Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles all year, so a licensed operator or a reserved shuttle is the way in. The tours on this site leave from Calgary, Banff, Canmore and Vancouver, with Moraine Lake access included during its season.
Where Lake Louise tours go in Banff National Park, Alberta
A glacier-fed lake at 1,731 m, 62 km from the town of Banff and 4 km from Lake Louise village. Open year-round, while Moraine Lake next door is reachable only from early June to mid-October.
Lake Louise sits at 1,731 m in Banff National Park, roughly 2.4 km long and 70 m deep, below Mount Victoria and its hanging Victoria Glacier. The lake lies 4 km from Lake Louise village and 62 km from the town of Banff, which takes longer than the map suggests once mountain traffic is added. Its colour comes from rock flour, the fine sediment that melting glaciers grind and meltwater carries into the basin. That sediment load arrives in spring and early summer, and the shade shifts with the light through the day.
A Stoney guide led Canadian Pacific Railway worker Tom Wilson to the lake in 1882. He called it Emerald Lake, and in 1884 it was renamed for Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, daughter of Queen Victoria; the Stoney name means lake of the little fishes. Lodging followed in 1890, when CPR general manager Cornelius Van Horne planned a hotel for outdoor adventurers, and the original Chalet Lake Louise had just two bedrooms. The railway also built the Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House in the mid-1920s, while the first Lake Agnes teahouse opened in 1904.
Summer days here run on the water and on two trails. Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise operates the lakeshore canoes, with the docks typically opening in mid-June, and the teahouse routes climb away from the shoreline: Lake Agnes at 3.9 km one way with 495 m of gain, the Plain of Six Glaciers at 5.9 km one way with 595 m of gain. Both teahouses are listed open June through October and take cash only. The lake usually freezes solid around mid-December, and the Fairmont clears a natural rink on the ice, lit after dark.
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Lake elevation1,731 m
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Lake length2.4 km
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Lake depth70 m
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From the town of Banff62 km
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Peak summer seasonMay to October
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Warmest monthJuly, 21 C day / 5 C night
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2,101 m
The gondola summit
Riders reach 2,101 m on the summer sightseeing gondola, which ran daily 9:00 am to 4:30 pm from June 5 to October 11, 2026. That season has finished and the ride is scheduled to return in spring 2027. A short walk from the top station, the Wildlife Interpretive Centre in Whitehorn Lodge is included with a summer gondola ticket.
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232 km
The Icefields Parkway to Jasper
From Lake Louise to the Jasper townsite the Parkway runs 232 km, with Bow Lake 39 km, Mistaya Canyon 74 km and the Columbia Icefield Centre 128 km north. There is no cell coverage along it, and Saskatchewan River Crossing at 80 km is the only fuel, washroom and restaurant stop on the Banff section.
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1884
The year it was renamed
Tom Wilson reached the lake in 1882 with a Stoney guide and called it Emerald Lake. Two years later it took the name of Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, daughter of Queen Victoria.
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2,135 m
Lake Agnes Tea House
Lake Agnes Tea House stands at 2,135 m above a lake 70 m deep, below Mount Victoria. Parks Canada lists the trail as 3.9 km one way with 495 m of gain, moderate, 2.5 to 3 hours round trip. Opening hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily from mid-June to early October, and payment is cash only.
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65
Grizzly bears in Banff National Park
Parks Canada estimates about 65 grizzlies live in the park, with meat making up roughly 15% of their diet. Stay at least 100 metres from bears, wolves, cougars and coyotes, and 30 metres from deer, elk, sheep and moose.
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June 1 to October 12
The Moraine Lake window
In 2026 the Moraine Lake shuttle and the Lake Connector ran June 1 to October 12, subject to weather, while the Lake Louise Lakeshore shuttle ran May 15 to October 12. Reservations are mandatory on every Parks Canada shuttle and there are no walk-up seats. Outside that window, tours swap in other stops.
