Three ways to spend time at the top.
The lift journey can be the shared part of the day even when your party has different interests. Decide how much walking everyone wants and whether a restaurant meal matters before selecting the ticket and schedule.
Your priority / The next decision
- Mountain scenery: Sightseeing ticket and a date with operating lifts.
- A walk or hike: An open route matched to the group and return lift.
- Eagle’s Eye dining: Restaurant service and a reservation alongside lift access.
Kicking Horse sightseeing information ↗
Match the lift day to your travel dates.
Summer sightseeing is seasonal, and Kicking Horse’s operating days change between the main summer period and the edges of the season. Check the exact summer sightseeing date before reserving a trip centred on the gondola, especially for a midweek or autumn stay. An accommodation booking does not include a lift ticket or guarantee that the lift will operate.
Once the date is settled, note the last return and plan backwards from it. Give your chosen walk and any meal their own place in the day. Current weather and lift information should guide the final plan before you leave the lodge.
Current summer operating dates ↗
Keep the walking plan comfortable.
A visitor coming for views can enjoy a different pace from someone planning a longer hike. Select the route using the resort’s current trail descriptions, considering surface, elevation and exposure as well as distance. Arrange a clear reunion if the group separates.
Bring footwear and layers appropriate to the mountain outing. For access needs, ask the resort about the lift and facilities you intend to use. Eagle’s Eye reservations are a separate step from sightseeing access.
Resort itinerary and dining guidance ↗More hiking choices ↗
The refuge uses a different lift.
The Golden Eagle Express serves summit sightseeing. The resort’s standard summer refuge itinerary uses the Catamount chair to reach Boo’s Grizzly Bear Refuge. To combine the two, return to the base between them and choose a product that covers both experiences.
The resort’s suggested combined visit allows at least three hours. Treat that as a planning starting point and check current tour and lift times; a longer walk or restaurant meal adds to the day.
A mountain day without changing your base.
Staying at Copper Horse means you can start and finish in the resort village. Have a morning bite from the lodge’s included self-serve snack bar, or plan a separately purchased café meal with our Double Black breakfast and lunch guide. Check café hours against your lift plan, then walk toward the gondola. A separate day can take you into Golden or to a national park.
For a mixed group, compare king and two-queen rooms by the beds you need. The three-day summer guide pairs this mountain day with a canyon or river outing and a park visit.
