Banff Gondola

A visit to Banff is not complete without a ride on the Banff Gondola. When you take the gondola up to the summit of Sulphur Mountain, you can truly see the world from high above. The Upper Terminal (pictured) is 2281 meters above sea level and houses an observation deck where you can gaze down on the town of Banff and the surrounding wilderness.
We found some restaurants with beautiful views and a souvenir shop (always very crowded). From the Upper Terminal, you can follow the walkway to the Stone Observatory that dates back to 1903. You can also hike up or down Sulphur Mountain. If you don’t feel like riding the gondola downward, just follow the trails back to the Lower Terminal. Of course, you can also hike to the summit and ride the gondola down, but if you plan to do this, buy your gondola ticket at the Lower Terminal before you head up.
A cool feature of the gondola ride is that, in the short time it takes to go up the mountain, the weather changes before your eyes. May 5th, the day of our visit, was a beautiful day in Banff - nice and warm with no snow on the ground. At the top of Sulphur Mountain, it was not too cold but there was an abundance of fresh snow, which made everything simply beautiful. So it’s best to be prepared for more extreme weather up top.
This webcam offers a sneak peek of the view you will enjoy from the Banff Gondola Upper Terminal.
Don’t leave out the Banff Gondola in your Banff travel plans - you’ll be missing out on the most breathtaking views of this scenic region!
Banff Gondola
Sulphur Mountain (end of Mountain Avenue)
Banff, AB
Phone: (403) 762-2523
Written by George on May 13th, 2007 with 1 comment.
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