Tunnel Mountain Hike – Banff National Park
Tunnel Mountain is the most popular hike in Banff National Park. The reason for this being that Tunnel Mountain is actually the smallest summit in Banff so it’s quick, easy, and doesn’t require any experience.
Tunnel Mountain is a great introduction to hiking in Banff and it’s the hike I always recommended to people who are just visiting for a short amount of time. Tunnel Mountain was my first hike in Banff and I’ve done it multiple times – a lot of locals hike it frequently for exercise.
Even though this summit is small the views are unreal! You’ll be overlooking the entire town of Banff as well as the valley and mountain ranges on the other side of the mountain. My favourite view from the top is of Mount Rundle, which I’ll feature here.
Now, let’s go hiking!
Skip Ahead:
- How to get to the Tunnel Mountain Trailhead
- About the Tunnel Mountain trail
- Hiking Tunnel Mountain
- Essential day-hiking gear
- Tips for a successful hike
- Where to stay in Banff
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- What to wear hiking in Banff
- Hiking gear guide for Banff
How To Get To The Tunnel Mountain Trailhead
The best thing about Tunnel Mountain is that you can walk to the trailhead from town, so if you don’t have a car in Banff this is a great hike for you. You’ll see signs around town marking directions to the trailhead or you can download Alltrails.
If you want to check out other hikes in Banff or Kananaskis, you’ll need to rent a car to get to them.
Something to note about Tunnel Mountain is that there are 2 trailheads; the lower trailhead and the upper trailhead. The walk between the lower and upper trailhead is the steepest part of the hike and is a total grind, but it’s short lived.
About The Tunnel Mountain Trail
- Distance: 4.5km
- Elevation Gain: 267m
- Type of Trail: out & back
- Rated: moderate
- Estimated Time: under 2hrs
The Tunnel Mountain trail is well trafficked, clearly defined and doesn’t have too many hazards like exposed roots, however closer to the top there are some exposed rocks.
Something cool about this trail is that it can easily be hiked in the winter or summer, although if you’re hiking Tunnel Mountain in the winter I’d definitely recommend wearing micro-spikes to help with slippery terrain and snow shoes if there’s any fresh, deep snow – you can also rent this gear from Bactrax.
The Tunnel Mountain trail follows switchbacks up the mountain which means you’ll be hiking in a side to side fashion rather than straight up. This is nice because it makes the hike significantly less steep. Even if it looks like you can hike straight up, please stay on the trail to protect the surrounding vegetation.
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Hiking Tunnel Mountain
You’ll find the hike up Tunnel Mountain typically takes around an hour, unless you’re an experience hiker. In this case it will take significantly less time – I once hiked it in 20 minutes!
That 20 minute thing is not true for my first hike up Tunnel Mountain though… Tunnel Mountain was my first hike in Banff and I did not have my trail legs ready. I remember old people hiking past me at a significantly faster pace, people were running past me. I literally thought I was going to die.
I later realized my super intense reaction was actually due to altitude sickness. This doesn’t affect everyone, but it’s something to keep in mind before setting off on your next hiking adventure.
The trail from the lower trailhead is quite steep – expect to be out of breath during this first section. After this point the switchbacks are on a gentle grade and are not overly strenuous.
You’ll be in the trees for the majority of your hike, however once you get to the top you’ll have the chance to admire gorgeous views overlooking the town of Banff as well as the valley behind you.
From Tunnel Mountain you have a clear view of the infamous Mount Rundle. This photo was taken on an extremely smoky day; in summer 2021 Banff and the entire western side of Canada was engulfed in wildfire smoke due to a heat wave.
The sun rises right behind Mount Rundle, so this is a perfect spot to watch sunrise in Banff.
Apparently I only took photos of Tunnel Mountain on smoky days, so you’ll be surprise by the stellar views once you summit this mini mountain yourself!
At the summit you’ll find Banff’s red chairs and if you continue hiking you’ll come to a lower section in which you’ll have a great view of Cascade; Banff’s biggest baddest mountain.