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Moraine Lake before the day crowds
A maximum of 12 guests travel on the sunrise tour, which runs 7 hours from CAD 400, with pickups shifting across the June 1 to October 12 season from about 3:25 am in midsummer to about 6:55 am in the first days of October. Hot drinks, a head torch and a cafe croissant with ham, egg and sauteed vegetables are included. The start is very early.
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The Lake Agnes Tea House climb
Parks Canada lists Lake Agnes as 3.9 km one way with 495 m of gain and 2.5 to 3 hours round trip; Banff and Lake Louise Tourism gives 3.4 km one way with 385 m of gain. The Big Beehive adds a 1.5 km side trip with 150 m of gain. Carry cash, since the teahouse takes no cards.
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Plain of Six Glaciers
This longer teahouse route runs 5.9 km one way with 595 m of gain and 250 m of loss, about 4 hours round trip, moderate. Views take in the Victoria Glacier and Mounts Victoria and Lefroy. Parks Canada rates the area for spring avalanche conditions in May and June, and the trail is unsafe from November through mid-May.
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The gondola and wildlife viewing
From the cabins and open chairs the resort promotes grizzly bears, black bears, lynx, moose, mountain goats, elk and deer, with bear viewing running early April through November and the heaviest feeding September to November. The summer sightseeing ride is 1 to 5 hours from CAD 64 and returns in spring 2027. In winter the lifts run 9:30 am to 4:30 pm and the sightseeing gondola 10:30 am to 4:00 pm, conditions permitting.
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Skating and Ice Magic in winter
Once the lake freezes solid, usually around mid-December, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise runs the natural rink and lights the ice for evening skating. Ice Magic takes place at the Chateau from February 3 to 7, 2027 inside the SnowDays festival of January 21 to February 7, 2027. It is ticketed, and all ticket holders use the provided shuttle because there is no parking at the event site.
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Emerald Lake and Yoho in the same day
Emerald Lake lies 39 km from Lake Louise and is listed accessible every month of the year, with a 5.2 km lakeshore loop that stays almost flat, about 2 hours return. The three-lake tour runs 8 to 11 hours from CAD 88 in an air-conditioned van and swaps in Marble or Johnston Canyon or Peyto Lake from October 12 to May 31.
Four places that share the same itineraries, and what each one adds to a single day.
These four lakes turn up on the same day trips, and what separates them is how you are allowed to reach them. Moraine Lake opens to visitors only from early June to mid-October, and its road is closed to personal vehicles all year. Emerald Lake sits 39 km away in Yoho and is listed accessible every month. Peyto Lake is a lookout on the Icefields Parkway. Most Lake Louise tours bundle two or three of them, so the table shows what each adds.
Crowds
Price
Best For
What Sets It Apart
★ Lake Louise
Heaviest June through October; the lakeshore lots fill extremely early and stay full all day in peak season
Day trips from CAD 99 from Calgary, or from CAD 79 starting in Banff or Canmore
A first visit, and the only one of the four open year-round
1,731 m, 2.4 km long and 70 m deep below Mount Victoria, with canoes in summer and a lit rink in winter
Moraine Lake
Sunrise is the quiet window; the lake is reachable only from early June to mid-October
Access included in season on the day trips; the sunrise tour runs from CAD 400
Photographers willing to leave Banff in the dark
Road closed to personal vehicles all year, managed as backcountry, with no cell service and pit toilets at the lake
Emerald Lake
Steadier through the year, though parking at the lake is extremely limited
Included on the three-lake Yoho tour from CAD 88
Adding a second national park to the same day
39 km from Lake Louise in Yoho, listed accessible every month, with a 5.2 km lakeshore loop
Peyto Lake
Spreads along a short paved lookout path of about 10 minutes from the car park
On the Icefields Parkway tour from CAD 220, and on the Yoho tour from October 12 to May 31
A high viewpoint rather than a shoreline walk
43 km north of Lake Louise at Bow Summit, the Parkway high point at 2,088 m, coloured by rock flour from the Peyto Glacier
Lake Louise stays the anchor of any itinerary because the community and the lakeshore are open year-round, 62 km from Banff, with canoes from June through October and a lit rink on the ice in winter. Moraine Lake shuts to all access outside early June to mid-October, Emerald Lake means a drive into Yoho, and Peyto Lake is a short walk to a viewpoint. Most Lake Louise tours combine two of them in one run.
