Hikes, Walks And Strolls In Lake Louise
Your complete guide to the many Hikes, Walks and Strolls to be found in Lake Louise, from people that have actually lived and worked there.
Everybody has heard about canoeing on Lake Louise and how iconic it can be, but often people overlook the hiking and walking available in the area. This guide will help bring to the fore some of the finest hikes, walks and strolls that Lake Louise has to offer.
Trail Conditions vary from season to season. In summertime it is recommended you bring Bear Spray with you on all trails. In Wintertime, please check the weather and avalanche warnings in place before proceeding on any trails.
If you need further advice, visit the Winter Equipment Rental Shop in the Fairmont Hotel, located on the Lakefront. Their knowledgeable staff will be able to provide up-to-date trail conditions and avalanche warnings.
One of the best apps to use when travelling is the AllTrails app - we’ve linked each trail on AllTrails underneath so you can take a look for yourself.
Let’s jump into our list of the best hikes in Lake Louise.
Hikes and Walks in Lake Louise
Lake Louise Lakeshore Trail
Distance (Total) - 4km
Time (Return) - 45 mins (max)
Elevation Gain - N/A
Difficulty - Easy
If you’re asking which is the easiest walk to do in Lake Louise, the Lake Louise Lakeshore Trail is the answer. It only takes around 45 minutes to complete the walk, there is no elevation gain and in the summertime it is fairly wheelchair friendly.
As the name suggests, you walk along the Lakeshore for approximately 2km before reaching the end of the lake. At this point you simply turn around and walk the same way back.
Perfect for an evening stroll after dinner, or for those that want to enjoy the beauty of Lake Louise without breaking into a sweat.
AllTrails Link - Lake Louise Lakeshore Trail
Fairview Lookout
Distance (Total) - 2.4km
Time (Return) - 1 hour
Elevation Gain - 165m
Difficulty - Moderate
Arguably the second easiest trail Lake Louise has to offer. Despite it only being 1.2km to the top, it can be fairly steep at times, but pace yourselves and you’ll have an incredible view to enjoy in no time.
Our advice (Summertime only) - once you reach the lookout itself, continue on the trail through the trees for another 2 minutes and you will come to a little clearing. This clearing is an avalanche chute in the winter time, but offers a criminally under-publicised view of Lake Louise, with a lot less traffic than the lookout itself.
AllTrails Link - Fairview Lookout
Fairview Mountain Summit
Distance (Total) - 9.2km
Time (Return) - 5 hours
Elevation Gain - 1011m
Difficulty - Difficult
As you will be scaling Fairview Mountain, this trail is one of the hardest ones available to hikers in Lake Louise, without having to go with a guide/safety equipment.
As with the majority of the hikes in the Lake Louise area, the views from the top are absolutely spectacular.
It is a fairly brisk, if a bit steep, hike until you reach Saddleback Pass. From this point onwards it is a little bit of a scramble until you reach the summit. Certainly doable if you take your time, but not recommended to novices.
The Fairview Mountain trail is only accessible in the summer. Read our free guide to find out more information on summer activities to do in Lake Louise.
AllTrails Link - Fairview Mountain Summit
Lake Agnes Teahouse (via Mirror Lake)
Distance (Total) - 7.5km
Time (Return) - 2.5 hours
Elevation Gain - 433m
Difficulty - Moderate
Potentially the most popular trail at Lake Louise, the Lake Agnes Teahouse trail is a simple, well-maintained trail through the trees all the way up to Lake Agnes. Around three-quarters of the way up, Mirror Lake is a great stop off point before the final push to Lake Agnes itself.
Once you reach the top, you are greeted by the beauty of Lake Agnes, as well as the aroma of fresh cakes and treats being baked at the Teahouse. With over 100 different teas available to try, the Teahouse is a plentiful reward for your hiking endeavours.
Tip - the Lake Agnes Trail, including the Teahouse, does not have anywhere to dispose of garbage, so be sure to bring a plastic bag with you so that you can transport your garbage back down to the bottom.
Advice - many guides we read suggest that the Lake Agnes trail is easy. If you are an experienced hiker, or fit in general, then this may well be the case. However, for most, we would recommend plenty of stops along the way. The beginning of the trail is one long switchback and this may take you by surprise. Go steady, catch your breath and it will be a breeze to the top thereon.
AllTrails Link - Lake Agnes Trail
Little Beehive (via Lake Agnes)
Distance (Total) - 9.0km
Time (Return) - 3 hours
Elevation Gain - 535m
Difficulty - Hard
For three-quarters of the hike, the route is exactly the same as the Lake Agnes Teahouse Trail. A fairly steep walk through the trees overlooking Lake Louise. You eventually divert right, off the Lake Agnes trail, to reach Little Beehive - it is well signposted.
Slightly less trafficked than the Lake Agnes trail, Little Beehive offers wonderful panoramic views of Lake Louise Valley and Lake Louise Ski Hill.
AllTrails Link - Little Beehive
Big Beehive (via Lake Agnes)
Distance (Total) - 10.3km
Time (Return) - 4 hours
Elevation Gain - 647m
Difficulty - Hard
A moderate hike until you reach Lake Agnes, and then things start to become a little trickier. Make your way to the backside of Lake Agnes, before ascending several tight, steep switchbacks. The switchbacks aren’t always maintained, so be sure to keep an eye out on your footing and allow plenty of space when other hikers are descending on the path.
