Landmarks

Sulphur Mountain, Banff

Sulphur Mountain overlooks the town of Banff and was named in 1916 after the sulphurous hot springs flowing from its northeastern slopes. At an elevation of 2,281m (7,486 ft) above sea level, it affords truly breathtaking views in every direction, including the Banff townsite and the Bow Valley. At the summit, a visitor complex houses a restaurant and gift shop, and several observation decks.

The summit can be reached via a wide, well-graded 5.3 km switchback trail that starts at the Banff Hot Springs parking lot and is the same trail that Norman Sanson, curator of Banff Park Museum, took weekly for almost thirty years from 1903 to record weather data. At the summit, a one kilometre Parks Canada interpretive boardwalk leads to Sanson's Peak where his stone meteorological station still stands. Along the way, a variety of informative panels provide information about flora and fauna native to the area. For the more sure-footed, a hike along the South East Ridge Trail that runs along the ridge of the mountain to the south, takes you to Sulphur Mountain’s true summit.

If hiking up the mountain seems like too much physical effort, the Banff Gondola can carry you up in 8 minutes from the gondola station on Mountain Avenue.