Gondola Rides in the Canadian Rockies

The Banff Gondola climbs Sulphur Mountain in just 8 minutes, rising from the edge of Banff townsite to a summit elevation of 2,281 metres. At the top, the Summit Ridge boardwalk connects to interpretive exhibits, the Cosmic Ray Station National Historic Site, and the Sky Bistro restaurant, with views across six mountain ranges. One of the few alpine experiences in Banff accessible in every season.

Year-around

Banff Gondola

Mount Norquay's North American Chairlift runs through the summer season, climbing to the Cliffhouse Bistro, a refurbished teahouse perched on the mountainside with open views of Cascade Mountain, the Fairholme Range, and the valley floor below. The Norquay experience is deliberately low-key compared to the Banff Gondola: fewer crowds, a shorter ride, and a menu that has earned its own following.

Summer

Mount Norquay Chairlift

In summer, the Sunshine Village gondola becomes an access point to one of the most spectacular high-alpine environments in the Canadian Rockies. The ride climbs to Sunshine Meadows, a broad alpine plateau straddling the Continental Divide at roughly 2,200 metres, where over 300 wildflower species bloom during the brief summer season.

Summer

Sunshine Village Gondola

The Lake Louise Gondola runs from the base of Whitehorn Mountain to a summit at 2,088 metres, with views across the Bow Valley and the Victoria Glacier above Lake Louise. The summer season brings grizzly bears to the open subalpine slopes below the gondola, and sightings from the chairs are genuinely common during peak summer months. The summit has a lodge, interpretive centre, and walking trails, one of the most distinctive gondola experiences in the national parks system.

Summer

Lake Louise Gondola

The Columbia Icefield Skywalk extends 35 metres over the edge of the Sunwapta Valley on a glass-floored walkway, with views straight down a canyon wall to the valley floor 280 metres below. The Skywalk connects to the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre, where the Glacier Adventure snowcoach takes guests onto the Athabasca Glacier itself. Together, the two experiences make for one of the most complete glacier and high-altitude destinations accessible by shuttle from Canmore. No hiking required.

Summer

Columbia Icefield Skywalk

The Jasper SkyTram is the longest and highest aerial tramway in Canada, climbing from a lower station at 1,258 metres to an upper station at 2,263 metres in under 7 minutes. From the upper terminal, a maintained trail continues to the summit of Whistlers Mountain at 2,470 metres, putting you above the clouds on most days and well above the treeline. The panorama takes in the Athabasca Valley, the town of Jasper, and peaks stretching from the Columbia Icefield, with visibility reaching 80 kilometres on clear days.

Summer

Jasper SkyTram

Golden is the base town for Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, home to the Golden Eagle Express Gondola, one of the highest lift-served viewpoints in the Canadian Rockies. The gondola operates year-round at elevations above 2,200 metres. From Golden town, the resort is a short drive up the valley, making it easy to pair a gondola day with the town's dining scene, the Columbia River wetlands, and the surrounding mountain views.

Year-around

Golden

The Golden Eagle Express Gondola at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort operates year-round from the resort's base village, climbing to one of the highest base elevations of any lift-served restaurant in Canada. In summer, the gondola provides access to alpine hiking terrain with the Eagle's Eye restaurant offering views across the Rocky Mountain Trench. In winter, the same gondola serves some of the best expert ski terrain in the Rockies.

Year-around

Kicking Horse

Fernie Alpine Resort's Timber Chairlift runs through the summer season, lifting guests to an elevated vantage point above one of British Columbia's most scenic mountain valleys. From the lift, the Elk Valley unfolds below with the Lizard Range rising on both sides. Summer hiking trails fan out from the top, and the resort's mountain bike park draws a dedicated crowd through the season.

Summer

Fernie

Panorama Mountain Resort runs the Mile 1 Quad chairlift through the summer season, providing access to a high alpine environment above the Toby Creek valley with views across the Rocky Mountain Trench to the Purcell Range. The chairlift serves as the starting point for Panorama's summer hiking trail network, and the surrounding Columbia Valley is one of the warmest and sunniest corners of the mountain corridor.

Summer

Panorama

The Revelation Gondola at Revelstoke Mountain Resort climbs through dense old-growth interior rainforest before breaking above the treeline into open alpine, with sightlines across two mountain ranges simultaneously the Selkirks to the east and the Monashees to the west. In winter, the same gondola serves North America's longest ski vertical at 1,713 metres. Revelstoke consistently earns a place on lists of the world's elite mountain destinations.

Year-Round

Revelstoke