Guide to visiting Lake Louise in Canada

Today I'm going to tell you everything you need to know about visiting Lake Louise in Canada . From how to get there , which is the big question about this place, to what to see and what routes to take in Lake Louise. You can complement this article with the guide on how to visit and what routes to take in Lake Morain.

On our 21-day tour of the Canadian Rockies , one of the must-sees we enjoyed in Banff National Park was the area around Lake Louise and Lake Morain, two of the essential glacial lakes to see in Canada from our guide to traveling to Canada.

These two lakes were undoubtedly the most beautiful we saw on our entire route. 

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Our opinion on the best lakes to see in the Canadian Rockies

If you want my honest opinion, I'll tell you straight up. If I had to make a list of our favorite lakes from six of the seven national parks in the Canadian Rockies, they would be: Lake Morain, Lake Peyto, Lake Boom, Emerald Lake, Lake Louise, and Lake Bow.

They're all stunning for their colors and glacial mountains. But Lake Boom has something the others don't: its tranquility. A much less visited lake, likely due to the 10 km hike required to reach it, it's well worth a visit.

If you want a special place, uncrowded and beautiful, here is this first preliminary tip, don't forget to also visit Lake Boom within Banff National Park.

7 First Tips for Your Visit to Lake Louise in Canada

Before you start reading through this guide to help you plan your visit to Lake Louise, consider these essential initial tips:

Location of Lake Louise 

Lake Louise is one of the most beautiful glacial lakes to see in Banff National Park.

It is located just 3 km away from Lake Louise town , the second largest town in Banff National Park, although Banff town is much larger and has many more services and accommodations.

Where to stay to visit Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada

The best place to stay near Lake Louise and Morain, and for easy access to the lake, is in Lake Louise Village itself. It's a small village with only 11 accommodations, all located in the heart of Lake Louise Village or even right on the lake's shore. It might be the most expensive option, but the proximity makes it worthwhile. There are also some very expensive apartments in Lake Morain.

However, since there are only a few accommodations, you might arrive late and find them all booked. So, the other option is to book one of the 50 accommodations in Banff itself , a potentially cheaper option that you can use as a base for exploring Banff National Park. It's only a 40-minute drive from Banff to Lake Louise, so it's not too far.

The last option you have, which is very good, is to stay in one of the 66 accommodations in Golden , 1 hour from Lake Louise, where the prices are definitely the best for accommodation in Banff National Park.

Lake Louise by motorhome

Finally, if you're looking to camp in a motorhome, campervan, or tent, there are many campsites within Banff National Park . They are all public campsites managed by the National Park itself, and most require prior booking on their website, although some are first-come, first-served.

In Lake Louise Village , there's one right at the entrance to the village that offers a free shuttle to downtown Lake Louise and to the park and ride for the bus that goes up to Morain and Louise Lakes. However, this campground requires advance reservations, so book quickly because the sites fill up fast.

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How to access Lake Louise: the 5 options

There are 5 options that I'm going to try to explain to you to get to Lake Louise.

1 By car parking at the Park & ​​Ride with shuttle bus to Lake Louise in Canada (with reservation)

In the gondola parking lot of Lake Louise Village, you can park your car and from there take the shuttle bus to Lake Louise or the one to Lake Morain, which you can also take from there and the same ticket is valid for both on the same day with unlimited travel.

An easy way, but one that, on the other hand, requires you to plan well and buy the shuttle ticket to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake well in advance, at least 3 months before , on the Banff National Park website , within the "Day use" option where you can buy the ticket.

To book, you have to do so at a specific bus departure time with some leeway within that hour and then pay $11 per adult.

Once in the parking lot, you must take a reservation confirmation on your mobile phone or printed with your name to the check-in booth and they will give you the ticket. To board the bus, you can choose the one to Lake Louise or the one to Lake Morain.

If there are no early access tickets left for Park & ​​Ride + Bus

You should know that if there are no more advance tickets available, you can check the website again two days before the day you want to go at 8 am to see the last-minute tickets, but be warned, they sell out fast.

We had a reservation made months ago, but we wanted to go up a second day to do a long hike, and there was no way to get in at 8:00 AM, even though we tried 3 or 4 days in a row, trying every day at 8:00 AM, haha. It felt like a marathon, haha.

2 Tour from Banff or Calgary to the best glacial lakes in Banff National Park (with reservation)

If you're in Banff or Calgary, there's an option that also includes a guide and guided tour. It's a tour of the best glacial lakes in Banff National Park, where you'll be picked up by bus from either Calgary or Banff, with various departure times in the morning. Accompanied by an English-speaking guide, you'll spend about 10 hours visiting Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, the Crowfoot Glacier (located on Bow Lake), Peyto Lake along the Icefields Parkway, and finally, Herbert Lake, which offers breathtaking panoramic views. In my opinion, this tour is one of the best in terms of value for money.

3 By shuttle bus from Banff (with reservation)

If you are staying in Banff, there is a second public transport option which is the best option in these cases.

There is the Roam of route 8X Lake Louise/Lake Morain that goes directly from Banff to Lake Louise or Lake Morain.

Round trip costs $65 for adults and $32,50 for youth ages 13 to 18 and children under 12 are free.

I reiterate that if you are staying in Banff town, this is the option you should look at first without hesitation.

4 Parking in the Lake Louise parking lot getting up very early 

The least advisable option is to drive your own car to the small parking lot located on Lake Louise itself.

