Hikes at Lake Louise
& Moraine Lake
The Best trails at Banff's most famous lakes
Tea houses, Glaciers, and turquoise views
Classic Lake Louise Hikes
For those wanting a nice introduction to Lake Louise, these classic Lake Louise hikes will get you moving and showcase the beautiful scenery of the area.
Lakeshore Trail
The Lake Louise Lakeshore Trail is the easiest and most accessible of the hikes around Lake Louise. Anyone who has visited the famous viewpoint at the shore has likely seen at least a portion of it.
Starting at the front of Lake Louise, the trail follows the right edge of the lake all the way to the back. It’s amazing to look back and see how far the lake stretches, and the views toward the Fairmont hotel are stunning. The changing landscape is beautiful, and the flat dirt path makes it easy to enjoy the views as you walk.
Fairview Lookout
On the opposite side of the lake, the trail to Fairview Lookout begins. The trailhead can be sneaky to find since the other Lake Louise hikes start on the other side of the lake, so it often slips by unnoticed. Fairview Lookout still counts as an easy hike — it has a bit more incline than the Lakeshore Trail, but it’s the easiest way to get a view of Lake Louise from above, which is how the lake truly shines. The light hits the water so differently from a distance, and there’s a nice platform at the end where you can enjoy the views.
Mirror Lake
Mirror Lake is the first of several destinations if you’re hiking up from Lake Louise on the Lake Agnes Trail. This small lake acts like a mirror and reflects the Big Beehive, given the right conditions. It’s a beautiful hike through the forest that does have a few switchbacks. The hike is easy but does have some moderate sections and is a great way to venture out a bit. It’s best done while on your way to either Lake Agnes Teahouse or the Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse.
Lake Agnes Teahouse
Lake Louise has two nearby tea houses, and the easier of the two to reach is the Lake Agnes Tea House. The scenery is beautiful in its own right, with the lake’s deep emerald color similar to (but different from) Lake Louise. Plus, you’ve got the tea house — a fully established building alongside the water offering many kinds of tea, lunch items, and baked goods. Along the way, you’ll pass Mirror Lake and a waterfall before reaching the emerald shores. The hike itself is beautiful, and the treat at the end makes it even more worth it.
Plain of Six Glaciers
The other tea house hike at Lake Louise is the Plain of Six Glaciers Trail, which starts from the far end of the lake via the Lakeshore Trail.
Once you leave the shore, you really feel like you’re climbing into the mountains, and the views match. As you make your way up to the Plain (which truly does have six glaciers), you can look back until Lake Louise shrinks to a tiny speck below. A little farther on, you’ll reach the tea house—its remote setting gives it a rustic, home-cooked feel, making it the perfect lunch spot. Bring cash!
The best trails around Banff's most photographed lake
Classic Moraine Lake Hikes
Visiting Moraine Lake in Banff National Park is an experience you’ll will never forget. To get the most out of your visit, it’s recommended you try one of these Moraine Lake hikes to earn better views of the incredible aquamarine-turquoise colored lake and the incredible Valley of the Ten Peaks.
Moraine Lake Lakeshore
Easy
Banff National Park is blessed with an incredible amount of scenic locations, but Moraine Lake just might be the most scenic spot of them all. The easiest of the “true” Moraine Lake hikes allows visitors to walk the shoreline of this world-famous lake. Along the Moraine Lake Lakeshore trail, you’ll not only enjoy the beauty of the lake’s turquoise water, but you’ll marvel at the towering mountains of the Valley of the Ten Peaks looming directly overhead.
Rock Pile
Easy
The vast majority of people visiting Moraine Lake make a beeline for the Rockpile Trail, and for good reason. The Rockpile Trail, otherwise known as the Moraine Lake Viewpoint Trail, is a very short hike to a series of elevated viewpoints. It’s from these viewpoints that the iconic images of Moraine Lake and the Valley of the Ten Peaks are captured. While the Rockpile Trail is quite short, there are quite a few stairs to climb. Despite the stairs, almost everyone should be physically capable of this highly scenic, short Moraine Lake trail.
Consolation Lakes
Easy
The short Consolation Lakes trail is one of the favorite easy hikes in Banff National Park, packing a ton of scenery into a very short distance. Along the way, you’ll pass the Moraine Lake Rockpile, walk through a rockslide fallen off the Tower of Babel (2,310 m), and stroll through a lush forest along the shores of Babel Creek. As you near the lakes, you’ll reach a beautiful, wide open meadow where the creek, surrounded by towering Rocky Mountains, becomes one of the highlights of the hike.
Larch Valley
Eiffel Lake
Eiffel Lake provides some of the most impressive views in the Canadian Rockies. The trail starts at Moraine Lake, so the views are spectacular before you even set off. Along the way, you get close-up views of the Valley of the Ten Peaks and their impressive glaciers. The hike finishes in the middle of the mountains with a bunch of fuzzy pikas, ground squirrels and marmots to keep you company.
Wenkchemna Pass
Beyond Eiffel Lake, the trail continues through the remnants of an old rock slide, with a massive rock wall towering overhead that was once home to all the boulders at your feet. Few trees survive these harsh conditions — just a handful of tiny larches. Near the bottom of Wenkchemna Pass, you’ll walk through a beautiful meadow scattered with boulders and delicate alpine flowers. At the top of the pass, the views are unreal: a once-in-a-lifetime look at the Valley of the Ten Peaks behind you, and the massive rock wall of Curtis Peak (3,051 m) straight ahead.