Hiking Sunshine Meadows in Banff is one of my all-time favourite hikes I’ve done so far in the Canadian Rockies (maybe ever!), and it’s a great easy hike in Banff!
There are so many amazing alpine lakes at Sunshine Meadows that you see from above when you’re at Standish Viewpoint. From this viewpoint, you can see Rock Isle Lake, Grizzly Lake, Laryx Lake, and the surrounding mountain ranges. This is also a great view of the area you’ll most likely be hiking!
This is your guide all about the Sunshine Meadows hike in Banff, and hopefully answers all of your questions! If you have any other questions after reading, feel free to send me a message and I’d love to help you!
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Banff Sunshine Meadows Hike at a Glance
Location: Banff National Park
Difficulty rating: Easy
Important to Know:
- Hikers need to pay to take the Sunshine Village Gondola and Standish chairlift to the top of the mountain and access the hiking trails. You can hike up, but this would take a long time and tire most people out, by the time you get to the amazing part you’ll be exhausted!
- The price of the ticket includes the Gondola ride and chair lift (round trip)
- In my opinion, it’s well worth the price!
Time Needed: We spent around 6 hours exploring Sunshine Meadows, including gondola rides and lunch at the restaurant after hiking. The hike itself took us about 3 hours (see the route below), but we also took a ton of pictures and just enjoyed our time. We budgeted to have the whole day since we were paying for the gondola ride, and it’s just such a stunning place to explore I didn’t want to leave!
Facilities:
- Washroom and garbages at the bottom of the gondola
- Restaurant, gift shop, interpretive center, washrooms, and water to fill up (inside building with the interpretive centre) at the top of the gondola but before the chair lift
- No facilities at the top of the chair lift where most of the hiking trails start
- Pit toilets on the Sunshine Meadows Trail between Rock Isle Junction and Rock Isle Viewpoint, as well as right past Grizzly | Laryx Junction near Grizzly Lake (see them marked on the map above!)
Sunshine Meadows Hike in Banff National Park
Costs to Consider:
- National Park Pass: If you have a car, you have to pay to park in Canadian National Parks. You’ll purchase this when you first enter Banff National Park, but just wanted to mention it!
- Gondola and Chairlift: Find the most updated price here.
- Parking at the lot: Free!
- Other costs: You can opt to pay for a guided hike/ tour if you are interested in learning more in depth about the area and its history. Although this is a cool thing to do, it’s not necessary if you’re visiting Banff on a budget and just want to hike on your own!
How to Get to Sunshine Meadows:
Sunshine Village is really easy to get to from the Town of Banff. It’s about a 20 minute drive total, heading West on Highway 1 towards Lake Louise, and then exiting onto Sunshine Road, where you’ll drive all the way up to the parking lot. You’ll know you’re there because you’ll come to a huge parking lot, you can’t really keep driving, and you’ll see the bottom of the gondola!
There is also a free shuttle that leaves from the Town of Banff and will take you to the gondola base, so you don’t have to worry about driving yourself, or if you don’t have a car!
Hikes you can do at Sunshine Meadows:
There are a ton of different trails to hike at Sunshine Meadows, take a look at the Trail Map on Sunshine’s website to see where you can hike. Grab a paper version when you buy your Gondola ticket at the ticket office!
Sunshine Meadows Hiking Trails:
- Meadow Park Trail/Monarch Viewpoint
- Rock Isle Road/Rock Isle Viewpoint
- Standish Viewing Deck Loop
- Twin Cairns to Monarch Viewpoint
- Grizzly | Laryx Junction
There are other, longer hikes that leave from Sunshine Meadows as well, including Healy Pass, Egypt Lake, Mount Shark, and other places in Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park!
My Recommended Hiking Route at Sunshine Village:
You can do whichever hiking trail you want, but when I arrived at the top of the Gondola (bottom of the chair lift) I asked a Sunshine Village Guide their favourite hike, and they recommended mixing a couple of the trails together! This is the route we did and it was super easy to follow, and so incredible, I highly recommend doing the same route!
Take the chairlift to the top and head to the Standish Viewing Deck for the most incredible view ever. From there head to the Twin Cairns Junction, and then on to Rock Isle Junction. Hike to Grizzly | Laryx Junction and do the loop, continue back to Rock Isle Junction, to Rock Isle Viewpoint, and down Rock Isle Road back to the base of the chairlift.
