What to do on your day trip to Banff, Alberta

Catch the sunrise in the mountains

I started my drive from Calgary to Banff around 6:00 am. I love sunrises and if I can catch it in the mountains, I’ll wake up at anytime to go. As we get closer to spring, the sunrises are also now a lot earlier and the pink sky that you see on my drive is around 7:20 am. I love the pink and orange sky that peaks over the mountain tops. An Alpenglow is the reddish glow that can be seen near a sunset or sunrise on the summits of mountains. These are the little moments that I love about the quiet mornings and evenings. This beauty, if you can catch it, only last a few minutes each day. And I think to be able to see this for yourself is the closest thing to magic there is.

Town of Banff

I stopped by Little Wild coffee in the Town of Banff and just enjoyed the quiet moments of the morning before heading to the Sulphur Mountain Trail. There are so many cute shops, cafes and restaurants to explore. There’s just this relaxed vibe that I love. After my hike, I also came back to the town of Banff to grab a late lunch at Arashi Ramen and did some shopping. You can really spend a whole afternoon here just lounging around!

Sulphur Mountain

This is my first winter living in Alberta and I still cannot believe that these gorgeous mountains are just a drive away from the city. I was so excited to do my first winter hike, ever! To get up to the Sulphur Mountain Summit, you can choose to take the Banff Gondola or hike the Sulphur Mountain trail.

How to get here:

An 8 minute drive from the Town of Banff. Google “Banff Upper Hot Springs” and park at the Upper Hot Springs parking lot for the Sulphur Mountain trail head. If you are going to take the Banff Gondola up instead, the Google “Banff Gondola” and park in the Banff gondola parking lot.

Restroom:

If you’re looking for a restroom prior to your hike, I’d suggest when you’re passing by the Town of Banff to use the public facilities there, as there isn’t a washroom outside the trail head. There are public bathrooms at the the Banff Gondola base (but they open at 10:00 am if you’re looking to do an early hike).

Hike the Sulphur Mountain Trail:

The Sulphur Mountain Trail is a 10.8 km out & back trail. It took me about 2 hours to get to the summit (this included me stopping along the way to take in the views and take some videos/photos). Sulphur Mountain Trail is open all year around and I’d say it is a moderate level trail. You can expect many switchbacks through the trees and because of this, I feel this would be a great summer hike for all the shade. The trail was in great condition when I went in February. Just make sure you check All Trails and the local weather updates before you go. I didn’t need my crampons or poles, but this may come in handy depending on the season and weather. You can also hike back down, but I chose to take the gondola down for the views and experience.

Pro tip: If you start your hike early enough, you can explore the summit and boardwalk prior to anyone getting there yet (as the Gondola opens at 10:00 am in the winter season).

Taking the Banff Gondola up to Sulphur Mountain:

Open all year around and hours may change depending on the season. Check the official Banff Gondola site for up to date details on pricing and hours. The ride down was much deserved after that hike!

Adult ride $59 CND + tax
A single ride back down $39 CND + tax ($36 CND + tax for Alberta residents)

Sulphur Mountain Summit

I’m always blown away by the views at the peak after a long hike – also that feeling of ‘I can’t believe I just did that’ while I look down to where I stared the hike. I had brought my own snacks and took a break on the second floor where the interpretive centre is. There are benches all along the panoramic windows where I enjoyed the views while having some lunch. On the 1st floor is where you’ll find Castle Mountain Coffee for some snacks and hot beverages for purchase if you’re looking to warm up. There is also a gift shop. On the 3rd floor is where you’ll find the Sky Bistro for lunch or dinner. The 4th floor is where you’ll find the observation deck and 360 panoramic views of the mountains.

After a bit of a exploring the interpretive centre and snack break, I went out again and walked along the boardwalk to reach the historic Cosmic Ray Station and up to Sanson’s Peak. The Cosmic Ray Station was a weather station that operated from 1957-1958 for the study Earth sciences and up to Sanson’s Peak. It was a bit windy and cooler than being shielded by the trees along the trail, so make sure you dress well for the weather! There are incredible views up here, where you’re surrounded by 360 views of the snowy mountain peaks.