Banff Sunshine Village

Overview

About Banff Sunshine Village

Banff Sunshine Village is a large ski and snowboard resort across three mountains inside Banff National Park. In summer, its lifts open a different route into Sunshine Meadows: a gondola ride above the forest, an upper-mountain chairlift, then alpine lakes and trails. It suits visitors who want high-country scenery without climbing all the way from the valley, and who are happy to plan around seasonal lift operations and mountain weather.

Why stop

The gondola and chairlift reach high alpine scenery without a long ascent.
One destination offers both winter skiing and summer meadow access.

Heads up

Summer sightseeing depends on seasonal operation of both lifts.
Alpine terrain beyond the lifts is not fully wheelchair accessible.

Map

Where it is

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Full map

SightBanff Sunshine Village51.07852, -115.77646

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Plan your stop

Before you go

Getting there and getting around

From the Sunshine Village highway exit, the gondola base is 8.3 kilometres up Sunshine Access Road. A free daily shuttle also runs between Banff and the mountain. A Parks Canada pass is required. Resort lodges serve food and drinks; carry anything specific you want for the meadow walk. Dogs are not allowed on the summer lifts or in the resort except registered service dogs. Alpine terrain is not fully wheelchair accessible; the lifts reduce the climb but do not make every meadow path accessible.

8 active Banff alerts

ClosureJohnston Canyon Trail and Day Use Area closedJohnston Canyon Trail and Day Use Area are closed to all traffic and travel through December 11, 2026, because construction work requires protecting public and workers’ safety.Official details
ClosureBaker Lake and Hidden Lake campgrounds closed to campingCamping is prohibited at Baker Lake and Hidden Lake campgrounds through December 1, 2026, because a grizzly bear entered campsites and investigated tents and gear; the closures reduce risk to…Official details

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A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone — Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Banff Tour Guide

Your drive to Banff Sunshine Village, narrated.

Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Banff National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.

See the Banff audio tour

Recorded for this place

Sunshine Village: Lifts to the Meadows

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“You're approaching the gondola base for Sunshine Village. In summer, take the gondola and Standish chairlift for high meadows and a short walk to a deck overlooking alpine lakes.”

Plays as you drive up to Banff Sunshine Village in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.

More about Banff Sunshine Village

Take the summer lift routeThe gondola climbs from the 1,659-metre base to the upper village at 2,159 metres in about 25…

The gondola climbs from the 1,659-metre base to the upper village at 2,159 metres in about 25 minutes. From there, an eight-minute ride on the Standish chairlift reaches 2,385 metres; the viewing deck is a short walk from the top. Allow extra time beyond the lift rides for waiting and exploring. Summer sightseeing is seasonal, so check that both lifts are operating before making the drive.

Walk through Sunshine MeadowsMarked paths lead through open alpine meadows and past Rock Isle and Grizzly lakes.

Marked paths lead through open alpine meadows and past Rock Isle and Grizzly lakes. The setting changes quickly from dark evergreen forest below to open slopes, small lakes and wide mountain views above. Stay on marked trails: cycling is prohibited in the village and meadows, and swimming and fishing are not allowed in the meadow lakes.

Look out from StandishThe Standish Viewing Deck is the clearest high panorama, with surrounding peaks and the lakes…

The Standish Viewing Deck is the clearest high panorama, with surrounding peaks and the lakes spread below. It is the place to make time for rather than rushing off the chairlift. For a photo, keep a strip of meadow or lake in the foreground so the mountain range has some scale.

A long history on the mountainThis mountain drew visitors before it became a lift-served resort.

This mountain drew visitors before it became a lift-served resort. Canadian Pacific built a trail-rider cabin here in the mid-1920s; commercial overnight stays were part of the site by 1934. The gondola's first summer season began in 1984, bringing sightseeing and interpretive walking into the resort's identity alongside winter skiing.

Winter is a different visitIn winter, three mountains of ski and snowboard terrain make up the resort.

In winter, three mountains of ski and snowboard terrain make up the resort. The village, lifts and runs are the draw, with snow-covered forest and alpine ridgelines all around. The summer meadow route is a separate seasonal experience, so choose your date and expectations around the activity you want.

Wildlife

Wildlife in Banff

All Banff wildlife maps

123 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map

150 sightingsBrown BearMost seen around 6 PMSighting map

44 sightingsGray WolfMost seen around 6 AMSighting map

12 sightingsRiver OtterMost seen around 8 PMSighting map

69 sightingsMooseMost seen around 8 PMSighting map

466 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 9 PMSighting map

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Banff. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.