Big Beehive Trail exhibits the most quintessential view of Lake Louise, the one that you see in all of the guidebooks. It truly is stunning, and certainly the best view we’ve ever had for a picnic. Big Beehive is essential for any Lake Louise summer vacation itinerary.
AllTrails Link - Big Beehive
Devil’s Thumb (via Big Beehive)
Distance (Total) - 11.9km
Time (Return) - 4-5 hours
Elevation Gain - 883m
Difficulty - Difficult
In our opinion, the best hike available in Lake Louise. Not the easiest for sure, but certainly worth the hard work.
Once you reach Big Beehive, the signage stops as Parks Canada does not want to promote this trail to people that are inexperienced and ill-prepared. There will be a large tree-trunk over the path to the right-hand side and this marks the beginning of the Devil’s Thumb trail.
For the first half of the trail you follow the ridge-line, through a flowery meadow, with Fairview Mountain towering over to your left. The second half of the trail is a challenging, very steep, scramble. In dry conditions, it is certainly manageable. On a wet day, it is extremely slippery and you can easily lose your footing. Please use caution on this scramble in all conditions.
The reward for the scramble however, is breathtaking. Unprecedented Birdseye views of Lake Louise and Lake Agnes, and equally spectacular views of Mount Lefroy and Victoria Glacier in the distance.
If you are only in Lake Louise for one day, and are comfortable with difficult hikes, then we highly recommend Devil’s Thumb.
Unfortunately this hike is not accessible in the winter. You can find out about other winter activities to do in Lake Louise here.
AllTrails Link - Devil’s Thumb
Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse
Distance (Total) - 14.6km
Time (Return) - 4 hours
Elevation Gain - 588m
Difficulty - Moderate
Follow the Lake Louise Lakeshore trail to the back of the Lake, before continuing on through the trees towards the Teahouse. A well signposted trail, the Plain of Six Glaciers trail offers wondrous views of Fairview Mountain and Mount Lefroy throughout.
Once you reach the teahouse, there is an option to walk a further 1km to the Victoria Glacier Lookout. From the lookout you can truly appreciate the vast size and expanse of the glacier.
In the summertime, avalanches are very common as the snow and ice melts. It is not uncommon to witness many small avalanches from the Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse. The noise they generate is something to behold. Thankfully, the trail itself is safe in the summertime and away from any potential avalanche chutes.
AllTrails Link - Plain of Six Glaciers
Lake Louise Creek/Village Trail
Distance (Total) - 6.9km (Round trip)
Time (Return) - 2 hours
Elevation Gain - 257m
Difficulty - Easy (Lake Louise - Village); Moderate (Village - Lake Louise)
The Lake Louise Creek trail is perfect for those busy summer days when parking up at the lake is limited and the road has been closed off to any non-hotel traffic.
Starting in the village, you cross the Bow river and make your way up the trail, following the creek through the trees towards Lake Louise. The trail ends at the Great Divide parking lot, but it is only a short walk from there to the Lake.
If you are staying at Deer Lodge or the Chateau, then the Lake Louise Creek Trail is great for walking down to the village to pick up a few supplies, or to grab a coffee.
AllTrails Link - Lake Louise Creek/Village Trail
Moraine Lake Rock Pile
Distance (Total) - 1.6km
Time (Return) - 1 hour
Elevation Gain - 10m
Difficulty - Easiest
While the Moraine Lake Rock Pile walk can hardly be considered a strenuous hike, it makes it onto our list because of how stunning the views are once you arrive at the Moraine Lake viewpoint.
Moraine Lake is a 15-minute drive from Lake Louise (along Moraine Lake Road) and can be accessed throughout the summer months (June-Late September).
From the parking lot, it’s a simple 10-minute walk up the rock pile until you reach the famous viewpoint. So famous in fact that it used to feature on the Canadian $20 bill.
Any summer trip to Lake Louise has to feature a visit to Moraine Lake and there is no better way to spend your time there than scrambling up the rock pile and admiring the gorgeous view.
Tip: go first thing in the morning (before 7am) or later in the evening (after 5pm) to avoid the crowds and to be able to find a parking space.
AllTrails Link - Moraine Lake Viewpoint
Lake Agnes from the Big Beehive Trails
Lake Louise Hiking Tips
Leave the trails how you found them - unfortunately many of the trails at Lake Louise do not have places to dispose of garbage so be sure to bring a plastic bag with you so that you can carry your rubbish back down
With the exception of the two teahouses, there isn’t anywhere to get food or water on the trails at Lake Louise, so be sure to pack enough supplies to last you throughout your hike
In the summer months, bring bear spray with you. Very important in Lake Louise because despite the Grizzlys not venturing too far onto the trails, there is a family of black bears that have lived near the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise for a few generations and so it’s important to be prepared incase you stumble across a mother bear wanting to protect her cubs
The altitude in Lake Louise is some of the highest in the Canadian Rockies, so go steady once you arrive to give your body time to acclimatise to the altitude change
The off-seasons (April-May and September-October) pose the greatest avalanche threats, so please make sure to check any weather warnings before you venture onto the trails.
Take as many photos as possible - honestly, you are going to want to have as many Lake Louise hiking memories as you possibly can and looking through photos is a great way to reminisce.
We hope our list of the best hikes and walks in Lake Louise has helped you figure out which trails you are going to take on your next visit to Lake Louise. Lake Louise is certainly considered one of the best places to visit in the Canadian Rockies, and we think that the main reason for that is down to the variety of hikes and walks available in the area.
