Viewing the town of Banff from above provides beautiful vistas. Not only from Banff itself but also from the Bow Valley. The Sulphur Mountain viewing platform is the most prominent location, but four attractive alternatives are definitely worth checking out.
Banff is undoubtedly one of the most beautifully situated towns in the world. Banff’s streets offer breathtaking vistas of the surrounding mountains as you stroll through the town.
It’s impossible to fully appreciate the area’s stunning natural beauty while strolling through town or its surroundings. That’s why it makes sense to get a bird’s-eye view of Banff. There are five excellent locations you can go. Let’s check them out.
View the Town of Banff from Above
If you’re a first-time visitor to Banff, you’ll probably learn about the Sulphur Mountain viewing point. The famous Banff Gondola takes you there. It’s an amazing place you should absolutely check out. The only drawback to this place is how popular it is with tourists.
As discussed, there are four attractive alternatives. I’ve outlined all five in this article. Each one is worthwhile for different reasons.
Sulphur Mountain Viewpoint
As mentioned in the introduction to this article, this is the most famous and prominent location for viewing the town of Banff and the Bow Valley from above.
The Banff Gondola ensures you can get to the mountain’s summit without much effort, making it fast and convenient. Just park your car at the end of Mountain Avenue, which runs across the mountain’s slopes and ride the gondola up the mountain.
Once at the summit, you’ll find an extensive boardwalk with many viewing points, allowing magnificent views of the Bow Valley from different angles.
Here, you can take the famous Banff photo from above that’ is advertised in all Canadian travel brochures. The view won’t disappoint, so you definitely should check out this place.
The summit boasts a restaurant (Sky Bistro), in case you’re in for a nice lunch or dinner, and a gift shop. Furthermore, you can visit the old weather station and walk the breathtaking boardwalk to explore the summit.
All in all, Sulphur Mountain’s viewing point could easily keep you occupied for an hour.
If you don’t want to ride the Banff Gondola, you can hike up Sulphur Mountain. The hike starts at the Banff Gondola parking lot, near the short road to the Banff Hot Springs. Hiking out and back (covering 665 altimeters over 11 kilometers or 6,84 mi) will take you 3 to 4 hours.
Cascade Mountain Summit
As far as vantage points in Banff and the Bow Valley go, this one is by and away the most spectacular and exciting. However, getting there is far from easy, requiring considerable time (5 to 8 hours). But boy, is it worth it!
You probably guessed it: You need to hike there. And this hike isn’t the easiest one. It requires some scrambling near the top, which poses some slight risks. If you don’t feel comfortable doing that, you might just miss sitting on the very top of this iconic mountain.
In case you didn’t know: Cascade Mountain is the mountain overlooking the town of Banff at the ‘end’ of Banff Avenue. The one with the pointed top.
This mountain is more or less opposite Sulphur Mountain and therefore provides a whole different angle on the town of Banff and the Bow Valley (see the picture at the top of this post).
I was at the summit and I’ll never forget the views I got here.
Besides the town of Banff, you’ll have a gorgeous view of the jagged Mount Rundle, Tunnel Mountain, Lake Minnewanka, Two Jack Lake and the mountains surrounding these lakes.
Besides, the views of Lake Minnewanka and Tow Jack Lake are far better from here than from the Sulphur Mountain viewing point.
At 2,998 meters (9,836 ft), Cascade mountain is also quite a bit higher than Sulphur Mountain (2,451 meters or 8,041 ft).
This is an official hike, so there’s a proper trail. Make sure you dress well (sturdy shoes and warm clothing as it can be cold at the summit) and begin your hike in time, as hiking out and back takes up to 8 hours. Also, read about this hike before you head out.
Tunnel Mountain
The hike up Tunnel Mountain is considerably less strenuous than the ascent of Cascade Mountain. This modest mountain comes at 1,692 meters (5551 ft) and is an easy hike to many excellent vantage points.
At the top, you’ll get stunning views of the Bow River, the Banff Springs golf course and the impressive flanks of Mount Rundle towering high above.
During your hike up Tunnel Mountain (which can be completed in less than two hours), you’ll get stunning views of the town of Banff, Vermilion Lakes, Sulphur Mountain and the mountains in the background looming high above.
So for not too much effort, you’ll get multiple viewing angles of the Bow Valley. You could easily start this hike from the town of Banff. In other words: you don’t need a car to get to the trailhead.
The Banff Centre
If you want to have a quick view of the town of Banff and the Bow Valley from above, this is by far the easiest option. The elevation is also the lowest.
Still, you’ll be presented with some stunning views. Just hike to the Banff Centre, a short 1.15-kilometer (0.71 mi) walk.
Once at the Centre’s premises, you’ll basically get the same views as you’ll get if you go higher up Tunnel Mountain. Walking here from Banff Avenue only takes you about fifteen minutes, that’s it.
If you so desire, you could keep going here and hike up Tunnel Mountain to get views of Mount Rundle, the Bow River and the Banff Springs golf course.
Norquay Mountain Lookout
The Norquay Mountain Lookout also provides a delightful different angle of the town of Banff and the Bow Valley.
You’ll find this viewpoint at a peaceful alpine pasture that borders the road running up Norquay Mountain toward the ski resort. Here, you’ll get a different perspective of the town of Banff, Vermilion Lakes and Mount Rundle, with the Bow River cutting through the landscape as a shimmering blue snake.
A splendid idea is to go here in the evening around sunset when the light in the sky changes to all sorts of beautiful colors and Banff slowly fades into darkness while artificial lights start to light up the town.
As you can quickly get here by car, it’s a safe location to be in the dark and experience the town of Banff’s magic at night.
Map Displaying the Vantage Points
For your reference, I pinned all the vantage points on the map below, as described in this post.