invme Place
EverywhereChange city
All cities · Everywhere →
EN
ENEnglish RURussian FRFrench DEGerman ITItalian ESSpanish PTPortuguese PT-BRBrazilian Portuguese ES-MXLatin American Spanish FR-CACanadian French EN-GBBritish English UKUkrainian PLPolish JAJapanese NLDutch KOKorean SVSwedish DADanish NBNorwegian FIFinnish CSCzech HEHebrew ELGreek ZH-HANTTraditional Chinese HUHungarian RORomanian HRCroatian SKSlovak SLSlovenian ETEstonian LVLatvian LTLithuanian BGBulgarian TRTurkish

Lake Louise

Lakes ·Lake Louise
4.57.8K
#2Lakes in CanadaTravelers' Choice 2026
Make a plan here Directions

Sign up free — See who's going and message them.

About

Lake Louise is a glacial lake in Banff National Park, Alberta, known for turquoise water coloured by glacial rock flour.

More photos 11

1 / 11
Lake Louise — Turquoise lake and forested valley viewed from a mountain overlook Chensiyuan · CC BY-SA 4.0 · edited
Lake Louise — Turquoise lake and forested valley viewed from a mountain overlookLake Louise — Rocky lakeshore framed by evergreens and distant glaciated peaksLake Louise — Rocky shore looking across Lake Louise toward the glacierLake Louise — Red canoes beside the lakeside boathouse and forestLake Louise — Boathouse and red canoes along the tree-lined shoreLake Louise — Red canoes paddling along Lake Louise beneath dense forestLake Louise — Tall lakeside evergreen with mountains across the waterLake Louise — Turquoise Lake Louise seen from The Beehive above the forestLake Louise — Lake Louise and Lake Agnes viewed from Devils ThumbLake Louise — Twin turquoise lakes and mountain ridges from Devils ThumbLake Louise — Lake Louise and surrounding wilderness from Devils Thumb

Why go

  • Turquoise water coloured by glacial rock flour, with Victoria Glacier as its main meltwater source.
  • Mount Temple, Mount Whyte and Mount Niblock rising behind the lake.
  • Hiking routes to Mirror Lake, Lake Agnes, Saddleback Pass and Fairview Mountain.
  • Summer canoeing and kayaking, with boat launch and rentals on the northeastern shore.

What's in season

  • NowNov – AprSki season begins in mid-November. Winter ice can support skating and ice-sculpture events.
  • May – OctLake Agnes and Plain of Six Glaciers tea houses are open from mid-May until after Canadian Thanksgiving in mid-October.
  • Jun – SepAlpine hiking season begins in late June; kayaking and canoeing are popular in summer.

Season and conditions

  • The lakeshore and surrounding community are accessible year-round.

Shorts

History

Wilson called it Emerald Lake before it was renamed for Princess Louise in 1884. The lake joined Banff National Park in 1892. A fire destroyed the hotel in 1924, and the present building replaced it.

  1. 1880sIndigenous Peoples visited the lake before Canadian Pacific Railway survey crews arrived.
  2. 1882Thomas Edmonds Wilson first visited, guided by Stoney Nakoda guide Edwin Hunter.
  3. 1884The lake was renamed Lake Louise after Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll.
  4. 1890The area began as Laggan Station, a Canadian Pacific Railway outpost. A chalet was built on the shore that year.
  5. 1892Lake Louise became part of Banff National Park.
Show all
  1. 1924Fire destroyed the hotel on the shore; the present structure replaced it.

How to get there

  • BusParks Canada shuttles and Roam Public Transit serve the lake area. Roam connects Banff with the Community of Lake Louise.
  • CarThe lake is 55 km west of the Town of Banff along the Trans-Canada Highway 1.
  • BikeThe area can be reached by bike.
  • On footThe area can be reached on foot.

Sources: Lake Louise (Alberta) - Wikipedia · Lake Louise - Wikivoyage (see) · Lake Louise and Moraine Lake - Banff National P… · Lake Louise - Wikipedia · Lac Louise (Alberta) - Wikipedia · checked 10 Oct 2026

Where
Lake Louise

Plan from here: Evening walk →

Questions and answers

How do I get to Lake Louise from Banff?

The lake is 55 km west of the Town of Banff along the Trans-Canada Highway 1. Parks Canada shuttles and Roam Public Transit serve the area; Roam connects Banff with the Community of Lake Louise.

What can children do at Lake Louise?

In summer, visitors can canoe or kayak. In winter, the lake can be used for skating and ice fishing.

Can I reach Lake Louise by bike or on foot?

Yes. The area can be reached by bike or on foot.

How invme works
  1. See who's going — faces, not ticket counts.
  2. Write to someone who shares your interests — no swipes, no matches, no paywall.
  3. Pick the event or the place to meet at — and go together.
Join free

Reviews on invme

Sign in to review
Comment
Loading comments…
Own this place? Claim it →