Epic Travel → North America → Canada → Banff National Park → Lake Louise

Location: Lake Louise Area, Banff National Park, Alberta

Time Required: 30 minutes – 3 hours depending on activities

Red Tape/Notes: Entry into Banff requires a daily fee of about $10 per person (or ~$20 per family/group). If you’re interested in ice skating or playing hockey on the lake, there’s a rental facility inside the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise at the edge of the lake. For information on staying at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, visit their website.

What’s Nearby?: Johnston Canyon, Ink Pots

Lake Louise is worth visiting, even if all you have time for is a quick look. You can hike down from the parking area to the edge of the lake in maybe 10 minutes, and the view is really lovely. Across the lake in front of you is the historic Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, and to the left offers views across the lake to the mountains and glaciers beyond. In the winter, there’s an awesome ice palace on the lake in a designated ice skating area, and there’s a separate area for playing ice hockey. If you have the time and money, we’d definitely recommend staying at the Fairmont – it’s one of Canada’s Grand Railway Hotels, and staying in such a historic and iconic location is really special. It also makes for quick access to the Lake Louise Ski Area, which is the largest of the ski areas in the region.  There are also a number of hikes that originate from Lake Louise, most of which aren’t recommended for winter due to avalanche risk.

Epic Travel → North America → Canada → Banff National Park → Lake Louise