The “surprise” is the sudden spectacular view that appears on a corner along Tunnel Mountain Road. The iconic Banff Springs Hotel, known as the “Castle Of The Rockies”, sits with Sulphur Mountain as the backdrop. In the foreground the Bow River cascades into the Bow Falls. This famous view of the hotel is promoted all over the world through historic paintings and postcards that date back to the late 1800’s. To take better advantage of the view Parks Canada has constructed an elevated viewing deck that is accessed through a set of stairs.
How To Get To Surprise Corner
Driving – From downtown Banff head to Buffalo Street and travel up it towards Tunnel Mountain Drive and it will lead you right to Surprise Corner. The drive is less than 5 minutes. The view of the hotel will suddenly appear on your right hand side. There is a parking lot at the end of the bend in the road, but there’s only spaces for about a dozen vehicles. If it’s the busy tourist season you’ll have to take your chances at getting a spot. There’s usually a quick turnover so hopefully you time your arrival as someone is leaving.
Walking – From downtown Banff you can walk to Surprise Corner via the Bow River Trail. It’s much nicer than walking on the road. The trail can be accessed near the Canadian Legion building at the end of Banff Avenue near the pedestrian bridge. Follow the trail and it will bring you up to Buffalo Street, almost at the viewpoint.
Take note: The viewing deck is across the road from where the trail comes up and across the road from the parking lot. Use caution and watch for traffic when crossing the road.
When Is The Best Time Of Day To Take Photos At Surprise Corner?
The best lighting is in the morning when the sun is highlighting the Banff Springs Hotel. If it’s a cloudy day you can photograph at anytime. If you’re lucky you’ll get some dramatic storm clouds as your back drop. Another great time to photograph is at dusk or at night, the hotel looks quite stunning with all of its lights on.
When Is The Best Time Of Year To Visit Surprise Corner?
There’s really no bad time to visit. The scenic view doesn’t disappoint at any time of the year, whether it’s spring, summer or fall. It can be a magic sight in winter when the mountains are covered in snow.
Use caution when the viewing platform and stairs have snow or ice on them they can be slippery.
What Else Is There To Do Near Surprise Corner?
Not only does Surprise Corner offer fantastic photography opportunities, it’s situated near a network of trails. A map of trails in town can be found here: Banff Trails Map. Checking trail conditions and closures is alway a good idea before heading out.
Hike The Hoodoos Trail
The Hoodoos Trail couldn’t be more convenient to access from Surprise Corner, it starts from the back of the parking lot. It’s rated as easy to moderate. There’s a few areas of moderate incline, but they are fairly short in duration. Parts of the trail have rocks and tree roots so sturdy footwear is a must. The trail winds through the forest and at times takes you close to the Bow river and up above it. There are several viewpoints near the end of the trail, the last one overlooks the Hoodoos. On Tunnel Mountain road near the final viewpoint there is a large parking lot equipped with toilets. From the parking lot there is a paved trail to the Hoodoos viewpoint, making it accessible for everyone.
The hike from Surprise Corner to the Hoodoos viewpoint is 4.8 km’s (9.6km’s return trip), with approximately 350 meters in elevation gain. The round trip will be approximately 2 to 2.5 hours depending on your speed and amount of stopping along the way.
There are some trail apps that suggest making the trail route into a loop to get you back to town from the Hoodoos viewpoint. This way will have you doing a lot of walking along Tunnel Mountain road. Going back the way you came is much more scenic and will keep you away from the vehicle traffic.
Tunnel Mountain Trail
The Tunnel Mountain Trail is one of the most popular hikes in Banff. From Surprise Corner you can access it by going further along Tunnel Mountain Road. It offers incredible views of the town of Banff and the Banff Springs golf course. For more details on this hike and how to access it from town you can read our post here: Summit A Mountain Right In The Town Of Banff
Other Nearby Hikes And Walks
On the other side of the Bow River you can stroll through the Cascade Of Time Gardens or do the Bow Falls Trail. For further information on easy walks see our post on Easy Walks In Banff.
Leave a Reply