Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies
In the Canadian Rockies, Banff is the place to go to live the high life while Lake Louise is the destination of choice for anyone who’s just interested in the wildlife. Situated two-hours north-west from Calgary and 40 minutes from Banff, Lake Louise is a "must-see" on any tour of the Canadian Rockies.
Lake Louise the village doesn’t have much in the way of man-made attractions. It has a small mall, a handful of scattered hotels, a few hidden lodges and tea houses and a couple of campsites.
But visitors don’t go to Lake Louise for the nightlife; they go for the freakily spectacular scenery and to find solitude in the wilderness.
The biggest natural distraction of all is Lake Louise, perhaps the most famous postcard image from the Canadian Rockies. Thousands of admiring tourists arrive every year to take in the jaw-dropping lake views and it gets super busy in the summer. But if you start a hike, rent a boat, ride a horse or follow a bike trail the crowds quickly fade into the distance.
In the winter the crowds disappear and skiers and boarders come out to play at the huge Lake Louise ski area.
Lake Louise - Canadian Rockies
The views of Lake Louise are some of the most sought after in Banff National Park so if you want some peace and quiet, find another lake.
Depending on the light, the glacial waters of Lake Louise run emerald to turquoise. Contrasting the exotic colour of the water is Victoria Glacier which towers over the southern end of Lake Louise and mountains that flank the east and west shores.
Most visitors stay close to the hard-to-miss Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise at the north-east corner of the lake. The resort doesn’t exactly add to the view but it does offer every convenience and luxury a traveller could want.
Canoes are available for rental from the boat launch in front of the Chateau and it’s an easy 2km paddle to the other end of the lake in fair weather. Half-day and full-day horse trail rides can also be booked from the resort.
To get different perspective and to escape the crowds, just pick up one of the many hiking trails that surround Lake Louise. As well as the easy 2km lakeshore trail on the western side of the lake there are a number of more strenuous trails that take you up into the surrounding mountains.
Lake Louise freezes over in the winter and activities include ice skating, ice fishing and sleigh rides.
Related sections: Canadian Rockies | Skiing in Lake Louise