Lake Louise is the starting point for many of the best hikes in the whole of Canada. Among these trails you’ll find striking blue lakes, epic mountains, enormous glaciers and a few teahouses sprinkled along the way. Taking on one of the many Lake Louise hikes is an experience you’ll never forget.

Even getting to Lake Louise requires planning (it isn’t as simple as just rocking up, such is its popularity!), but it is well worth the effort as the hikes here are some of the best we’ve done anywhere in the world. We’ve also listed a couple of trails which start from Moraine Lake too, which is just up the road from Lake Louise.

So here’s our guide to the best Lake Louise hikes that you need to put on your hiking bucket list!

*Lake Louise hikes: the view from Big Bee Hive*

1. The combo hike - Hard trail with epic views
2. Larch Valley - The best for fall colours
3. Lake Agnes - Incredible Lake Louise views
4. Plain of 6 Glaciers - Epic glaciers & teahouse
5. Sentinel Pass - Paradise Valley views
6. Lakeshore Walk - Flat walk at Lake Louise
7. Saddleback & Fairview Mountain
8. Paradise Valley & the Giant Steps
Where to stay in Lake Louise

Planning your Lake Louise hikes

The best hikes in Lake Louise (in order)

The truth is that there isn’t a bad hike in the whole Lake Louise area. They are all stunning and offer different perspectives of this incredible landscape.

However, as keen hikers, combining the three main Lake Louise hikes - the Lake Agnes Teahouse trail, Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lakeshore walk - was an unforgettable experience. We called it the combo hike and whilst it’s hard and takes a loooooong time, you’ll be blown away at every turn.

Plus you can justify regular stops at the teahouses along the way 😉

If you are in the Lake Louise area during the fall, then the Larch Valley should be next on your list. Hiking this trail when the larch trees change colour is simply magical.

The best Lake Louise hikes

1 - The Big Combo hike

Why we love this Lake Louise hike - it has it all: mountains, glaciers, unforgettable lake views, teahouses. It’s one of the greatest hikes we’ve ever done.

The trail stats

Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 21km
Elevation: 1,024m
Time taken: 6 hours 20

We eluded to it earlier, but one of the best hikes we took on in Canada (and we did a lot!) combined the Lake Agnes Teahouse trail, the Plain of Six Glaciers and the Lakeshore walk. This made for a long and tiring day, but boy was it worth it!

This trail has everything: lakes, glaciers, mountains, stunning views and a few teahouses that offer homely food just when you need it! The views of Lake Louise are unparalleled. If you have a reasonable level of fitness (even if you’re not a regular hiker), you have to do this walk!

We’ve split up each hike individually as this is how most people walk them, but if you do want to combine them it is fairly straightforward. Simply start with the Lake Agnes Teahouse Trail to Big Beehive, continue on the Highline trail to The Plain of Six Glaciers Trail and the view point. From here turn back and head towards Lake Louise, finishing on the Lakeshore Trail.

You can read about all three of these hikes below.

2 - The Larch Valley Trail

Why we love this Lake Louise Hike - this walk would be incredibly scenic at any time of year, but if you’re lucky enough to be able to hike it in the fall you will have a hard time getting over the breathtaking colours.

The trail stats

Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 4.6km one way (this gets you all the way through the valley, it’s 3km to the start of the valley)
Elevation: 544m (to the very end of the valley)
Time needed: 3-4 hours to appreciate it
Starting Point: Moraine Lake

We’ve never seen anything like the Larch Valley. A beautiful valley surrounded by the famous Ten Peaks, it makes for incredible views all year, but even more special in the fall when the trees turn a golden colour. For a lot of people, doing the Larch Valley hike in late September/early October is reason enough to visit the Rockies.

Hiking to the Larch Valley

The Larch Valley hike starts from the shore of Moraine Lake and heads straight uphill into the forest. For the first 3km it is uphill and - whilst it isn’t too steep - there are virtually no flat sections.

Then you’ll reach a junction where the steepness relents and you’ll suddenly be surrounded by the beauttiful larch trees.

After a short distance you’ll reach a clearing where you’ll see this incredible valley surrounded by the snow-capped Ten Peaks.

