Sulphur Mountain Hike vs Gondola: My Honest Review After Doing Both

About Sulphur Mountain

If you’re like me, you’ve heard about Sulphur Mountain now that you’re planning a Banff trip, but don’t know much about it. It’s one of the most accessible and iconic peaks in Banff National Park, offering sweeping views over the town of Banff, Bow Valley, and surrounding Rocky Mountain ranges.

Located just a few minutes from downtown Banff, the mountain is best known for its scenic gondola ride to the summit and the well-maintained switchback trail. At the top, you’ll find a panoramic boardwalk, restaurants, and some of the best views in the Canadian Rockies.

Whether you hike, ride, or do a mix of both like I did, Sulphur Mountain is a must-do Banff experience.

Sulphur Mountain Hike

Pre-Hike

My friend in Calgary mentioned that we should hike up Sulphur Mountain and take the gondola down, when I reached out to her for advice about our 5 days in Banff. According to my research, I knew this hike would be hard, but not technical. I knew it was about 5K, though I forgot that detail when on the hike.

Despite knowing the details and learning of some recent health issues during my Geviti review, I still felt optimistic.

Arriving to the Parking Lot of the Gondola

There are two parking lots for the Sulphur Mountain hike. We chose the one by the gondola since we’d be using it on the return. There were also restrooms at the Gondola station and since we drove from Canmore, we all wanted to make a pit stop before the hike.

Upon entering the station, we quickly checked with an attendant about not needing to pre-purchase a ticket for the return. She confirmed we would simply purchase when we arrive at the top.

The Gondola station also has a gift shop and coffee shop if you want to buy anything. It’s also worth noting, the parking lot was mostly empty when we arrived around 9AM on a Tuesday morning in June. Despite the parking lot having plenty of spots, the Gondola was quite busy!

How Did the Sulphur Mountain Hike in Banff Go?

From the gondola station to the start of the Sulphur Mountain hike will take less than 10 minutes. We encountered a couple of staircases and my heart-rate was already spiking. Perhaps I should have taken the clue and turned around to take the gondola, but I grew up playing soccer so I stubbornly continued.

Out of the seven of us on the hike, I struggled the most! My heart rate was high and breathing was labored. During my 3 days in Yosemite, I definitely experienced the difficulty of hiking at altitude. However, this altitude wasn’t as bad, but my breathing and heart-rate was way worse!

The switchbacks don’t look super steep, but you’ll feel the climb. The trail is decently wide and easy to follow. There were people on the trail, including a run club running down the mountain! In parts of the trail, you may need to yield to others, but for the most part it was roomy, at least while we were there.

Some of my family arrived to the top at around 90 minutes. The rest of my family was held back by my pace and we took about 2 hours. My family is full of fast walkers, which is why at the Lake Agnes Tea House hike, I let them go ahead and took my time. Though I’m very grateful my brother carried my backpack and my sisters had snacks that gave me quick energy!

Summit of Sulphur Mountain

There were a lot of people at the summit when I finally arrived just after 11AM. We took our group photo and then I was ready to eat! My sister and her family, who hike a lot, decided to eat a snack and continue exploring the boardwalk (which I did after lunch).

Sky Bistro

There are two restaurant options at the Gondola station at the summit. Northern Lights Alpine Kitchen doesn’t require reservations, but it’s a buffet. I looked into reservations for Sky Bistro before we left and there was nothing available for seven people. However, we were now only four since my sister’s family went off to explore.

Thankfully, the four of us were able to get a table! Perhaps it was the hard work of the hike, but I really enjoyed my meal at Sky Bistro. My younger sister and I split a salad and a burger and both were delicious!

Even though we weren’t seated by the window, the views were still beautiful! Overall, I do recommend making reservations if you can, but if not, check availability upon arrival as you never know!

Purchase Return Gondola Ticket

After lunch, we met up with my sister’s family at the Gondola ticketing. Everyone else in my family, except my younger sister and I, decided to walk back down the mountain!

My sister and I purchased our return tickets, which gave us an hour to explore the boardwalk and appreciate the views. The rest of my family started the hike down (and they actually made it in less than an hour!).

If you want a certain time, I suggest booking your return immediately as that would give you the most options. It worked out perfectly for us, and I am glad I could really enjoy lunch at a relaxed pace.

Views from the Boardwalk on Sulphur Mountain

While there were plenty of people on Sulphur Mountain, it didn’t feel overcrowded as the boardwalk is large and thins the herd. My sister and I began exploring the views along this boardwalk and yes, the steps felt brutal after completing the Sulphur Mountain hike.

The views of both Banff town, and the Rocky Mountains are gorgeous! While you can see Banff town through the trees while on the Sulphur Mountain hike, these views at the top are unhindered. It’s truly breathtaking from the summit!

Banff Gondola Upper Terminal | Return

My sister and I got in line about 10 minutes before our ticket time. The line moved fairly fast and overall was a seamless process. The views are beautiful, but are also available at the top of Sulphur Mountain.

I was very happy not to have to complete the return of the Sulphur Mountain hike and my family confirmed it was brutal on the knees! My sister and I shared a gondola with an American couple from Texas. We enjoyed a pleasant chat and the views on the way down.

I still can’t believe my family beat us! They were happily waiting in the car and giving their knees a break when we arrived. The parking lot that was mostly empty when we started was now at capacity at just before 2PM!