Practical info
Lake Louise tours: everything you need to know
Access, seasons, packing and the rules that actually shape a day at the lake.
How to get to Lake Louise
Calgary International Airport to Banff National Park is about 130 km and a 90-minute drive, and Lake Louise lies a further 62 km from the town of Banff. The lake itself is 4 km from Lake Louise village. Between Banff and Lake Louise there is also the Bow Valley Parkway, a 48 km paved scenic route. Day trips from Calgary pick up downtown at the Harry Hays Building bus stop on 4th Ave SE, departing 07:50.
Roam Public Transit Route 8X runs daily all year between downtown Banff, Lake Louise Village and the Lake Louise Lakeshore, a ride Roam lists at about 1 hour 20 minutes, with reservations recommended from May to October. Parks Canada shuttles serve the lakeshore during their season, and a reservation is mandatory on every one of them, with no walk-up seats. Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles all year, so the tours on this site cover that leg under licensed access.
Calgary International Airport to Banff National Park: about 130 km, roughly 90 minutes by road
Town of Banff to Lake Louise: 62 km; Lake Louise village to the lake itself: 4 km
Bow Valley Parkway: 48 km paved route between Banff and Lake Louise, with a cycling-only pilot on the eastern 17 km from April 30 to June 25 and September 1 to October 6
Roam Route 8X runs daily all year, Banff to Lake Louise in about 1 hour 20 minutes, reservations recommended May to October
Parks Canada shuttles require a reservation; there are no walk-up seats
Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles all year, with exceptions only for Parks Canada shuttles, licensed commercial operators, accessible-placard holders and Moraine Lake Lodge guests
Tour pickups: 07:50 Calgary downtown, 09:20 Canmore at the Travel Alberta Visitor Information Centre, 09:45 Banff at the Elk + Avenue Hotel on Banff Ave
Best time to visit Lake Louise
May to October is the peak summer season, with the heaviest crowds June through October. For turquoise water, aim for late June onwards: the higher lakes, including Lake Louise, usually begin to thaw in early June, while lower lakes thaw mid to late May. Larch colour near Lake Louise peaks from the last week of September to the first week of October. Alpine hiking season begins in late June, and ski season starts in mid-November.
July is the warmest month, averaging 21 C by day and 5 C overnight, with August the same by day and 4 C at night. September cools to 15 C and 0 C, October to 8 C and minus 5 C, and May sits at 13 C and minus 1 C. Winter ranges for the area run from minus 8 to 1 C in November down to minus 14 to minus 4 C in January, the coldest month, with average lows of minus 15 C.
Peak summer season is May to October, with the heaviest crowds June through October
In 2026 the Lake Louise Lakeshore shuttle ran May 15 to October 12; the Moraine Lake shuttle and Lake Connector ran June 1 to October 12, subject to weather
High lakes including Lake Louise usually begin to thaw in early June, so a mid-May visit can still show ice
Larch colour peaks from the last week of September to the first week of October, with the turn starting mid to late September
The lake usually freezes solid around mid-December and the natural rink is lit for evening skating
Ice Magic runs February 3 to 7, 2027 at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, ticketed, with a shuttle for all ticket holders and no parking at the site
Ski season opens tentatively on November 6, with 2026-27 season passes valid to May 2, 2027
What to pack for a day at the lake
Carry cash. Both teahouses above Lake Louise accept no cards and no digital payments, and the suggested guide tip on the Yoho three-lake tour is CAD 12 cash per person. Bring your own bottle if you are on the sunrise tour, where water refills are provided, and a camera that works in low light for the pre-dawn hour at Moraine Lake. A family travelling with a child under 7 on the Calgary, Banff and Canmore day trip must bring their own car seat.