It is stunning and in the fall you’ll see this whole scene bathed in a swathe of yellow. It is truly unlike anything we’ve ever seen and to say it took our breath away would be an understatement.

The Larch Valley hike - Best hikes in Lake Louise

There are a few more clearings as you go and after 4.6km you’ll have the choice of pushing on to the Sentinel Pass or heading back to the lake. We highly recommend pushing on!

3 - The Lake Agnes Teahouse Trail

Why we love this Lake Louise Hike - the best views of Lake Louise (when combined with the Big or Little Beehive), a couple of other lakes and a teahouse. Sounds like paradise to us!

The trail stats

Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 7km return to the teahouse, 2km return from the tea house to Little Beehive and 3.2km return from the teahouse to Big Beehive.
Elevation: 430m to the teahouse
Type of trail: Return
Starting Point: Lake Louise

The Lake Agnes Teahouse Trail is a truly memorable hike, and the combination of stunning views and a beautiful teahouse make this a special walk. It isn’t too difficult, so we think the majority of people will be able to do this hike, regardless of whether you are a hiker or not.

The hike to Lake Agnes

Starting by Lake Louise, the trail goes into the forest and uphill immediately. This section is fairly steep and will follow a series of switchbacks, with the odd glimpse of the lake, but primarily through the forest.

After about 2.5 km you’ll reach Mirror Lake and you’ll understand the name if you’re here in calm conditions. Sitting just under Big Beehive (where you’ll hike to later), the lake is a nice and tranquil break from the uphill slog. You’re not far from Lake Agnes now (only 500 metres up the trail). As soon as you see a small waterfall and river, you’ll be at the teahouse.

*Lake Louise hikes: The aptly named “Mirror Lake”*

The teahouse at Lake Agnes

The teahouse at Lake Agnes is a remnant of the old Lake Louise before it became as incredibly popular as it is today. It was seen as a way of encouraging people to visit by providing a stop at Lake Agnes for people who were hiking in the area.

It still operates in a similar way - off the grid and the people working there hike up the ingredients and hike down the trash. It reminded us of Nepal in that way and in the early morning it is a beautiful spot to have a break and a cup of tea.

*Lake Louise hikes: The Lake Agnes Teahouse*

It isn’t cheap ($14 CAD for a large pot of tea!) but as people have carried everything up the steep hike, you can understand the hefty price tag and we thought it was worth it for the experience. If you don’t want tea it is cheaper!

You can order some simple food here: tea biscuits (scones), sandwiches and soups as a top me up before continuing your hike.

Little & Big Beehive

Hiking up to Little Beehive is an optional extra (it’s a side track from the main trail), but it is totally worth it. It’s not very long and you get one of the best views of Lake Louise. Not too many people hike here so you’ll probably get this first stunning view to yourself.

*Lake Louise Hikes: The view from the Little Beehive trail*

Once you’ve had a good look at the views from Little Beehive, the trail heads back to the shore of Lake Agnes and follows it around to the other side of the water. This is when you’ll face the steepest and most taxing part of the trail.

The switchbacks to Big Beehive are pretty steep but it’s over fairly quickly. After 10-15 minutes you’ll reach the ridge for Big Beehive. It’s just a five minute walk to the spectacular viewpoint - a favourite of photographers.

From the top you’ll get a stunning view of Lake Louise, looking out to the mountain ranges in the distance. We spent a while taking it all in and resting up our tired legs.

Once you’ve had your fill, you’ll head back down to Lake Agnes and then on to Lake Louise unless you’re taking on the big combo hike.

4 - The Plain of Six Glaciers

Why we love this Lake Louise Hike - the view you’ll never see unless you do this hike: the six glaciers at the very far end of Lake Louise! Oh and another tea house :)

The trail stats

Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 13.8km return
Elevation: 587m
Type of trail: Return

Anywhere else in the world, the Plain of Six Glaciers hike would be number one on the list! It is a stunning hike, but in Lake Louise it has stiff competition. You need to do this hike on your trip though as there are very few trails in the world where seeing glaciers and a remote valley is so accessible.

The start of the trail

The trail starts at the end of the Lake Louise Foreshore walk. Leaving the lake the path begins to head uphill, following the river for a while before leaving it far behind as you enter the forest.