If you’re feeling tired, skip hiking down Rock Isle Road and go back to Standish Viewing Deck to take the chair lift back down!
Why I love Hiking Sunshine Meadows:
It is an AMAZING place to hike, and because you gain so much elevation by riding the Gondola and chairlift to the top of a mountain, you don’t have to really break a sweat but you get such amazing views. The top of the mountain is relatively flat and so it’s just such a beautiful place to explore and requires little effort on your end.
It is also so cool because Sunshine Meadows is located on the Continental Divide, which is where the border of British Columbia and Alberta is. This means that you might start the hike in Alberta, but then cross over into BC while hiking. I just think this is so cool!
Plus I love wildflowers, and this is one of the best places to see them!
When to Hike:
Wildflower season is the absolute BEST season to hike Sunshine Meadows!! Peak wildflowers are typically out mid-end July, but it really varies each year. We went on the third week of July in 2022, but because of the late snowmelt, we were probably 1 week too early for actual peak wildflowers! But, it was still stunning and we saw so many beautiful flowers.
Sunshine Meadows is only available to hike in the summertime, usually opening late June to early September. The gondola/chairlift only operates between certain hours. Find the most updated times Sunshine Village is open here.
In the winter, Banff Sunshine Village turns into a ski resort, and is a great place to ski and snowboard in Banff!
What to Bring Hiking:
- Small packable jacket or sweater. It was super windy when we got to the top of the chairlift, but once we started hiking it was warm! Weather can change so fast at the top of the mountain, be prepared!
- Water and snacks of course
- Your charged camera – you are going to take so many photos!!!
- Small garbage bag or ziplock to pack out your garbage
- Anything else you like to bring on your day hikes with you
Leave No Trace:
- Stay on the trail, there are fragile alpine plants that grow in this area.
- Don’t pick the flowers!
- Pack out what you pack in (carry your garbage and throw it out at the trailhead garbage can). Find out how to be a responsible visitor in Canadian Parks here
- Use the washrooms provided. There are washrooms in the buildings you see at Sunshine before taking the chairlift up, or pit toilets at certain parts of the trail at the top of the chairlift.
Other Things to Know:
- There is a hotel at Sunshine Meadows if you want to stay here – the Sunshine Mountain Lodge!
- Dogs are not allowed, except for service dogs.
- You cannot swim or fish in the lakes.
- You cannot bring your bike to Sunshine Meadows!
- There is a restaurant at the top of the gondola if you want to enjoy a beer or meal after your hike, before heading down the gondola.
Is the Sunshine Meadows Gondola Worth The Price?
I would absolutely say 100% yes it’s worth the price! Honestly, paying for the gondola is what took me so long to hike this spot in general, but after a couple of years passing and me still wanting to hike the area, I decided to bite the bullet, and pay for the gondola and see for myself! And I am so happy I did, it is such a stunning spot and one of my favourite hikes I’ve done so far in the Rockies. I highly recommend this experience in Banff!
Is hiking Sunshine Meadows on your Banff Bucket List?
Read more on the Canadian Rocky Mountains:
- 4 Day Banff Itinerary
- Banff on a Budget: Some Ways to Save Money While Visiting!
- Things to Know When Planning a Trip to the Canadian Rockies
- Moraine Lake Tips
FAQ About Hiking Sunshine Meadows in Banff
Yes, all visitors stopping in a Canadian National Park need a park pass, and because Sunshine Village is within Banff National Park, it is required to purchase a park pass.
You can buy tickets for the Sunshine gondola at the Guest Services building located in the Sunshine Village parking lot, or in advance online at the Sunshine Meadows website.
Yes! There is a large, free parking lot at Sunshine Village. If you do not have access to the car, Sunshine Village also offers a free shuttle from Banff Town.
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Hey! I’m Kat. Based in Alberta, Canada I love to travel to the Rockies and explore new places around the world. Follow along on my adventures and find inspiration and tips for your own travels.
Melina Gable says
I’m really excited to have found this blog! How many miles do you think your hike wise? Where are you combined several trails?
Kat says
Hi Melina!! Awesome Im so happy I can help! From the map I have, the total for the combined trails we did was around 4.3 miles with basically no incline 🙂 Let me know if you have any other questions!