We took the Banff Gondola up to the top of Sulphur Mountain. It was a fun ride and there's much to see at the top! There's an observation deck, which leads to a boardwalk that has amazing panoramic views of the town of Banff, Bow Valley and six mountain ranges. The boardwalk ends at the historic cosmic ray station, which is not longer in use. There is also a couple restaurants, gift shop and an interpretive center at the summit. This is a must while visiting this area. Would highly recommend! read more

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You get to Sulphur Mountain by taking the gondola ride. It's worth the cost and time to go up and see the sights. Lots of interesting things to check on in the building and the accompanying boardwalk to the weather station. Like the rest of the Canadian National Park, the entire area has been well cared for. The gondola ride is high quality. The building and observation deck are easily accessible for people with different mobility levels (they have an elevator to take you to the several floors in the building). The boardwalk is wide and well constructed. There is plenty of signage discussing the area and the history. Worth you time to check it out. read more

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Pretty nice trails just outside of downtown Banff. Plenty of shaded trails to hike through that is off the beaten path and without very many tourists/ hikers. Nice hidden gem. read more

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Sulphur Mountain is a mountain in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies, that overlooks the town of Banff. The mountain was named in 1916 for the hot springs on lower slopes. Two hot springs have been commercially developed. The lowest is the Cave & Basin National Historic Site and the highest is the Banff Upper Hot Springs. A gondola on the eastern slope took me to the summit ridge which has an upper terminal containing 3 restaurants, a gift shop, and multiple observation decks. The summit ridge provides views both westward up & east down the Bow Valley. A boardwalk can be followed on the north side to the top of Sanson's Peak 7,402 ft above. This mountain has been the site of 2 research facilities. In 1903, a meteorological observatory building was completed atop Sanson Peak. This building still exists with a window to see the rustic interior with original furnishings. In the winter of 1956-57, the National Research Council built a small lab to study cosmic rays as part of Canada's contribution to the International Geophysical Year. The Sulphur Mountain Cosmic Ray Station was removed in 1981, with a plaque marking the location. read more

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We took the gondola (so overpriced) up to the top of Sulphur Mountain last weekend and it is stunning. The views are unreal. There is a very nice facility at the top with 4 levels, lookouts, two restaurants, a large gift shop, a cafe, and outdoor areas to chill. There is also the boardwalk lookout to the old meteorology shack on the top of the hill that is actually really really nice and has incredible views. I'd love to come back and do the hike - from the heights at the top and the ride up - it looks like it is not for the faint of heart. read more

We took the Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain as part of the Banff adventure package we purchased (the gondola, skywalk, icefield adventure, and a boat tour.... they're all amazing). You also have the option to hike up or down this mountain, which I'm guessing would take a few hours and definitely be a workout! The views from the gondola are gorgeous, as you can see the Banff downtown, the mountains, the gorgeous Fairmont Hotel, and we were even looking for bears through the trees throughout. I don't have a problem with heights and my husband does, yet he was totally fine on this. You're completely encapsulated and there's enough room to move around a bit. The parking lot to ride the gondola gets PACKED so it's recommended that you come early -- much before your assigned time. Once you get to the top, the views are even cooler. You get dropped off at a mini museum, complete with interactive activities, stories and cool art. We were up so high that we were in a cloud and couldn't see far, yet could definitely feel the difference. It was SO cold that we couldn't be outside for long and were grateful for the indoor museum as well. Don't miss getting to the top of this mountain while in Banff! read more

Very easy to ascend this summit as long as you take the gondola. Great washrooms at the top. Interestingly, they really take their grip bars at the urinals seriously. Not only is this great for accessibility, but it's also useful for people whose stream is so strong they would be launched across the bathroom if urinating unanchored. These urinals are specifically designed for those who must unzip their fly, TIGHTLY grip in with both hands on either side, and then unleash the torrential flow. read more