It’s not long before you leave the forest, quite a bit higher up and you suddenly appear in a dramatically different landscape.

You’ll reach a junction where you can choose to go to the teahouse first or the lookout.

*Lake Louise Hikes - The Plain of Six Glaciers*

The teahouse at the Plain of Six Glaciers

The teahouse at the Plain of Six Glaciers is perfectly placed as you can sit down with a mug of coffee, and a bit of lunch and take in the glaciers and mountains right from your table.

The tea is a lot cheaper here than Lake Agnes (it doesn’t have the same extensive tea menu) but the food is a similar price. We tried the soup and sandwiches which were pretty good!

*Lake Louise hikes: The Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse*

The hike to the viewpoint

From the junction the track continues uphill and then inexplicably has an “end of the maintained trail” sign. The path continues on in good condition for a while before it starts to become rougher.

The trail undulates over some rough ground (not difficult going uphill but slippery heading down) before you reach an abrupt end where you’ll see the glacier that has been obscured until now. It’s a magnificent spot to sit and take it all in. We saw many small avalanches from the viewpoint which boomed down the mountainside.

*Lake Louise hikes: the rough trail to the viewpoint*

The return

The tricky part with this section is the return journey, as the steep downhill slope makes it a little harder to hike but once you hit the main trail again it’s in good condition. From here it’s almost entirely downhill until you hit the Lakeshore Trail again.

*Lake Louise hikes: The final viewpoint of the Plain of Six Glaciers*

5 - The Sentinel Pass

Why we love this Lake Louise Hike - it’s an easy addition to the Larch Valley trail and the uphill climb rewards you with stunning views.

The trail stats

Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 1.55km from the end of the Larch Valley hike (one way)
Elevation: 181m in addition to the Larch Valley hike
Time needed: An additional hour

You can only do the Sentinel Pass trail if you’ve hiked to the end of the Larch Valley trail. It is a great additional track though as you’ll not only see the Larch Valley, but Paradise Valley too which is cut off from the world with no roads or access other than a hiking trail.

Starting the Sentinel Pass trail

From the foot of the trail, the Sentinel Pass looks brutal: a series of steep switchbacks scarred into a rubbly hillside. This is deceiving as the trail is nowhere near as steep or exhausting as it looks!

*Lake Louise hikes: look closely and you can see the switchbacks to the Sentinel Pass*

From the lake the trail goes gradually uphill and the path is reasonably wide (unlike how it looks from below!). It won’t be long before you’ll realise you’ve climbed pretty high and you come upon the pass sooner than expected! From the pass you can continue up to the final viewpoint - a short, easy rock scramble.

From the viewpoint you can look into Paradise Valley, a place surrounded with rugged mountain tops, look out for climbers on the rock formation directly in front of the lookout. It’s a fitting end to a trail which offers up stunning views by the bucketload.

6 - The Lakeshore Walk

Why we love this Lake Louise hike: a beautiful, and refreshingly flat walk round the shore of Lake Louise, the water colour seems to change as you make your way round. A must-do for any visitor.

The trail stats

Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 4.7km
Elevation: 100m
Type of trail: Return

The Lakeshore walk is a really leisurely hike that starts from the boardwalk in front of the Fairmont Hotel (where everyone congregates for sunrise). The trail turns into a dirt track that follows the shore of the lake, offering different perspectives of Mount Fairview and the stunning blue water at this world famous lake.

*Lake Louise Hikes - The Lakeshore Trail*

After just over 2km you’ll reach the river that feeds the lake where you’ll see the water change from the grey of the river into the dazzling blue of Lake Louise.

We enjoyed the fact you don’t have to work at all for these beautiful views and we actually did this walk twice.

*Lake Louise hikes - the Lakeshore Walk*

The ones that got away

7. Saddleback and Fairview Mountain

We had also planned to do the Saddleback and Fairview Mountain hike too but ran out of time so it’s first on our list for next time. This hike which starts from Lake Louise is just under 10km and climbs around 1000m to two stunning viewpoints (or one if you want to make it shorter and just hike to the Saddleback).

