Parking
Use the paved parking at Cave and Basin National Historic Site at the end of Cave Avenue; the route starts there. The site has accessible stalls, bike racks, washrooms, and picnic areas.
Overview
About Sundance Canyon Trail
Why go
- Easy paved approach with mountain views and a bike option.
- Clockwise canyon loop adds natural rock steps, water, and a more adventurous finish.
Heads up
- The complete route is 9.5 km, with a long paved approach before the canyon.
- The narrow canyon loop has steep natural rock steps that can be wet or slippery.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Banff map
Full mapElevation1,382–1,543 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
8 active Banff alerts
- ClosureRed Deer River valley closed during ceremonial bison harvestThe Red Deer River valley bottom is closed to the public during an Indigenous ceremonial bison hunt taking place through November, for public safety during the harvest.Official details
- ClosureJohnston Canyon closed for constructionJohnston Canyon Trail and Day Use Area, including the washrooms and P1 parking lot, are closed to all traffic and travel through December 11, 2026, for construction work to ensure public and worker…Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Banff Tour Guide
Your drive to Sundance Canyon Trail, 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.
Recorded for this trailhead
Cave and Basin: Birthplace of Canadian ParksListen
“You're coming up on the Cave and Basin National Historic Site, the very spot where Canada's entire national park system began.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Banff Springs Snail
- Warner Stables: Banff Horseback and Sleigh Rides
- Buffalo Nations Museum and Banff Recreation Grounds
- Valleyview Picnic Area: An Eastbound-Only Stop
- 178 audio storiesacross Banff’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grizzly Bear, Brown Bear, Gray Wolf, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 177 trails, 236 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“…Loved the commentary as you drove thru. I’m sure the app can do more than I know but the tips were very helpful. I’m gonna use it when we go to Banff next month.”
Trail guide
Hiking Sundance Canyon Trail
Why you’ll love itSundance Canyon is a relaxed paved approach followed by a compact, adventurous canyon loop.
Sundance Canyon is a relaxed paved approach followed by a compact, adventurous canyon loop. From Cave and Basin National Historic Site, the route opens to mountain views across the Bow River before climbing gently through the forest to the water-filled canyon.
What to expect on the routeStart at the Cave and Basin trailhead and follow the paved Sundance Trail 3.7 km one way.
Start at the Cave and Basin trailhead and follow the paved Sundance Trail 3.7 km one way. The approach is easy to walk or bike and ends at a bike rack where the hiking-only loop begins. Take the loop clockwise: it is steep and narrow in places, with natural rock steps and water in the canyon. The loop returns to the same junction, so retrace the paved approach to finish.
Distance, time, and difficultyThe complete visitor route is 9.5 km (5.9 miles) round trip: 3.
The complete visitor route is 9.5 km (5.9 miles) round trip: 3.7 km each way on the approach plus a 2.1 km canyon loop. Elevation gain is about 190 m (623 ft). Allow roughly 3 hours round trip. Most of the distance is easy paved trail; the canyon loop is moderately difficult because of its steep, narrow tread and natural rock steps.
Access and safetyPedal-assist e-bikes are permitted on the paved section, but the canyon loop is hiking-only.
Pedal-assist e-bikes are permitted on the paved section, but the canyon loop is hiking-only. Use the paved parking at Cave and Basin National Historic Site at the end of Cave Avenue; the site has accessible stalls, bike racks, washrooms, and picnic areas. The paved approach is shared with bikes and horses, so yield appropriately. The canyon can be wet, slippery, or icy—wear sturdy footwear and use traction when needed. You’re in bear country: carry bear spray and make noise.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Banff
122 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
67 sightingsMooseMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
465 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 9 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Banff. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
