Johnston Canyon. Photo courtesy of Travel Alberta

During winter, the crowds diminish—good news for ice walkers who like their nature tranquil. Stroll steel boardwalks anchored to the limestone walls, and pass through a natural rock tunnel to get to the 10 m (33 ft) Lower Falls. Ice cascades, tinted blue-green by minerals, shine against the yellow-grey limestone walls. At 30 m (98 ft) Upper Falls is the Cathedral of Ice, “a dramatic site,” says Daymon Miller of Discover Banff Tours. The trailhead is by Johnston Canyon Resort (closed winter), Bow Valley Pkwy/Hwy 1A. — Jack Wennot