It’s said to be fairly challenging including a bit of a scramble to get to Fairview but completely worth it for the spectacular views.

8. Paradise Valley and the Giant Steps

This is said to be an epic hike which begins near Moraine Lake. We didn’t get the chance to try it but apparently if you get to the Moraine Lake Road turn off when it’s already closed but let them know you are doing this hike they will let you through because it is a different car park.

The hike is just over 20km and climbs approximately 800m. It’s in prime grizzly territory so it sometimes has the minimum group size in effect.

It’s a trail which is said to have utterly spectacular views yet remains very quiet. There is a rocky scrambly section which people said was not too difficult. We’ll be back for this one, one day.

Essential information about Lake Louise hikes

Getting to Lake Louise

The first thing to consider - sadly - is how to get to Lake Louise as the car park often closes a little after sunrise in peak season. If you are planning to combine the Lake Agnes, Plain of Six Glaciers and the Lakeshore walk then you will want to arrive at sunrise and park. This will give you the freedom to go at your own pace without having to rush back to make it for the last shuttle bus.

If you plan on doing just one of the hikes, then arriving early doesn’t matter. If you can’t face getting a bus, then we recommend booking lunch at the Fairmont Chateau which includes free parking for diners. This way you have a great excuse for a slap up meal!

Best time to do the trails around Lake Louise

The first thing to consider is that the car park at Lake Louise will likely be full shortly after sunrise during peak season, so unless you don’t mind getting the shuttle buses (which can have waits over two hours in peak season!!!), then we recommend starting very early.

The second thing to consider is If you want to stop by the Lake Agnes teahouse, then it’s best to start hiking no later than 8.00am unless you don’t mind queuing and possibly not getting a seat. This is because the Lake Agnes teahouse is incredibly busy by 9am and you’ll end up with a long wait.Otherwise you can start at any time, just ensure you allow 5-6 hours to complete the hike.

Outside of peak season you just need to consider the number of daylight hours you have to complete the hikes and the current trail conditions. Summer is the easiest time to hike the trails but some are able to be hiked in other seasons with the correct equipment. You can’t access the Moraine Lake hikes before June or after October when the road closes due to snow.

Essential info about the trails at Moraine Lake

Getting to Moraine Lake

Moraine Lake is even harder to get to than Lake Louise as its smaller car park closes earlier! You can only hike these trails when the road is open - generally between June and October (it closes after the Thanksgiving weekend) - exact open dates are weather dependent.

This is the starting point for the Larch Valley and Sentinel Pass hike, and if you want to park at the trailhead then you’ll need to be there by 5 - 5.30am! Alternatively you can get the shuttle bus (which can have very long waits in peak season) or a bus from Banff. Personally, we thought that driving to the parking lot was the best option as it took away the potential wait times for the buses (despite the painfully early start).

Bear safety on Lake Louise hikes

If you are planning on doing any hike on this list, other than the Lakeshore Walk, we highly recommend taking bear spray with you. There are grizzlies and black bears in this area and - and whilst the trails are pretty busy, which deters most bears - you wouldn’t want to take a chance.

Moraine Lake especially, is known for high bear activity, and some trails will only allow you to access them in groups of four or more during certain periods. When we hiked, people saw a grizzly and her cubs swim in the lake and another grizzly on the Larch Valley trail.

You can choose to buy bear spray from one of the many outdoor stores in Banff, Amazon or REI for $50. Just make sure you don’t carry bear spray on a plane or across an international border as it is classed as a weapon!

You can also check with your hotel. Many guests in the Banff - Lake Louise area buy bear spray and hand it into the front desk when they leave for other guests.

Where to stay in Lake Louise

The Fairmont, Lake Louise

Booking.com

The Fairmont is grand and luxurious, it’s a bucket list hotel when you’re really looking to treat yourself. The location is unparalleled, the views from the rooms are incredible and it’s the stuff that dreams are made of.

The Fairmont isn’t cheap but if you have the budget they do come highly recommended. Rooms look stunning and a blend between modern and old world style - think marble bathrooms. It also means you’re in the perfect place to just stroll outside to see that Lake Louise sunrise.

Check out the latest reviews & prices on:

Booking.com

Hotels.com

Tripadvisor

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