Damage to catwalks closes portion of Banff's Johnston Canyon trail

A section of catwalks along the extremely popular Johnston Canyon trail in Banff National Parkhas beenclosed indefinitely after a routine engineering inspection deemedit unsafe.

The engineersdiscovered damage to the footings of asection of the trail, so it's closed indefinitely. The closure will impact the trail to the upper falls where it intersects with the catwalk that leads to the lower viewpoint of the Upper Falls, said David Dunbar, a spokesperson with Parks Canada.

"It is not clear yet exactly what has caused the damage, butParksCanadaofficials and engineering professionals are assessing the infrastructure," Dunbar said in an email.

The trail to the waterfalls is extremely popular and sees hundreds of hikers daily during the summer, according to the Town of Banff.

The section closure will not impact access to the upper viewpoint of the Upper Falls, the Ink Pots or the viewpoint at the Lower Falls.

"Parks Canada understands that this closure will have some impact on the experience for visitors to the area and local businesses that use the attraction," Dunbar said. "However, the majority of the Johnson Canyon trail remains open and safe for public use.

"The closure is clearly marked and Parks Canada asks all visitors to respect the closure for their safety as officials assess the damaged infrastructure."

Dunbar said there is no timeline for lifting the closure and updates will be provided when available.