Layer for a 16-degree swing between afternoon and night: July averages 21 C by day and 5 C overnight, October 8 C and minus 5 C. Snow can fall on the alpine trails above the lake at any time, even in July, so pack a shell and warm gloves whatever the forecast says. Winter departures provide ice cleats on the Banff day trip and crampons on the Yoho tour, for use at your own discretion. The sunrise tour includes a head torch.
Cash for the teahouses, which take no cards or digital payments
Cash for guide tips, suggested at CAD 12 per person on the three-lake Yoho tour
Your own water bottle; refills are provided on the sunrise tour
A warm layer and a shell for July nights at 5 C and October nights at minus 5 C
Hiking shoes with grip for 495 m of gain to Lake Agnes or 595 m to the Plain of Six Glaciers
Own car seat for a child under 7 on the Calgary, Banff and Canmore day trip
Head torch is included on the sunrise tour; ice cleats and crampons are provided on the winter departures that list them
Lunch money for the stop at Lake Louise Village, since meals are not included on the day trips
Local tips for Lake Louise
Be at your pickup point early. Departure times are fixed per stop, with readiness 10 to 15 minutes before the listed time, and vehicles leave as scheduled. Moraine Lake is managed as backcountry: no cell service, no Wi-Fi, no running water, no road lighting and only pit toilets at the lake, so settle any plans before you arrive. The Lake Louise Visitor Centre beside Samson Mall opens 9 am to 5 pm most of the year, extending to 6 pm from June 6 to August 26, and closes on December 25.
Meals are not included on the day trips, and the Banff departure stops for lunch at Lake Louise Village. Afternoon tea at the Chateau Lake Louise is offered only as a priced upgrade. Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise operates the lakeshore canoes from June through October and the ice rink in winter. Keep food away from animals, including squirrels and birds, on the gondola and at the lakes, and report wildlife sightings to a lift attendant rather than approaching.
Be ready 10 to 15 minutes before your listed departure time; vehicles leave as scheduled
Moraine Lake has no cell service, no Wi-Fi and no running water, and the toilets at the lake are pit toilets
Lake Louise Visitor Centre, Samson Mall, 201 Village Road: 9 am to 5 pm most of the year, to 6 pm from June 6 to August 26, closed December 25
Lunch is at Lake Louise Village on the Banff day trip and is not included
Chateau Lake Louise afternoon tea is a priced option on the Banff day trip, so add it when you book
Canoes on the lake run June through October, with the docks typically opening in mid-June
Drop nothing from the gondola and keep food away from animals, including squirrels and birds
Health and safety at Lake Louise
Wildlife rules are enforced. Parks Canada requires visitors to stay at least 30 metres from deer, elk, sheep and moose and 100 metres from bears, wolves, cougars and coyotes. Feeding, enticing or disturbing wildlife in a national park is illegal and can bring charges and fines of up to CAD 25,000. Where Group Access applies, hikers must travel in a tight group of four or more, a minimum lowered from six in 2007. Grizzlies leave their dens from late March to mid-May and berries ripen from about mid-July to early August.
Treat the upper trails as seasonal terrain. Parks Canada warns that the teahouse hikes are unsafe from November through mid-May because of avalanche risk, and that not every signposted winter route is safe; the Plain of Six Glaciers area is rated for spring avalanche conditions in May and June. On the Icefields Parkway there is no cell coverage, snow tires or chains are required from November 1 to March 31 or whenever the road is snow or ice covered, snowplows run only between 7 am and 3:30 pm, and in winter there are no services across the 230 km to Jasper.
Keep 100 metres from bears, wolves, cougars and coyotes, and 30 metres from deer, elk, sheep and moose
Feeding or disturbing wildlife is illegal and can bring fines of up to CAD 25,000
Where Group Access applies, hike in a tight group of four or more
Seasonal bear restrictions in the area cover the Moraine Lake trails, the Lake Minnewanka trails and Bryant Creek or Allenby Pass
Teahouse hikes are unsafe from November through mid-May because of avalanche risk, and not every signposted winter route is safe
No cell service at Moraine Lake and no cell coverage on the Icefields Parkway
Snow tires or chains are required on the Icefields Parkway from November 1 to March 31 or whenever the road is snow or ice covered
Location
Lake Louise tours map: finding the lake
Lake Louise Visitor Centre, Samson Mall, 201 Village Road, Lake Louise, AB T0L 1E0, Canada, telephone +1 403-522-3833, with the lake 4 km from the village.
