As much as I love to climb mountains, my ideal mountain hike would almost always involve a challenging climb up and a safe and comfortable ride down. This is rarely an actual thing, but that’s the beauty of Sulphur Mountain – there is a gondola. With a one-way option you can hike up, but you don’t have to hike down! Of course, that is not the only beauty of this mountain. The views aren’t too bad either.
Before you head to the trailhead, you will want to put some thought into transportation and parking and pick the best option based on distance and crowds. The trailhead is in the parking lot for the Banff Gondola which has limited parking that fills up quickly. It can be accessed via the ROAM transit shuttle from downtown Banff, or you can walk from either downtown or hike from the Fairmont Banff Springs. If you are starting at the Fairmont, you will want to plan to add on 1.25 miles of distance each way.
We opted to start our hike from the Fairmont parking lot. We loaded up with bear spray and plenty of snacks and water in case we needed to make a roundtrip hike. Our goal was to be able to hike up and take the gondola down. This did end up working out for us, but we could not get a guarantee that we would be able to get the one-way trip down, so best to be prepared. Contacting the Banff Gondola ahead of time is highly recommended if you are hoping for a predictable adventure with a one-way gondola ride.
Bear spray is a tricky thing in Banff. It is recommended that you carry it at all times on all trails and there are definitely grizzlies around. However, bear spray is expensive and you can’t take it home on the airplane. About half of the other visitors we talked to had seen or encountered a bear on at least one of their adventures. We opted to buy some and then passed it on to another hiker before we left. We never did encounter a bear, but you never know!
I would also highly recommend getting proper insect repellent before any Banff adventures. If possible, bring it from home and opt for the good (bad?) stuff containing Deet. Most stores in Banff were sold out and while we did end up finding some at the IGA grocery store, it was a bit of a wild goose chase. We heard over and over that the natural repellents were no match for the summer bugs. I can tell you from experience that using no insect repellent was also no match for the summer bugs.
This trail is pure switchbacks and a pretty consistent grade – not too steep, but at no point will you forget that you are indeed, going up a mountain. It’s definitely happening! When researching the hike, I found it classified as moderate to moderately-difficult, depending on the source. In my experience, it was truly moderate hike.
You will see the gondola above you at various points. We found this to be motivating, knowing that we were taking the tough route to the top. Although, as a person who is a little afraid of gondolas, I think maybe hiking up just may be the easier route!
The name Sulphur Mountain is no accident. We could smell the sulphur at a few spots along the trail, but at no point was it overwhelming. It did catch me by surprise – though it shouldn’t have!
Our August Banff trip had a little bit of everything for weather. Heat, overcast skies, pouring rain, thunder and a tiny bit of hale. It really kept things interesting, but also provided a challenge in planning our hikes and other adventures. We were lucky to hike Sulphur Mountain on a partly cloudy day and had clear views from the top in all directions.
The trail was busy but not what I would consider crowded. It was oddly busier as we neared the top. When we did get there, it was like we just stepped off the trail and into Disneyland. It was way more crowded and then we anticipated. The crowds did ebb and flow though and there was plenty of space to spread out, take pics and take in the views. With large observation decks all around, you can easily work through the crowds to get a panoramic view all to yourself. If you plan ahead and make reservations, there is a lovely restaurant, Sky Bistro, at the top with gorgeous views – and apparently delicious food. We did not plan ahead, but found some pretty good cookies in the coffee shop. There are also clean restrooms and a gift shop as well as interpretive displays.
We bought tickets to take the gondola down as soon as we got to the top. The wait time for a time slot to go down was about an hour, but this gave us enough time to look around, rest up and have some snacks. The gondola ride down was pretty breathtaking and really fast when comparing it to the hike up. We skipped the hot springs altogether this trip, due to timing, but I do think a hike followed by a relaxing dip in the springs would be the perfect pairing! After hiking back down to the Fairmont, we clocked in 6.15 miles of distance and 2,755 foot elevation gain.
Completed your hike? Give yourself a high five and be sure celebrate a successful adventure with a free adventure badge perfect for your IG story, photo album or as a DIY sticker or t-shirt. You can also order a sticker from the shop here.
All Cedars and Sunsets adventure posts are meant for inspiration only. Always consult a proper map, tell someone where you are going, and check up on current weather and trail conditions. Be aware of potential dangers or wildlife threats and always pack extra water.
Be safe, have fun and keep adventuring!
XOXO – Jennie B.