In shortLake Louise is in Banff National Park, in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, 62 km west of the town of Banff. The lake lies at 1,731 m and is about 2.4 km long. Its shoreline is 4 km above Lake Louise village, where Samson Mall and the visitor centre are. Calgary International Airport to the national park is roughly 130 km, about a 90-minute drive.
1,731 mElevation of the lake
2.4 kmLength of the lake
4 kmVillage to lakeshore
62 kmTown of Banff to Lake Louise
Where is Lake Louise in Alberta
Lake Louise sits in Banff National Park, in Alberta's Rocky Mountains, 62 km from the town of Banff along the main valley corridor. That is the answer most searchers want, and it shapes every transport decision that follows: getting there is a mountain transfer of an hour or more, rather than a short hop inside one town.
From the air side, Calgary International Airport to Banff National Park is about 130 km and roughly a 90-minute drive, and shuttle buses run from the airport to both Banff and Lake Louise. Add the 62 km from Banff and you can see why a Lake Louise visit eats a full day from Calgary rather than an afternoon.
Within the area itself the lake is 4 km from Lake Louise village, uphill on a side road that leaves the valley floor. The distance is short on paper. In peak season it is the part of the trip that goes wrong, because the lakeshore lots fill extremely early and stay full all day, and Parks Canada names the shuttle and Roam Public Transit as the best way to see both Lake Louise and Moraine Lake.
How high Lake Louise sits and how big the lake is
The lake surface sits at 1,731 m above sea level and the water body is about 2.4 km long, with a depth of 70 m, under Mount Victoria and its hanging Victoria Glacier. Plan your clothing around that altitude: July averages 21 C in the daytime and 5 C overnight, October 8 C and -5 C, and snow can fall on the alpine trails above the lake at any time, even in July.
Altitude also explains the calendar. Lakes this high, including this one, usually begin to thaw in early June, and the lake normally freezes solid around mid-December. A visit in May can mean white ice instead of turquoise water.
Height keeps climbing once you leave the shore. The Lake Agnes Tea House stands at 2,135 m, the summer sightseeing gondola carries riders to 2,101 m, and the ski resort across the valley tops out at 2,637 m with 991 m of vertical.
The hamlet, the lakeshore and the ski hill
Three separate places share the name, and mixing them up is the most common planning error here. The village sits on the valley floor by the highway, the lake is 4 km above it, and the ski resort is on the opposite side of the valley at 1 Whitehorn Road, where shuttle passengers park and check in.
The Lake Louise Visitor Centre is beside Samson Mall in the village at 201 Village Road, Lake Louise, AB T0L 1E0. Doors open at 9 am and close at 5 pm through most of the calendar, stretch to 6 pm between June 6 and August 26, and stay shut on December 25. Those are the listed hours, so confirm on the day in shoulder season.
If your accommodation booking, a tour pickup or a lunch stop says Lake Louise, check which of the three it means before you set off. A pickup at Samson Mall and a meeting point at the Chateau are 4 km apart with a steady climb between them.
| Place | What is there | Season |
|---|
| Lake Louise village | Samson Mall, Lake Louise Visitor Centre at 201 Village Road, shops and the lunch stop used by day tours | Community open year-round; visitor centre 9 am to 5 pm, to 6 pm June 6 to August 26, closed December 25 |
|---|
| The lakeshore, 4 km above the village | The lake itself at 1,731 m, the Fairmont Chateau, canoe rental in summer and the natural ice rink in winter, both run by the hotel | Open year-round; canoes June through October, lit evening skating in winter |
|---|
| Lake Louise Ski Resort, 1 Whitehorn Road, across the valley | Park and Ride for the Parks Canada shuttle, the sightseeing gondola to 2,101 m, resort top at 2,637 m | Winter season opens November 6, conditions permitting; summer gondola scheduled to return spring 2027 |
|---|
How the lake got its name
The name dates from 1884, when the lake was renamed for Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, a daughter of Queen Victoria. Two years earlier a Stoney guide had taken Tom Wilson, then working for the Canadian Pacific Railway, up to the shore, and Wilson called the water Emerald Lake. In the Stoney language the name means lake of the little fishes.
