One of the many stunning views along the Johnston Canyon hike.

One of the many stunning views along the Johnston Canyon hike.

Johnston canyon e-bike and explore tour

All bookings for 2024 are now finished.

$324 / person
Departs daily 9:30 a.m.
Duration: 5-6 hours
Distance: 50 km / 31 mi round-trip
Group size: 2-8 riders / guide
Includes e-bike rental, guide, and à la carte lunch

Our e-bike and explore experience to Johnston Canyon is one of the premiere bike and hike experiences in the Rocky Mountains. This guided ride takes you from Banff along the iconic Bow Valley Parkway to Johnston Canyon. Once there, you have time on your own to explore the canyon, followed by à la carte lunch at the Blackswift Bistro. Then it’s an fast downhill bike ride back to Banff.

Everyone will ride on the Trek Verve+ 3 E-bikes. The e-bikes makes the hills to and from Johnston Canyon a relative breeze.

The ride from Banff to Johnston Canyon is 25 kilometres / 15 miles, which takes about 1.5 - 2 hours each way.

Typical schedule:

  • 9:45 am - arrive at bike shop and get fitted on e-bikes

  • 10:00 am - depart for Johnston Canyon on e-bikes

  • 11:30 am - 12:00 pm - arrive Johnston Canyon and go for self-guided hike

  • 1:00 pm - lunch at Blackswift Bistro

  • 2:00 pm - depart for Banff on e-bikes

  • 3:30 pm - arrive back at the bike shop

JOHNSTON CANYON TOUR FAQ’S

  • When is the Bow Valley Parkway closed to vehicle traffic in 2023? Is the ride still fun with cars?

    • Parks Canada has announced for 2023 that the 17km section of the Bow Valley Parkway from Banff to Johnston Canyon will again be a bike-only experience with no vehicle traffic in May, June and September.

    • However, even when there are vehicles there is a wide-shoulder that is perfect for cycling, and we will continue to offer this tour. In our experience, people still have a great time!

    • If you would prefer a car-free cycling tour in July, August, or October, you may want to consider our new Legacy Trail Banff - Canmore E-Bike Tour!

  • What’s included in the à la carte lunch?

    • The tour includes any one entrée OR appetizer/salad (up to $32) and one non-alcoholic beverage per person from the lunch menu at the Blackswift Bistro, the restaurant of Johnston Canyon Lodge. 20% gratuity and taxes for the meal are also included in the tour cost. Any additional food or alcoholic beverages are on your own.

  • What should I bring with me on the tour?

    • We recommend bringing the following:

      • water bottle

      • sun screen

      • sunglasses

      • rain jacket or shell, it can be cooler at Johnston Canyon and mountain weather can be unpredictable !

      • warm layer(s) and/or gloves depending on the weather

    • If you don’t have one or more of these things, they are all available for purchase at our shop.

  • How difficult is the e-bike ride?

    • The majority of the ride has a very moderate grade. It is slightly uphill most of the way to Johnston Canyon, and slightly downhill on the ride home. The e-bikes make this ride much easier and we have had people of many different fitness levels enjoy this tour. Click here for more details about the ride.

    • That said, it is a long day and bike ride, even with an e-bike 50km / 31 mi and 3-4 hours of riding total is significant! If you one or more of your group members don’t cycle much or if you are concerned about the distance and time, you may want to consider starting with our Banff and Bow Valley E-Bike Tour.

  • Can my kid(s) / teen(s) come on this tour?

    • As long as your child is tall enough to ride their own e-bike (minimum height 4'10" / 147 cm) they are welcome to join this tour. It is a long day and ride, so we also leave you to judge if you think your child has the stamina needed to participate in the tour for up to 6 hours. We have had athletic kids as young as 10 years old enjoy this tour, but not all kids are the same!

    • If you are not sure, you may want to consider the 2-hour Banff and Bow Valley E-Bike Tour to start. We find this shorter tour also works better for families that want to bring their child(ren) along with a bike attachment or on non-electric kids bikes. Contact us to book.

  • Can I book this as a private tour?

  • Can I do this tour but on a regular bike instead of an e-bike?

    • In our experience, we have found it works best for everybody to be on e-bikes, so that the group stays together. The e-bikes have 5 different levels of assist, so you can turn the assist down or off if you want to get more of a workout.

    • That said, if you are a strong and regular cyclist that typically averages at least 20-25 km/hr (12-15 mph) on your rides and feels comfortable riding for 4 hours, you can take a road comfort bike (same cost) or a performance road bike ($20 upgrade) on this tour. Please contact us to book.

    • We can also arrange a private tour for groups that all want to be on regular bikes. Again, contact us about this option.

  • What happens if the weather is bad on the day of our tour? Can I get a refund?

    • Our tours go ahead rain or shine. As the old adage goes: “there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing!”

    • In general, Banff is a relatively dry place. It is very rare for us to get sustained rain for an entire day. More often, if the forecast calls for rain we get short rain squalls that move through. That said, mountain weather is famously unpredictable!

    • If you are concerned, we always offer a full 100% refund on cancellations at least 24 hours in advance, we can also transfer your tour to another day (pending availability).

    • If the weather is truly terrible on the day of your tour, ie. snow or non-stop rain, then we also provide 100% refund at our discretion.