Plan your visit
Practical information for Lake Louise tours
Seasons, weather, access to Moraine Lake, trails, the gondola and the nearby lakes of Banff and Yoho, page by page.
Straight answers on road access, the two different lake seasons and which departure fits your trip, with the dates and figures taken from the official sources.
No. Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles all year, and the only traffic allowed on it is Parks Canada shuttles, licensed commercial operators, holders of an accessible parking placard and guests of Moraine Lake Lodge. A commercial bus may only use the road if it holds a Parks Canada Licence of Occupation, so a licensed tour or a reserved shuttle seat is the practical way in. Plans built around arriving at dawn in your own car fail at the gate, whatever the month.
Yes, inside the Moraine Lake season, which Parks Canada gives as early June to mid-October; the community of Lake Louise and the lakeshore itself are open year-round. In 2026 the Parks Canada Lakeshore shuttle ran May 15 to October 12 and the Moraine Lake shuttle and Lake Connector ran June 1 to October 12, subject to weather, and a reservation is mandatory on every Parks Canada shuttle with no walk-up seats. A day trip such as the 8-10 hour tour from CAD 99 handles the transfer for you and includes access to both lakes within that window. Late May is the one gap worth knowing about, because Lake Louise service starts before Moraine Lake access opens.
Of the Lake Louise tours on this site, the first-visit default is the Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and Banff trip from Calgary, Canmore or Banff: 8-10 hours, from CAD 99, 4.9 ★ (4759 reviews), a small group capped at 24 people, a local guide and the Moraine Lake entrance fee included. Departure times are set by pickup point at 07:45, 09:00, 09:20 and 09:30, and you should be in place 10 to 15 minutes earlier. It solves the distances, which are longer than the map suggests: Lake Louise is 62 km from the town of Banff and the lake sits 4 km from the village. Meals and personal expenses are extra, and a child under 7 needs a car seat brought by the family.
The Lake Louise and Moraine Lake day trip from CAD 79 has the clearest fixed departure list for anyone already in the valley: 09:45 from the Elk + Avenue Hotel at 333 Banff Ave, 09:20 from the Travel Alberta Canmore Visitor Information Centre at 2801 Bow Valley Trail, and 07:50 from the bus stop in front of the Harry Hays Building on 4th Ave SE in Calgary Downtown. It runs 8-10 hours and holds 4.9 ★ (1602 reviews), with a professional driver and guide, bottled water and vehicles matched to the group size. Moraine Lake permit and access are included for the June 1 to October 11 or 12 window, and ice cleats are handed out in winter for use at your own discretion. Lunch is a stop at Lake Louise Village and is not included.
It is, if your priority is photography and an empty shoreline rather than a relaxed morning. The premium sunrise option runs 7 hours, from CAD 400, 4.9 ★ (312 reviews), with a maximum of 12 guests, a guide trained in photography and storytelling, hotel pickup at selected Banff and Lake Louise points, a head torch, hot drinks and a local cafe croissant with ham, egg and sauteed vegetables. Pickups track the sunrise across the June 1 to October 12 season, from roughly 3:25 am to 3:55 am in the June 1 to July 15 band and from about 5:25 am to 6:55 am between October 1 and 12, depending on where you are collected. Be realistic about the hour and about the lake: Moraine Lake is managed as backcountry, with no cell service, no running water and no road lighting, and the toilets there are pit toilets.