Sulphur Mountain - Hiking Near Me - Banff, Alberta

Ive climbed it already 4x w my kids within 4 yrs- just LOVE IT !!!! So easy and yet still a work out but its awesome for families and first timers. Totally safe and no bears. And great food at the top and WOW what a view ! read more

This is an amazing place to either hike or is you are just working out to your fitness level or you have a disability feel free to take the amazing gondola, it's probably the most accessible mountain that I've ever found in the Rockies. I can't count the number of times I've hiked it but it's more than 10 but less than 15, it's a great place to go with the kids because you can reward them with a delicious dinner or lunch at the top with a choice of a number of different restaurants...... my only problem with this mountain is that the last time I hiked at somebody stole my brand-new winter gloves which cost me $30 at Costco and they were extremely good quality and I literally wore them only once. Quite upset however that is not the fault of the mountain so I won't hold it against sulphur read more

an absolutely gorgeous mountain that we had a view from our hotel room at the Rimrock we were able to kind of climb up to the top of the mountain after we did the gondola ride it is so tall but breathtaking! I think the overall hike if you were to actually do it from ground is 9.8 KM but I don't know for sure. Power to those that actually will hike the entire thing because I know I could not! read more

Sulphuric Mountain is accessible by hiking up or taking the gondola. I have done both. The hike up is rather boring because it is all switchbacks but reaching the top makes it all worthwhile. The views are magnificent and you have a choice of walking back down or taking the gondola.The gondola is not cheap but the restaurant has improved immensely. There are shops at the top to buy your souvenirs or any other goodies you might desire. Walking down saves you a lot of moolah although I appreciate going down via the gondola as the views are magnificent and breathtaking. Overall, Sulphur Mountain is a great place to visit! A good workout if you hike up and down. read more

This mountain is in Banff and I highly enjoyed going there whenever possible. Recently I did the hike from the bottom to the top which is difficult especially because I did it in winter so so slippery and icy and there are many switchbacks it's very back-and-forth. However you also have the possibility to take the gondola up to the top which has lots to do up there you can see the view there are restaurants you can eat in. However even if you decide to hike to the top instead of taking the gondola to the top you are able to take the gondola down the one-way. The gondola is rather expensive to ride which I find I believe it's 50 or $90 a person I can't exactly remember. read more

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Sulphur Mountain is a grueling hike in the winter. Probably pretty tough for non-athletic types in the summer months, too, but in winter? MAN OH MAN. Get your crampons and get ready to take slow steps because it's about to get icy. 1/2 inch thick ice basically coated the trail all the way up. For roughly 3.5 miles you're going uphill, at an elevation gain of over 2,000 feet. I'm not the fittest or athletic person in the world but I've been running 5Ks the last year and most of my vacations the last two years have been centered around hiking and exploring the wilderness so I felt like I could handle this one. It was close, but I pulled it off. Thank God for those crampons and my hiking poles, though. I could not have done it without them. It was just too icy. It's a steep grade all the way up and I had the great Richard Thompson's song "Wall of Death" playing through my head throughout the whole hike. Now, that song is about a rollercoaster but the line, "the switchbacks will make you crazy" felt very applicable to us here. It was switchback after switchback, with seemingly no end in sight and as we seemingly got closer to the top it was maddening not knowing just how far away we were from the end. But the view on the way up is incredible. It makes every step so worth it, especially as you get higher and higher and can see more of the surrounding mountain ranges and wilderness below. The crampons were messing with my alignment and halfway up the hike, my right hip started to wail. I had to stop every 15 feet because every step forward on the incline was torture. There's no bailout once you get going and it's easier to go up than down (especially on the ice) so I just had to push through. About 2/3rds of the way up, the weather turned and it started to snow, the sky clouded up, and the winds began to blow. The view, that was once so incredible, was starting to cloud over. But it was beautiful in its own way and the silence was incredible. My hip might have been nearly bringing me to tears and I might have been cursing myself for beginning the journey, but I also never felt such peace and quiet. The falling snow on the trees was breathtaking. It was simultaneously the most physically challenging, difficult thing I'd ever done and one of the most stunning and rewarding experiences I've ever had. After nearly 3.5 hours I finally made it to the top. Sure, most of the view that we were heading to the top for was obscured because of the snow but I was so damn proud of myself for finishing it that I almost cried. I was greeted at the top by a huge ram snacking away and the beautiful creature combined with my sense of accomplishment and the majesty of the mountains did me in. I took my crampons off and, with my alignment back to normal, my hip felt totally ok again. And that's when it happened--between the dissipating pain and that damn hiker's euphoria kicking in, every curse word I said on the way up, every time I swore I would never do this hike again, suddenly was forgotten. It didn't really feel THAT bad in retrospect (although it was), and I could totally do that again (I could but I shouldn't). I was on top of the world, literally and figuratively! I found my other hikers and we high fived like crazy. We were in a tribe together. We climbed an effing mountain! I was a bad ass human! 5 stars for Sulphur Mountain! 5 stars for us! Additional info: At the top, you're greeted by a visitor's center with a shop, informational area, a small takeout market, and a restaurant complete with booze and warm beverages. And don't worry, you don't have to hike back down. The gondola will take you down. It's a much easier trip back to the base than up (unless you take the gondola up too, which is an option). read more