This option exists, but it is not viable in summer to access Lake Morain , where the access road is closed to private vehicles.

The $35 parking lot in Lake Louise is limited and fills up by 7 a.m. in the summer . You either arrive before 7 a.m., or better yet, before 6 a.m., or it will be very, very difficult. On top of that, you might end up in a traffic jam.

If you're traveling by RV, there are limited reserved spaces in the Lake Louise parking lot, and you can also drive up without any problem, but just like with cars, it fills up quickly, so get there early.

5 Hike to Lake Louise from the village of Lake Louise 

There is a path called the Louise Creek Trail, 2.9 km long (6 round trip), from the town of Lake Louise to Lake Louise, which allows you to reach the lake in about 45 minutes to 1 hour on foot.

This route starts from the Samson Mall where you have to walk across the Lake Louise road to the Bow River bridge where once you cross it, the marked route starts to the left of the bridge below.

The downside to this option is that there is no parking in the town of Lake Louise, so it's only a good option if you're staying at Lake Louise Village or its campground .

Summary table of 5 access options to Lake Louise

Choice	Description	Reservation Required	Ribs	Additional notes
1. By car parking in Park & ​​Ride with shuttle bus	Park in the gondola parking lot in the village of Lake Louise and take the shuttle bus to the lake or Moraine Lake.	Yes, at least 3 months in advance on the Banff National Park website.	$11 per adult.	Confirmation of booking required. Please check last minute availability if there are no places available in advance.
2. Tour from Banff or Calgary	Guided tour that includes a visit to the main glacial lakes in Banff National Park.	Yes.	Varies by tour.	Includes English-speaking guide and visits to various places of interest.
3. Shuttle bus from Banff (Roam route 8X)	Direct bus from Banff to Lake Louise or Lake Morain.	Yes.	$65 adult, $32.50 youth (13-18), free for children under 12.	Best option if you are in Banff.
4. Park in the Lake Louise parking lot	Park in the lake parking lot, limited and very busy in summer.	No.	$ 35.	Parking fills up before 7 AM. Not accessible to Lake Morain. Limited RV spaces.
5. Hike up from Lake Louise Village	Hike the Louise Creek Trail from town to the lake.	No.	Gratuitous.	Route of 2.9 km (one way) and 6 km (round trip), with an estimated time of 45 minutes to 1 hour. No parking in the village.

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What to see and do in Lake Louise 

Once you're at Lake Louise, there are several options for tours and hiking trails . Let's look at the main ones.

Visit to Lake Louise and canoe ride

The easiest and most relaxing way to visit Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada, is simply to arrive at the lake, have a drink at the restaurant, visit the entrance to the Fairmont Chateaux hotel, and take some photos on the lakeside. Afterward, you can stroll along the shore and, if you like, rent a canoe for a trip on the lake.

The price of renting a canoe for one hour is 160 dollars and you can ride up to 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children. The price is one of the most expensive we have seen for canoe rentals, but we really think that the place is worth it. It is a great opportunity to enjoy an incredibly beautiful lake while escaping the crowds on its shores.

Route along the shore of Lake Louise Alberta Canada

Around the shore of Lake Louise you will find the easiest marked trail to do as Lake Louise Trail.

An easy , very flat 2 km route with lake views throughout. This route can take approximately 1 hour.

Route to Lake Agnes Tea House from Lake Louise

The most popular route, suitable for all ages but accustomed to walking, and classified as moderately difficult , is the route that goes up to Lake Agnes , a lake framed by a picturesque European-style tea house, which is only open during the peak summer season.

This hike to Lake Agnes is an easy way to see the Rocky Mountains. 

The route ascends a well-marked 7 km round trip trail with 385 m of accumulated elevation gain. Follow the well-maintained path and enjoy a beautiful lake hidden beneath towering peaks. This round trip hike can take approximately 3 hours.

Furthermore, From Lake Agnes you can extend this route a little and take one of these extension excursions:

Big Beehive Hike : A 1,6 km one-way hike with a 135 m elevation gain. When you reach the Big Beehive you can enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of Lake Louise and the Chateau, the famous castle hotel facing Lake Louise.

Little Beehive Hike : A 1 km one-way route with a 105 m elevation gain from Lake Agnes. The Little Beehive was once the site of a fire lookout post and now offers magnificent views of the Bow River valley.

Route to the Plain of the Six Glaciers from Lake Louise

Beyond Lake Louise, just behind it lies an area of ​​stunning peaks and glaciers, the famous Plain of Six Glaciers.

This moderately difficult 11 km round trip route with 365 m of elevation gain will lead you to a beautiful spot where you can see this hidden treasure of glaciers. You should allow at least 5 hours for this hike.

Additionally, if you have time, you can relax at the Swiss-owned Six Glaciers tea house, or there's a trail connecting Six Glaciers with Lake Agnes and its tea house . This trail is called the Highline and forms a 14,6 km loop , taking about 5,5-6 hours round trip.

Another option to extend your route once you reach the Plain of Six Glaciers is a 3 km round trip to the Abbot Pass viewpoint . Allow an additional hour for the round trip. From this viewpoint, you can see the crevasses of the Lower Victoria Glacier and the small Abbot Hut, one of the highest-altitude structures in Canada.

Final Tips for Visiting Lake Louise 

To finish and after explaining the main activities you can do in Lake Louise here are 3 tips:

From here on out, I just want to say that I hope this article has been helpful in planning your stay and visit to Lake Louise. If so, I look forward to reading your comments below . Happy travels, friends!