Tunnel Technical Trails Loop in Banff National Park

Banff National Park, AB

Tunnel Technical Trails Loop

A compact lap with bridges, berms and narrow wooden features.

Length
2.7km
Time
45min
Elev. change
83m
Difficulty
Moderate
  • Loop
  • Dogs allowed
  • High point 1,484 m

Hear the audio tour

Tunnel Mountain Village II and Trailer Court

Overview

About Tunnel Technical Trails Loop

Why go

  • Short loop with a varied set of technical features
  • Usual downhill-and-climb sequence is easy to follow

Heads up

  • Narrow wooden features and skinnies demand confident handling
  • Pedestrian sharing is not confirmed

Map & elevation

The route

Loading the Banff map
Full map
Elevation1,401–1,484 m
TrailheadTunnel Mountain Drive near reservoir51.18194, -115.55269
Keep this map with you offline in the Parkwolf app

Plan your hike

Before you go

Parking

Tunnel Mountain Drive near the reservoir; parking is limited to designated areas. Use signed parking only.

Safety

Narrow raised wooden features, ladder bridges, a wall ride and repeated switchbacks require confident bike handling. Pedestrian sharing is unclear; check signs before walking this route.

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
See all 8 alerts
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 Tunnel Technical Trails Loop, 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 area

Tunnel Mountain Village II and Trailer Court
0:00 / 0:30
“You're approaching Tunnel Mountain Village II and the nearby Trailer Court, two developed campgrounds close to Banff.”

Plays on the road 0.9 km from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.

More stories near here in the app

  • Tunnel Mountain: A Summit Above Town
  • The Time in Cascade Gardens
  • Banff Visitor Centre and Grizzly House
  • A Cushion That Holds the Warmth
  • 185 audio storiesacross Banff’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
  • Wildlife heatmapsfor Grizzly Bear, Brown Bear, Gray Wolf, and 13 more
  • Works offlinemaps, 162 trails, 90 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.”
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4.7 from 8,600+ ratings

Trail guide

Hiking Tunnel Technical Trails Loop

A short technical loopTunnel Technical Trails is a 2.

Tunnel Technical Trails is a 2.7-kilometre mountain-bike loop near Tunnel Mountain Drive and the reservoir. The usual ride descends Star Wars, then climbs back on Return of the Jedi, with about 80 metres of total gain. Expect wooden riding features, ladder bridges, a wall ride, narrow skinnies, curving berms and repeated switchbacks. At a cautious pace, allow roughly 45 minutes; the short mileage hides a lot of bike handling.

Ride within your comfort zoneThe listed grade is moderate, but the raised wooden features and narrow bridges make confident…

The listed grade is moderate, but the raised wooden features and narrow bridges make confident handling more important than the distance. Wear a helmet, keep your speed controlled and yield to riders climbing. Walk any feature that feels beyond your ability. This lap leaves out Topp Notch, which is a separate, harder route.

Start and accessStart on Tunnel Mountain Drive near the reservoir and use designated parking.

Start on Tunnel Mountain Drive near the reservoir and use designated parking. The published loop distance is 2.7 km; the available mapped line follows the two named segments for about 2.35 km and ends 24 metres from its start at the access area, so follow the signs around the top. Cycling access is clear, but public pedestrian sharing is not; confirm before planning to walk the loop. Banff’s general summer trail rule allows leashed dogs unless a posted restriction says otherwise.

Wildlife

Wildlife in Banff

All Banff wildlife maps

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

Keep exploring

Near Tunnel Technical Trails Loop

See it all on the map

Trails that start nearby

Places near the trailhead

Parkwolf’s Banff ranking

Top-rated trails in Banff

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  5. 5Larch Valley / Minnestimma Lakes TrailModerate · 9 km
  6. 6Parker Ridge TrailModerate · 5.6 km

Take Parkwolf to Banff.

The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.

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