The railway shaped what you see on the shoreline too. Lodging began in 1890 under CPR general manager Cornelius Van Horne, who planned a hotel for outdoor adventurers, and the first Chalet Lake Louise had two bedrooms.
Both lakes and Banff in one day from Calgary
If the distances above mean you want the whole transfer solved, this 8-10 hour trip from CAD 99 picks up in Calgary, Canmore or Banff, caps the group at 24 and includes the Moraine Lake entrance fee and access to both lakes.
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Choosing your transport once you know the distances
Settle the transport after you have the geography straight, because the right answer changes with where you sleep. If you are based in the town of Banff, those 62 km are covered all year by Roam Public Transit Route 8X, which links downtown Banff with Lake Louise Village and then the lakeshore, two of the three places described above; Roam puts the ride at about 1 hour 20 minutes and advises reserving in the busy May to October stretch.
Parks Canada runs seasonal shuttles from the Park and Ride at the ski resort. The 2026 dates split by destination: May 15 to October 12 for the Lakeshore run, and June 1 to October 12 for the Moraine Lake bus and the Lake Connector, weather permitting. Every seat on those buses has to be held in advance, and nothing is sold to passengers who simply turn up at the Park and Ride, so build the booking into your planning before you fix the day.
Moraine Lake, often visited on the same day, lies in a neighbouring valley near Lake Louise and has its own rules. Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles all year; only Parks Canada shuttles, licensed commercial operators, accessible-placard holders and Moraine Lake Lodge guests may drive it, and a commercial bus needs a Parks Canada Licence of Occupation. The lake is managed as backcountry: there is no cell service, no Wi-Fi and no running water, the road has no lighting and the toilets at the lake are pit toilets. Bring what you need for a few hours away from services.
The getting-there page on this site sets out the routes and driving distances in detail. If you are starting in Calgary without a car, or want the transfer and both lakes handled in one day, the tours listed here cover the drive, the pickup points and seasonal access to Moraine Lake.
- Staying in Banff: Route 8X runs all year, about 1 hour 20 minutes each way, reservations recommended May to October
- Starting in Calgary: allow about 130 km and 90 minutes to the park boundary, then 62 km more to Lake Louise
- Already at Lake Louise village: the lakeshore is 4 km uphill, and the lots there fill early in peak season
- Wanting Moraine Lake too: a reserved Parks Canada shuttle or a licensed tour, in the June to mid-October window
Questions people ask
Which province and national park is Lake Louise in?
It is in Alberta, inside Banff National Park, in the Canadian Rockies. The lake lies 62 km west of the town of Banff. A park pass is required and is separate from any transport you book.
Is Lake Louise the same thing as Lake Louise village?
No. The village is the small community on the valley floor with Samson Mall and the Lake Louise Visitor Centre at 201 Village Road. The lake itself is 4 km away and higher up, at 1,731 m.
How far is Lake Louise from Calgary?
Calgary International Airport to Banff National Park is about 130 km and roughly a 90-minute drive, with shuttle buses running from the airport to both Banff and Lake Louise. From the town of Banff it is a further 62 km. Plan a full day if you are based in Calgary.
Is Moraine Lake near Lake Louise, and can I drive there?
Moraine Lake is in a neighbouring valley close to Lake Louise, and you cannot drive there in a private car at any time of year. The road into that valley carries only Parks Canada shuttle buses, operators holding a commercial licence, drivers showing an accessible placard and guests booked at Moraine Lake Lodge. The lake is accessible from early June to mid-October.
Is the lake open in winter?
Yes. Neither the village nor the shore closes for the season, and Roam Route 8X keeps running from Banff every day of the year. In winter the Fairmont Chateau operates the natural ice rink on the frozen lake, lit for evening skating, and the lake usually freezes solid around mid-December.
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