Looking for More Banff Adventures?
Banff is an adventurer’s & view seeker’s paradise. If you’re planning a trip to this gorgeous Canadian Park, you can start with this step-by-step guide designed to help you plan the perfect Banff itinerary.
Alternatively, check out this page with all my Banff resources.
Banff Hiking Resources
On this page you can find all my Banff trail guides. A few signature hikes in Banff are these easy trails, Tunnel Mountain, Sulphur Mountain, Lake Louise, and Johnston Canyon. If you’re only in Banff for a few days, start with those!
A few of my personal favourite hikes in Banff are Mount Bourgeau, Sentinel Pass, Tower of Babel, the Banff Skoki Loop, and the Sulphur Mountain Traverse Route.
More Banff Resources you Might Find Interesting:
Want to continue your Canadian Rockies expedition outside of Banff? Check out my trail guides & travel resources for British Columbia and Kananaskis Country as well as Jasper, Waterton, Yoho, and Kootenay National Parks 🙂
Tips For A Successful Hike
- Hike Tunnel Mountain for sunrise or sunset
- If you hike Tunnel Mountain in the winter bring either micro-spikes or snowshoes depending on the conditions
- Bring a picnic or card games and spend some time at Tunnel Mountain’s summit to truly enjoy the views
- Aim to hike Tunnel Mountain early in the day or later at night to avoid crowds of people
- Stay on-trail to protect the surrounding vegetation
- Bring a bug suit – you’ll be inundated with mosquitos in July and August. I always bring a bug suit for hiking rather than bug spray because it’s lightweight and a toxin-free option
Where to Stay in Banff
From hostels to camping to luxury hotels – Banff has accommodations for everyone. Here are my top recommendations for where to lodge in Banff based on budget.
I recommend giving this post a read as I’ve listed every Banff hotel worth staying at and organized them by category.
- Hostels – Samesun Banff (best location + bar/restaurant on-site), Banff International Hostel (second best), and HI Banff.
- Budget hotels – Bow View Lodge and High Country Inn.
- Mid-range stays – Banff Park Lodge, Mount Royal, Elk & Avenue, and the Banff Caribou & spa.
- Luxury stays – Fairmont Banff Springs and the Rimrock Resort.
- Cabin retreats: Johnston Canyon Bungalows, Baker Creek, and Castle Mountain Chalets.
- Camp – reservation information can be found here. Ensure you book campsites far in advance as they’re full during summer.
- For those on ski trips: lodge on-mountain at Sunshine Village, stay near Norquay, and see my Lake Louise suggestions below.
Lodging Options Near Banff
Enjoy that nature and activities of Banff National Park, but lodge away from the busy tourist town centre at any of the following:
- Lake Louise – Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise (luxury), Paradise Lodge & Bungalows (500m from the lake), Lake Louise Inn (value stay), HI Lake Louise (hostel).
- Canmore – Malcolm Hotel (luxury), Stoneridge Mountain Resort (condo suites with fully equipped kitchens), Mountain View Inn (budget), Canmore Downtown Hostel & the Canmore Hostel (party hostel).
- Johnston Canyon – Johnston Canyon Lodge & Bungalows, Castle Mountain Chalets, and HI Castle Mountain Hostel.
- Yoho National Park – Emerald Lake Lodge and Cathedral Mountain Lodge.
- Kootenay National Park – Storm Mountain Lodge & Cabins.
- Kananaskis Country – Mount Engadine Lodge and Kananaskis Mountain Lodge (luxury), Crosswaters Resort (mid-range), and HI Kananaskis Wilderness Hostel (budget).
Happy adventuring!
Taylor ♡
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About the Author
HI, I’m Taylor – the voice behind The Holistic Backpacker.
After moving to Banff National Park in 2020 I became an outdoor adventure enthusiast and vowed to never stop exploring.
I now spend my days travelling the world, climbing mountains, and spending nights under the stars in the Canadian Rockies backcountry.
I created The Holistic Backpacker so I could share my adventures and help connect people like you with the same amazing experiences.
