Can I hike without riding the chairlift?

Yes. You can hike Sunshine Meadows without riding the Standish Chairlift. The chairlift is an optional way to gain additional elevation and reach the Standish Viewing Deck more easily; it is not required to access the main hiking area.

After taking the Sunshine Village Gondola, you can begin hiking directly from the village. Trails lead into Sunshine Meadows and toward Rock Isle Lake, with connections that allow you to continue toward Grizzly Lake and Laryx Lake.

This is a particularly good option if you don't like open chairlifts or are uncomfortable with heights. You still get the full alpine hiking experience and can visit the lakes and meadows on foot.

The trade-off is that you'll do more uphill walking. Riding Standish lets you start higher and then hike down through the meadows, while beginning at Sunshine Village means gaining that elevation yourself.

For casual hikers, a good chairlift-free outing is Sunshine Village → Rock Isle Lake → explore the surrounding meadows → return to Sunshine Village. Stronger hikers can extend the route through Grizzly and Laryx lakes for a longer circuit.

So, if the open-air Standish Chairlift doesn't appeal to you, you can skip it and still have an excellent Sunshine Meadows experience. Book the Banff Sunshine Village Sightseeing Gondola & Standish ChairliftBooking the Banff Sunshine Village Sightseeing Gondola & Standish Chairlift Admission includes All taxes, fees and handling charges. Banff Gondola Home