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    Home » Lifestyle » Adventure » Travel » North America

    The Best Banff Hikes: Sunshine Village

    January 6, 2017 / Updated Jun 08, 2020 / by Carolyn Gratzer Cope / 1 Comment / This post may contain affiliate links. Learn more.

    Planning a trip to the Canadian Rockies? Follow along for stories from our best Banff hikes. Today, Sunshine Village.

    Hiking Sunshine Mountain Banff Yoho National Park Canada 780 | Umami Girl-13

    Hello, sunshine

    You guys. THIS PLACE. When we visited the Canadian Rockies in August, our friends from Calgary brought us to Sunshine Village for a hike and picnic lunch. They downplayed it so much in the few days before we went that we had no idea what gorgeousness awaited us. 

    Hiking Sunshine Mountain Banff Yoho National Park Canada 780 | Umami Girl-13
    Hiking Sunshine Mountain Banff Yoho National Park Canada 780 | Umami Girl-13

    Lift from the parking lot to 8954 ft

    From the parking lot (which is 15 minutes from the town of Banff and 90 minutes from Calgary), we bought lift passes and took an enclosed gondola followed by a good old chairlift, to the top of the mountain. The peak elevation is 8954 feet above sea level, which means that when hiking uphill at a brisk pace, I was thankful for my regular runs and cardio-intensive hot yoga classes.

    Hiking Sunshine Mountain Banff Yoho National Park Canada 780 | Umami Girl-13

    The continental divide

    Sunshine sits along the continental divide and also spans two Canadian provinces (Alberta and British Columbia) and National Parks (Banff and Yoho). Not a bad résumé, am I right? And of course unlike some candidates for the job (what job, weird lady?), it doesn’t just look good on paper.

    Hiking Sunshine Mountain Banff Yoho National Park Canada 780 | Umami Girl-13

    Sunshine day

    I’m too lazy to look back at my Fitbit stats from our Sunshine day,** but I’d say we hiked six or seven miles and barely scratched the surface of this lovely place. I’d suggest a whole day here. Packing a picnic felt exactly right, even if it was primarily made up of leftover flatbread pizza. (Check our post on where to eat in Canmore for more information.)

    ** Massive props if your brain went straight to the Brady Bunch.

    Hiking Sunshine Mountain Banff Yoho National Park Canada 780 | Umami Girl-13
    Hiking Sunshine Mountain Banff Yoho National Park Canada 780 | Umami Girl-13
    Hiking Sunshine Mountain Banff Yoho National Park Canada 780 | Umami Girl-13
    Hiking Sunshine Mountain Banff Yoho National Park Canada 780 | Umami Girl-13
    Hiking Sunshine Mountain Banff Yoho National Park Canada 780 | Umami Girl-13
    Hiking Sunshine Mountain Banff Yoho National Park Canada 780 | Umami Girl-13
    Hiking Sunshine Mountain Banff Yoho National Park Canada 780 | Umami Girl-13
    Hiking Sunshine Mountain Banff Yoho National Park Canada 780 | Umami Girl-13
    Hiking Sunshine Mountain Banff Yoho National Park Canada 780 | Umami Girl-13
    Hiking Sunshine Mountain Banff Yoho National Park Canada 780 | Umami Girl-13

    Thanks for hiking with us

    You can find more from Canada here. Talk to you soon.

    Carolyn xx

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    More North America

    • The Best Restaurants in Canmore, Alberta, Canada
    • Johnston Canyon + the Ink Pots: Hiking in Banff National Park
    • A Few Notes + Where to Eat in Calgary
    • A Colorado Wedding Weekend: Estes Park, Lyons, and Boulder Recs
    • 4

    About Carolyn Gratzer Cope

    Hi there, I'm Carolyn Gratzer Cope. Welcome to Umami Girl, where I've been sharing recipes and more for thoughtful folks since 2008. Learn more.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tonita says

      March 21, 2019 at 10:30 am

      What amazing and oh so beautiful pictures. I am curious about the island. Love pictures that make you wonder about them later in the day. Your photos definitely do that. Looks like such a wonderful hike.Even the name of Sunshine village is so appealing - looks heavenly..

      Reply

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    Hi there, I'm Carolyn Gratzer Cope, founder and publisher of Umami Girl (Est. 2008). Join me in savoring life, one recipe at a time. Learn more.

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