Sunshine Meadows Hike, Banff National Park

One of Alberta's great wildflower hikes

Beautiful Rocky Mountain views on the Sunshine Meadows hike
Beautiful Rocky Mountain views on the Sunshine Meadows hike

One of the premier day hikes in Banff National Parks takes you to Citadel Peak via Sunshine Meadows. I didn’t have time, or the enthusiasm for the full 18.6 km round trip hike to the peak but I was keen to see Sunshine Meadows in what I hoped would be peak wildflower season. The Sunshine Meadows hike gets you above tree line where you get a double whammy – wildflowers and gorgeous Rocky Mountain views. With the help of gondolas and chairlifts, the heavy lifting when it comes to hiking a lot of vertical, is done in minutes and not hours.

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Spectacular views of Howard Douglas Lake
Spectacular views of Howard Douglas Lake

Getting to the start of the Sunshine Meadows hike

For years the Sunshine Meadows hike started with a bus ride. Now you can take the gondola followed by the Standish Chairlift. Get off and you’re already at an elevation of over 2,400 metres or 8,000 feet. From the Standish viewing deck it’s possible to see three lakes – Rock Isle, Laryx and Grizzly.

You do have to pay to ride the gondola and chairlift. You can book online here. Note that Alberta residents get a small discount. In 2023 the Banff Sunshine summer gondola is open from June 23 – September 10. 

It’s only 4.5 km up the road to Sunshine Village – where the downhill skiing happens in the winter. It’s a steep hike up and probably not the best use of your energy, even if you’re trying to save a few dollars on the gondola.

How much does it cost to ride the Banff Sunshine summer gondola?

In 2023, expect to pay the following: adults (16+) are $65, seniors 65+ are $59, youth and children from 6 – 15 are $32 and toddlers 0-5 are free. The price includes both the gondola and the chairlift.

Looking for wildflowers on the Sunshine Meadows hike 

The first kilometre of the Sunshine Meadows hike is the steepest and least interesting – if you don’t take the Standish Chairlift.

Once you reach the top of the road, Sunshine Meadows unfolds before you. The meadows are on the continental divide so you’ll hike in both Alberta and British Columbia.

Before you start hiking, consider a stop at the interpretive centre. This is where you’ll get great information on all the wildflowers. Take a few photos so you can ID them on the hike.

Our gang of five visited in the third week of July, but we missed most of the wildflowers. I think in hindsight, a week later would have been better so I’ll have to try another year.

The Sunshine Meadows trails are well-marked
The Sunshine Meadows trails are well-marked
Starting off across Sunshine Meadows
Starting off on the Sunshine Meadows hike
Lots of ground squirrels early on in the hike
Lots of ground squirrels seen early on in the Sunshine Meadows hike
There is still patchy snow in late July
There is still patchy snow in late July

Phenomenal mountain scenery on the Sunshine Meadows hike 

Even though the wildflowers were a disappointment on our Sunshine Meadows hike, the mountain scenery was not. In fact it was superb and some of the best I’ve seen in Banff National Park. Once you reach the high alpine, there is loads of off-trail country to be explored.

This trail is also one of the gateways to Assiniboine Provincial Park and Assiniboine Lodge. But it’s a 29 km one way hike and should be done as part of a backpacking trip – again one of the top trips in Canada.

Our hike to the ridge across from Quartz Hill totaled 4.7 km one way. It took only about 90 minutes to reach our lunch spot and turnaround point.

360 degree views from the ridge across from Quartz Hill
360 degree views from the ridge across from Quartz Hill
What a great place for lunch with a view of the meadows
What a great place for lunch with a view of the meadows 
Looking in the other direction from our lunch spot
Looking in the other direction from our lunch spot
Great mountain views in all directions
Great mountain views in all directions with a sprinkling of wildflowers on the Sunshine Meadows hike
Alpine forget-me-not
Alpine forget-me-not – one of my favourite wildflowers
A blast of pink on the Sunshine Meadows hike
A blast of pink on the Sunshine Meadows hike
Looking across to Quartz Hill
Looking across to Quartz Hill
The best we could do for wildflowers - a bit disappointing
The best we could do for wildflowers – a bit disappointing
These people were off for some fishing
These people were off for some fishing (don’t forget your license)

A side trip to Rock Isle Lake

Most people we saw didn’t seem to hike that far as we saw very few people on the trail towards Citadel Peak. Rock Isle Lake seems to be the premier destination. 

From the trail intersection it’s only 0.6 km to Rock Isle Lake. Although the lake itself is beautiful, the area around it was full of people. Still, I was very impressed at how many elderly people had made the hike up, as it wouldn’t be a trivial for them. 

The much photographed Rock Isle Lake
The much photographed Rock Isle Lake
Rock Isle Lake is a pretty place to hang out
Rock Isle Lake is a pretty place to hang out

The hike from Sunshine Village back to the parking lot

When we got back to Sunshine Village, we had 30 minutes to wait for the next bus (before the days in the summer with the gondola running). Sensible people might buy a cold drink or beer, find a comfortable chair and enjoy the superb mountain views. But we did not.

We are not always sensible people and elected to hike back down to the car. It was a VERY STEEP walk and hard on the quads. On the bright side, we got more exercise bringing our total mileage for the day to 15 km. 

Most people will elect to purchase a combo of the Sunshine gondola and chairlift, so walking down the road won’t cross the minds of many hikers.

It's a steep 4.5 km walk down to the parking lot
It’s a steep 4.5 km walk down to the parking lot

Another hiking option from the Sunshine Village parking lot

If you’re crowd adverse but crazy for wildflowers and don’t mind a long day hike, I highly recommend the 9.2 km one way hike to Healey Pass. It starts right from the Sunshine Village parking area so it’s free. But you will gain 655 m from the parking lot. Dogs are allowed on a leash.

The other way to access it is via the three day backpacking trip that includes Egypt Lake.

The stunning wildflower display at Healey Pass
The stunning wildflower display at Healey Pass

Guided hikes at Sunshine Meadows

A guided hike to Sunshine Meadows with a pick-up in Banff is offered in the summer and fall. Hiking time is 4 – 5 hours, covering a distance of 6 – 10 km over an elevation gain of 100-200 m. If you’re keen to learn about the wildflowers and ecosystems, rather than just walking through it, this would be an excellent option. A packed lunch is included. 

Staying up at Sunshine in the summer

I love the Sunshine Mountain Lodge, Banff’s only mountain top hotel. What a treat to spend a night in the mountains especially with one of the largest hot tubs in the Rockies. 

You can check availability at Sunshine Mountain Lodge and book a stay here.

The Sunshine Meadows area is also a good one in larch season

While I have never done the Sunshine Meadows hike during larch season (around the third week of September) it absolutely needs to be on my must-do list as the photos I’ve seen are nothing short of glorious. It’s been called the best larch hike in Banff National Park – and that is saying something.

Click on the photo  to bookmark to your Pinterest boards.

The fabulous Sunshine Meadows hike in Banff National Park

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