Johnson Lake
Table of contents
Route Description for Johnson Lake
From the parking lot, head towards the beautiful and enormous Johnson Lake. There is a path that can go either left or right. There isn’t any significant difference between the routes here. If you go right, you’ll pass the electricity pylons briefly and then circle the lake in the trees, with views coming and going as you proceed.
Coming to the end of the trail, you’ll continue downwards and pass a long, flat strip of land – otherwise known as a berm. Here, there are often people fishing in Johnson Lake. Pause for a moment to look at the water – sometimes it appears that the water is boiling due to the number of fish coming to the surface feeding.
On the other side of Johnson Lake there are two options: a high route or a low route. We prefer the high route, and Parks Canada has left two large red chairs to take a break and enjoy the views if you select this one.
The remainder of the trail is in trees. As you near the car park, there are several picnic tables. These can be busy, but if you’re lucky enough to find a nice spot you can easily spend a pleasant hour here enjoying a snack or a meal.
Insider Hints for Johnson Lake
- This is a good trail to do year round, though bring micro spikes if it is snowy or icy.
- When you have the chance, look into small bays and shallow water – there are often many fish to see.
- There are some nice picnic spots to stop and enjoy a delicious lunch with wonderful views. To get there, come towards the lake from the parking lot and head left.
Getting to the Johnson Lake Trailhead
Head towards Lake Minnewanka from Banff on the Trans-Canada Highway. Take the second signed right towards “Two-Jack Lake”. Follow this road and take the first right, indicating the route to Johnson Lake. Follow this road to the parking lot at the end.Route Information
When to do:
All Year
Backcountry Campsites:
No
Toilets:
Trailhead
Family friendly:
Yes
Route Signage:
Average
Crowd Levels:
Moderate
Route Type:
Circuit
Johnson Lake Elevation Graph
Weather Forecast
Check Area WeatherReviews
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