Calgary Tower Stairs – An Urban Climb Above the City
Most visitors experience the Calgary Tower by elevator. A few discover a different route.
Hidden inside the tower is an 802-step stairwell winding from street level to one of the best urban lookouts that transforms one of Calgary’s most recognizable landmarks into an urban hike.
Whether you’re training for a race, looking for a unique fitness challenge, or simply searching for a new way to experience downtown, the climb offers a perspective of the city that most visitors never see.
TALLEST ART GALLERY IN THE WEST
The journey begins long before you reach the observation deck.
As you climb, each landing reveals colourful murals created by young artists as part of a project led by the Alberta Wilderness Association. Plaques throughout the stairwell describe the artwork and explain why the Calgary Tower has earned the nickname “The Tallest Art Gallery in the West.”
The art transforms what could be a simple workout into a moving gallery experience. Every few flights provide another reason to pause, catch your breath, and take a closer look.
For many climbers, reaching the top takes less than twenty minutes. The descent is even quicker, but like any memorable hike, the experience is about more than the destination.
The 802 Challenge
Each March, the Calgary Tower opens its stairwell to the public as part of the annual 802 Challenge.
Participants climb all 802 stairs to the observation deck, turning one of Calgary’s most recognizable landmarks into an urban fitness challenge. The event welcomes climbers of various ages and abilities and offers a rare opportunity to experience the tower without using the elevator.
In 2026, the stairways were open every Tuesday from 4pm-7pm. Admission was $12. Climbers must be at least 8 years old to participate. Those 17 years or younger must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. There is no change room, but you can hang your coat.
Check the Calgary Tower website for next year’s dates, admission information, and participation requirements at the 802 Challenge.
Calgary From Above
The observation deck provides a 360-degree view of Calgary, but the real reward isn’t the skyline. From this height, the city becomes a storybook. Railways, hotels, public art, office towers, and historic streets all reveal how Calgary grew from a frontier settlement into a modern city.
Try tracing a route before you leave the observation deck. Pick a landmark that catches your eye—a public art installation, historic building, or tower—and make it your next destination. What looks like a collection of streets from above becomes a series of discoveries once you’re back at ground level.
Looking east, the railway corridor traces the route that helped create modern Calgary. The former Husky Tower sits by the track on the site of Calgary’s original Canadian Pacific Railway station. The arrival of the railway transformed a frontier settlement into a growing city and attracted the investment that would shape downtown for generations.
Just below stands the historic Palliser Hotel, another reminder of the Canadian Pacific Railway’s influence on Calgary’s development. For more than a century, the hotel has welcomed travellers arriving in the city and remains one of downtown’s architectural landmarks. Read more in our guide: The Best Place to Stay in Calgary for History Buffs | Palliser Hotel.
To the north, the skyline tells a story of ambition and growth. The city’s first skyscrapers stand alongside modern towers like The Bow and Brookfield Place. Together, they create a timeline of Calgary’s evolution, each generation reaching a little higher and redefining the skyline below. Learn more in our guide: The Inception of Towers | Emergent.
The view to the south features a BUMP mural by DAIM. Standing 95 metres tall, it is recognized as the world’s tallest painted mural. Viewed from street level, its scale is impressive. Viewed from the Calgary Tower, it becomes part of a much larger story about how public art continues to shape Calgary’s skyline.
Looking toward Centre Street and Stephen Avenue, you can spot public art installations that help define Calgary’s urban character. From this height, the city becomes a living map where architecture, transportation, public spaces, and history connect into a single story.
NEXT STEPS – WHERE TO GO FROM HERE
The Calgary Tower is more than a destination—it’s a starting point.
From the base of the tower, Stephen Avenue invites you to explore Calgary’s historic sandstone buildings and evolving downtown streetscape. A short walk leads to public art installations such as Wonderland and Emergent, each offering a different perspective on the city’s identity. Click the links to view our guides.
Want to keep exploring? Follow our guides to discover the stories Behind Stephen Avenue, Calgary’s Sandstone Building Legacy, and the public art and architecture that continue to shape the city’s skyline.
The Calgary Tower offers a rare opportunity to see Calgary from above, but the real adventure begins once your feet are back on the ground. The streets, public art, historic buildings, and hidden stories visible from the observation deck await exploration, one block at a time.
The view from the top may bring you here, but the journey through the city is what you’ll remember. See more walks, biking trails, and destinations on our lists at Explore Calgary.