The Canadian Press

· Posted: May 04, 2026 12:00 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 hours ago

RCMP say a 25-year-old American man has died in Johnston Canyon in Banff National Park.

Staff Sgt. Mike Buxton-Carr, Banff's RCMP detachment commander, says the Friday incident is being considered an accidental death during recreational activity.

"A gentleman crossed some barriers and entered the pools, and he's believed to have entered on a couple of occasions," says Buxton-Carr. "On the third occasion, he jumped from a height and briefly surfaced, but appeared to be in some difficulty and returned under the surface."

In a statement to CBC News, Parks Canada says the Johnston Canyon trail has now been reopened to the public. It had been closed to visitors since the incident occurred on Friday.

Parks Canada says it conducted "an extensive search of the area, including the upper and lower pools at the Lower Falls," but they were unable to find the man.

"Due to ongoing hazardous water conditions, all available search efforts have been exhausted at this time, and recovery operations have been suspended," the statement said.

The RCMP is continuing with their investigation into the incident, according to Parks Canada.

RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Mathew Howell said on Sunday that Parks Canada hadn't been able to send in divers due to the dangerous terrain and was instead using cameras, but strong currents caused by spring melt made it difficult to see under water.

Howell says the man was visiting Alberta with friends from Pennsylvania.

Banff National Park's popular Johnston Canyon trail network was closed over the weekend, as officials attempted to recover the body of an American tourist who jumped into a rapidly moving waterfall. On Monday, Parks Canada said recovery operations had been suspended. (Greg Colgan/CBC)

Howell said the man's relatives, who weren't with him at the park, are in touch with Mounties.

"It's a tragedy, especially for the family," says Howell. "It's just a reminder to everyone that, yes, we have these beautiful parks, but there's a reason why there's paths you're not supposed to go on; there's a reason you're not supposed to jump in the water at certain areas."

Buxton-Carr says the public should be using "extreme caution" before entering any body of water.

"Moving water is incredibly dangerous, especially this time of year with spring runoff. And what is visible on the surface does not always represent what's happening under the surface."