with no full-service facilities at the trailhead. Carry water and plan for limited cell service.
- Dogs must be leashed in the national park, and bikes are not appropriate for this hiking route.
- The route bypasses the Johnston Canyon boardwalk approach, so it offers a quieter forest experience but not the canyon viewpoints.
Is it for you?Choose this route if you want the Ink Pots without starting at the busy Johnston Canyon day-use…
Choose this route if you want the Ink Pots without starting at the busy Johnston Canyon day-use area. The distance, elevation gain, roots, and rocks make it a solid half-day outing rather than a short spring stop.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Banff
122 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
67 sightingsMooseMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
465 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 9 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Banff. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
