Lake Louise Complete Guide: Lake Agnes Tea House Hike, Big Beehive and Canoeing

Located 57 kilometres (40 minutes' drive up the Trans-Canada Highway or on Roam Transit Express Route 8X) north-west of Banff Town at 1,731 metres elevation, Lake Louise, known to the Stoney Nakoda First Nation as Ho-run-num-nay, is the most famous glacial lake in North America. Framed like an amphitheatre by rugged Mount Fairview on the left, Mount Whyte and Niblock on the right, and the shining ice wall of the Victoria Glacier straight ahead, its water glows a milky, electric turquoise from mid-June through September.

1. Walking the Flat Lakeshore Trail & Renting a Red Canoe

If you want a completely flat, stroller-friendly walk with zero elevation gain, follow the Lake Louise Lakeshore Trail along the right-hand shore of the lake all the way to the glacial delta where meltwater streams pour down from Victoria Glacier. Want to paddle across the turquoise water? The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise Boathouse on the western shore rents landmark red canoes on a first-come, first-served basis (~standard fare, standard fare per hour for up to 3 adults; for a 50% cheaper canoe rental on equally turquoise water, head 20 minutes west to Emerald Lake or back to Banff Town's Bow River Canoe Docks).

2. The Classic Hike: Lake Agnes Tea House & Little Beehive

Starting right in front of the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, a wide, well-graded forest trail climbs steadily up 400 vertical metres through subalpine spruce and fir trees:

• Stop 1, Mirror Lake & The Big Beehive Rock: after 45 minutes of hiking, you emerge at a calm emerald pond sitting directly at the base of the sheer, beehive-shaped rock tower of the Big Beehive.
• Stop 2, The 1901 Lake Agnes Tea House: climb the wooden staircase right beside roaring Lake Agnes Waterfall to step out onto a hidden, high-alpine glacial cirque lake.
• Don't Miss the 20-Minute Detour to 'Little Beehive': before walking back down, take the 20-minute trail right from the Tea House to the Little Beehive Viewpoint, looking straight down 500 metres onto the neon-turquoise oval of Lake Louise and across the entire Bow Valley. (Experienced hikers can also tackle the 11 km Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House trail).