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Tunnel Bench Loop At A Glance
Difficulty Rating: Moderate (Blue). My kids found this trail harder than Water Tower as it’s rootier, longer, and has exposure.
Distance: 9.7 km loop (opportunities for experienced riders to extend their ride by adding on The Toe – rated black).
Elevation Gain: 124 m gain and 124 m loss. Rolling terrain – no long climbs, but younger kids/less experienced mountain bikers may have to walk a few hills.
Trail surface/type: Mostly dirt single track. A few sections have gravel and parts of Teddy Bear’s Picnic are partially paved (reverting to dirt trail). Some fun bermed corners on the Coastline section.
Recommended Direction: We rode the trail counterclockwise so we could visit the Hoodoos Lookout first and do the easiest section last (see below for details).
Chariot Friendly? NO. This is a single track trail that is quite narrow in sections. While a single Chariot could fit on the trail, it would likely tip over in many spots as the trail is quite rooty.
Parking: Hoodoos Lookout Parking Lot (E on map) OR 502 Tunnel Mountain Drive (550 m past Douglas Fir Resort – the first lot on your right when driving up from town). See Parks Canada’s Map here.
Trail Description
We parked at the first parking lot past Douglas Fir Resort and went counter clockwise (away from the resort).
Follow the blue markers to stay on Tunnel Loop.
Following are descriptions of each section of the Tunnel Bench Loop Trail (going clockwise from parking near Douglas Fir Resort):
1. Hoodoo – Rolling terrain, lots of tree roots, fantastic views of Mount Rundle, the Bow Valley and the Hoodoos from the various lookouts! Be sure to stop at the red chairs for a picture! Watch for vehicle traffic around viewpoint parking lots. *Note that the Hoodoo section of the trail is NOT the same as Hoodoos Trail (green)! FOLLOW THE BLUE TRAIL MARKERS TO DON’S BYPASS.*
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| Tunnel Bench Loop, Banff |
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| Tunnel Bench Loop Trail Marker |
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| Red Chairs on Tunnel Bench Loop (Mount Rundle) |
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| Tunnel Bench Loop, Banff |
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| Tunnel Bench Loop, Banff |
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| Tunnel Bench Loop, Banff |
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| Viewpoint |
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| Viewpoint |
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| Viewpoint |
2. Don’s Bypass – Single track through the trees. Has one hill younger kids may have to walk.
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| Trail Marker |
3. Teddy Bear’s Picnic – This was the easiest section, but the kids still had to walk their bikes up one hill. Mostly in the trees here.
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| Teddy Bear’s Picnic |
4. Coastline – The most exciting part!! Coastline flows around the north side of Tunnel Mountain and has great views of Cascade Mountain, the Water Tower and Hoodoos. There is considerable exposure over the hoodoos, so advise kids to stay away from the edge and/or walk their bikes if they are gawking at the view instead of where they’re going. At one stop along the way (there are a few little pullouts/viewpoints to let others pass), we stood on a slight overhang and my youngest said “If we jump, it’ll all fall down.” Stay away from the edge! Parts of the trail have been moved back recently to keep up with erosion.
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| Coastline Trail Marker |
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| Caution! Steep cliffs ahead! |
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| Looking across at the Water Tower |
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| Coastline |
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| Walking a sketchy bit |
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| Standing above the hoodoos! |
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| Tunnel Mountain Bench Loop |
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| Peering into the abyss |
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| Coming up to the road crossing where we will get on to the Spine section |
5. Spine – The spine takes you through trees and a small clearing, across the mountain’s backbone, to the south side of the mountain. You will soon see come approach Tunnel Mountain Campground. This section was quite easy, but not very scenic.
6. Tunnel Bench Loop joins up with Tunnel Mountain Campground Loop. Continue south on the flat, gravel path (rated easy/green). Cross the road to rejoin Tunnel Bench Loop until you reach your car!
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| Easy peasey Tunnel Campground Loop |
Tips For Riding Tunnel Bench Loop With Kids
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