Whether you’re a railfan or just a casual tourist like myself who likes interesting stops on road trips, if you happen to be in the Canadian Rockies, traveling the Trans-Canada Highway through Yoho National Park, you’ll want to stop at the Spiral Tunnels Viewpoint

So what are the Spiral Tunnels?

In the late 1800s, the Canadian Pacific Railway built a segment of rail track known as the Big Hill. The engineers working on this project wanted to finish this section of railway asap to beat competition from railway companies in the Northwest United States, so they haphazardly created this particular segment with a 4.5% grade. This proved to be a huge mistake, as it was too steep and resulted in frequent train crashes. Eventually, between 1907 and 1909, they had to replace this dangerous segment of railway with a new section that had two tunnels, strategically placed to help mitigate the steep inclines and sharp turns, keeping the trains’ speed in check. This ensured the seamless movement of trains through the unforgiving mountain landscape.

The Upper Spiral Tunnel covers a distance of 891 meters (2,923 feet) and features a 1.4% grade. The tunnel enters Cathedral Mountain, spiraling around within the mountain before exiting. As the train emerges from the Upper Spiral Tunnel, train passengers and conductors are greeted with breathtaking panoramic views of the Yoho Valley.

Adjacent to the Upper Spiral Tunnel, the Lower Spiral Tunnel is slightly longer at 963 meters (3,159 feet) and has a 2.2% grade. This tunnel begins at Mount Ogden, winds around within the mountain, and eventually exits near the Kicking Horse River.

The combined effect of these spiraling tunnels reduced the steepness of the climb and ensured a safer and more efficient journey for trains passing through the area. Additionally, the Spiral Tunnels reduced noise pollution and minimized disruption to the surrounding natural environment, emphasizing the harmony between human innovation and nature.

Where are the Spiral Tunnels?

The Spiral Tunnel viewpoint is located off the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1), in Yoho National Park. It’s a large pullout on the westbound side of the highway with plenty of parking. From this vantage point, visitors can observe the entire process of a train entering and exiting the tunnels, as well as admire the picturesque mountain scenery that surrounds them.

How much time to do I need at the Spiral Tunnels Viewpoint? When will I see a train go through the Spiral Tunnels?

It depends – if you happen to time it right, like we did, you may see a train passing through the tunnels right as you pull up. There is no set schedule for trains, so if you really are determined to see a train, you’re going to have to wait.

There are lots of informational placards at the site, telling you the history and the engineering feat that makes up these tunnels. So if you don’t see a train, you can kill some time by reading the signs.

There are also restrooms here.

What to expect at the Spiral Tunnels viewpoint?

There is a very large viewing platform to view trains going through the tunnels, however, you’re still pretty far away from the actual tunnels and lots of the view is obscured by tree growth. In other words, you won’t get National Geographic-style photos here. You’ll get photos like this, where you can’t really tell what the hell is going on:

Insider tip: If you see a train going through the Spiral Tunnels and it is heading southbound, get in your car IMMEDIATELY and boogie on down to Morant’s Curve, which is 30 minutes south of the Spiral Tunnel Viewpoint. This is where you can take the iconic “Banff” photo of a train going around the curve in the mountains. The speed limit on the Trans Canada Highway is higher than what the train is going so you’ll be able to beat it with time to spare. I feel like this could be turned into one of those brain teaser math problems – “If a train is going 30mph, and your car is going 50mph…”

This is exactly what we did and how we were able to photograph a train at Morant’s Curve with 100% certainty!

We did this and were able to see trains going through the Spiral Tunnels AND Morant’s Curve!

Have you ever stopped at the Spiral Tunnels Viewpoint in Canada? What did you think? Did you see a train?