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I found my favorite hike in Banff! Absolutely breath-taking view as reward after a moderate hike!! The 360 degree of surrounding snow mountain view is simply beyond description (see my pic pls)! Can't ask for more! Here are some stats for your reference: 500m elevation, 5.5km distance (took me 1hr20minutes at moderate speed. Average speed to finish is 2hr-2.5hr). Road might get a little slippery with ice as you get to the top. read more

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I agree with other reviewers - Hike up and take the Gondola down! The difficult level is Medium to severe and the hike is steep pretty much all the way. Park at the Gondola parking or in the hot springs parking lot. The trail begins in the hot springs parking lot. read more

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Quite honestly, while I've hiked up this mountain twice now, it's not an easy hike. Sure, it's not the hardest of hard either, but it is no walk in the park. Fortunately if you hike up the mountain you can get the gondola for the trip down for either half price or free depending on the time of day and there's no way I'd want to hike all the way down after hiking up this mountain. There are some absolutely beautiful views on this mountain: waterfalls, small wildlife, plants, etc. and the view looking down at the townsite of Banff is pretty neat too. The view of the gondola is pretty cool as well. It is a very well trafficked path with people of all ages and origins walking the mountain. Getting here is pretty easy, especially from the Rimrock Hotel or from the Hot Springs. The parking lot isn't too busy if you get here early enough. read more

This was the first hike I did in Banff, and it was AMAZING. The hike itself wasn't too bad; it's pretty much gradually steep. There are some shortcuts too but there are signs saying not to take them because it'll cause erosion. Anyway, the view at the top was amazing, and the hike took 1.5 hours from bottom to top. Not bad at all; very well worth it! ALSO, if you're at the top after 7PM, the gondola down is FREE. So time it properly and take the gondola down for free! read more

I am many wonderful, horrible and average things, but athletic is not one of them. This morning, much to the surprise of my husband and my #banffbesties after contemplating doing Tunnel Mountain (a 30 minute hike for novices), I suggested we try something a little more picturesque and challenging. As we headed towards Sulphur Mountain I got nervous. It has steep inclines, packed ice and narrow paths and most people do it in a little over two hours. Eak. What had I gotten us into? Well, give my a girl scout badge, folks. What a fun rush! I wouldn't recommend it to anyone out of shape or afraid of heights (I had to face the inside of the mountain sometimes, I'm a wuss) and the icy bits really require better footwear than my Nike sneaks, but! It was the experience of a lifetime. The best bit? If you climb the hike in the winter months you can take the $40 gondola down for free. Freeeeeeeee. read more