Sulphur Mountain Hike vs Gondola

If you decide to do the Sulphur Mountain hike in Banff and take the gondola down, you are offered a discount. However, if you do it in reverse, there is no discount and you have to purchase a round trip ticket.

While the hike is tough, especially if you’re a sea level person like me, it’s doable! My recent health challenges made it more difficult, but I still finished in 2 hours. Was my heart rate high and breathing labored the entire two hours? Yes, it sure was! But I made it!

The views on the hike are beautiful, but hindered by some trees. My younger sister and I had both read the views on the hike aren’t that great, but we were both pleasantly surprised. We could see Banff and the beautiful Bow River through the trees. Of course, the views on the gondola are better than the hike, but when considering the Sulphur Mountain hike vs gondola both end with the stunning summit views!

Sulphur Mountain Hike vs. Gondola: Pros & Cons

Tips for First-Time or Sea-Level Hikers

Take your time on the Sulphur Mountain hike! My family walks fast and were not struggling as much as I was, so I didn’t take as many breaks as I needed. However, what’s the rush? You’re on vacation, enjoying the fresh air, and the beauty of Banff, so take your time!

Eat a good pre-hike meal! I had a decent breakfast, but it wasn’t enough carbohydrates for me. I was told to cut out gluten, so I skipped the toast that morning. However, I realized after that hike that I need the sourdough toast with my eggs in the morning! Whatever constitutes an energizing meal for you, be sure to have one!

Be sure to bring proper hydration and snacks with you! I am so glad I had some Liquid IV, because I needed that sugar in my electrolytes. Once I had some Liquid IV, I realized some easy carbs would be good, so I ate a natural fruit bar that my younger sister offered. This also really helped! I don’t think the rest of my family had any snacks, but they all benefited from having water with them.

Take layers in case the weather changes. It was beautiful and sunny the day we hiked up Sulphur Mountain, but it’s always good to take light layers in the summer. As you increase in elevation, the temperature cools down, and the trees do keep the hike fairly shaded.

What to Expect at the Summit

Views, views, and more views! Seriously, it’s so beautiful! The boardwalk stretches quite far, so you can really take your time and enjoy the scenery and stunning mountains on all sides!

In the same building as the Upper Banff Gondola, there are plenty of offerings including a couple restaurants. We enjoyed Sky Bistro, but it’s recommend to book a reservation, especially during high season. However, if you don’t manage to reserve a spot, don’t let that stop you from checking when you’re there. We got a table by the bar on the day!

Northern Lights Alpine Kitchen is the other restaurant, but it is a buffet which we didn’t prefer. However, you cannot make reservations for this restaurant, so it’s a great backup option and has amazing views as well!

There is also a cute gift shop, where I bought a small bracelet to commemorate the Sulphur Mountain hike. Additionally, there was an exhibit which we never spent time at, so I can’t comment on it. Of course, there are bathrooms, water fountains to refill your water bottle, and a quick snack shack as well!

How to Get to the Sulphur Mountain Hike

The Banff Gondola is a mere 10 to 12 minutes by car from the town of Banff! We stayed in Canmore, so our commute was a bit longer at about 35 minutes. If you’re trying to decide between Banff vs Canmore, we enjoyed our stayed, but I did dedicate a post to helping you decide: Banff vs Canmore: My Honest Review + Hotel & Town Comparison.

Even though the carpark was mostly empty when we arrived, there was already a line at the Gondola due to the buses! With this being so close to Banff town, it’s no wonder this is a popular activity!

We noticed two parking lots when we arrived and both had plenty of parking available (at 9AM on a Tuesday in June). The lot closer to the start of the hike is good if you are driving from Banff. However, we wanted to use the restroom, so we parked by the Gondola station.

Once you leave the Gondola Station, walk toward the staircases just to the right if you’re facing the gondola’s going up the mountain. You will have to navigate a couple staircases before finally arriving to the start of the Sulphur Mountain trail. There are signs and a bigger sign at the start, so you can’t miss it!

What to Do Before or After Sulphur Mountain

We headed to Banff town in search of ice cream after our time at Sulphur Mountain. The COWS Ice Cream had a line out the door and down the block. We don’t have enough patient people in our group, so we tried Little Wild: Coffee & Gelato instead.

If you’re not staying in Banff, it’s definitely worth exploring if you’re up for it. We didn’t stay long this day and returned later in the week to explore it better. My brother and nephew went back to Canmore for a nap and the rest of us headed to Bow Falls!

Bow Falls was cool, but the area as a whole is so beautiful! The color of the water and the mountains surrounding are so stunning! This is a relatively quick stop, but there is a rafting company that operates out of this area if you’re interested!

Another option nearby would be to visit Fairmont Banff Springs. You could book a spa treatment after your Sulphur Mountain hike at this iconic hotel. If you’re up for getting in more steps, my friend in Calgary said the walk along the river from downtown Banff to the Fairmont is absolutely beautiful! We didn’t do it, but she was full of great advice so I’m sure it delivers!

If you like the idea of the spa, but they don’t have any openings, consider Banff Upper Hot Springs. They are just 5 minutes by car from the Banff Gondola and the warm water could feel nice after your morning hike. One downside is if it’s a hot day, it won’t feel as refreshing.

Of course, there are many more options as Banff National Park has plenty to see! If you do feel stuck for ideas, visit the Tourist Center in downtown Banff. We did that towards the end of our 5 days in Banff, because the rainy weather was putting a damper on our plans. They were very helpful in offering us ideas!