Tours to Lake Louise keep running, with the itinerary swapped. The three-lake Yoho trip from CAD 88 includes Moraine Lake admission from June 1 to October 11 and switches to Marble or Johnston Canyon or to Peyto Lake from October 12 to May 31, so it is the strongest pick once the road season ends; it runs 8-11 hours, 4.8 ★ (533 reviews), in an air-conditioned van with a local guide driving, crampons provided in winter and a choice of Banff Avenue or Bow Falls as the final stop. Emerald Lake is 39 km from Lake Louise and listed as accessible every month, and Emerald Lake Road stays open year-round. Note that from October 13, 2026 the Johnston Canyon trail is closed to the Lower and Upper Falls viewpoints for rock slope remediation, with the Upper Falls and Ink Pots still reachable by the Moose Meadows Trail.
The 4-day Canadian Rockies and Banff trip is the multi-day answer for travellers based in Vancouver: from CAD 1268, 4.9 ★ (219 reviews), on a deluxe coach with on-board entertainment and an experienced guide. It covers three nights of hotel accommodation including one night in downtown Banff, breakfast, one lunch on day 1 or day 4 depending on the departure date, a wine tasting, seasonal admission to Moraine Lake and all fees and taxes. You meet in front of the Vancouver Convention Centre at the covered benches next to the FlyOver Canada ticket booth. For comparison, anyone flying in should know that Calgary International Airport to Banff National Park is about 130 km and a 90-minute drive.
The summer sightseeing gondola ran daily 9:00 am to 4:30 pm from June 5 to October 11, 2026 and carries riders to 2,101 m; that season has finished and it is scheduled to return in spring 2027, so treat the 1-5 hour gondola ride from CAD 64, 4.3 ★ (78 reviews), as a spring-onward plan and check availability rather than expecting a ride today. The Wildlife Interpretive Centre in Whitehorn Lodge, a short walk from the top station, is included with a summer gondola ticket. Bear viewing from the slopes runs early April through November, with the heaviest feeding from September to November, and the promoted species are grizzly bears, black bears, lynx, moose, mountain goats, elk and deer. Parks Canada requires you to stay at least 100 metres from bears, wolves, cougars and coyotes and 30 metres from deer, elk, sheep and moose; feeding or disturbing wildlife is illegal and can bring fines of up to CAD 25,000.
Admission to Banff National Park is required to visit the lakes, and Yoho has its own admission if your day crosses into it. Inclusions vary by product, so read the tour page before booking: the trip from CAD 99 lists the Moraine Lake entrance fee and special access to both lakes, the one from CAD 79 lists the Moraine Lake permit and access fee for the June 1 to October 11 or 12 window, and the 4-day trip from Vancouver states all fees and taxes. Meals and personal expenses sit outside almost every itinerary, the Yoho tour suggests a CAD 12 cash tip per person, and snowshoeing or Chateau Lake Louise afternoon tea are priced options rather than inclusions. If you are driving any part of the trip yourself, the Icefields Parkway and the Bow Valley Parkway both require a pass even if you are only passing through.
May to October is the peak season, with the heaviest crowds from June through October, and the water is the reason most people choose those months: the higher lakes, including Lake Louise, usually begin to thaw in early June, so a mid-May visit can still show ice rather than turquoise. Daytime averages at Lake Louise run 13 C in May, 17 C in June, 21 C in July and August, 15 C in September and 8 C in October, with overnight lows of -1 C, 3 C, 5 C, 4 C, 0 C and -5 C; snow can fall on the alpine trails at any time, even in July. For larch colour, aim for the last week of September to the first week of October, when the trees have turned. The teahouse trails above the lake are listed open June through October and Parks Canada warns they are unsafe from November through mid-May because of avalanche risk, while winter brings the lit natural ice rink run by Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise and Ice Magic there from February 3 to 7, 2027.
Departure points and start times differ by city, from a 07:50 Calgary pickup to a pre-dawn sunrise run.
The history behind Lake Louise tours: from Emerald Lake in 1882 to Princess Louise
A Stoney guide led Canadian Pacific Railway worker Tom Wilson to the lake in 1882, and he named it Emerald Lake before it was renamed in 1884 for Princess Louise Caroline Alberta. The railway built the hotel next, with Cornelius Van Horne planning lodging for outdoor adventurers in 1890 and the original Chalet Lake Louise holding just two bedrooms.
