Big Beehive Viewpoint

Big Beehive Viewpoint is a gazebo-style shelter on the northeast edge of the 2,255-metre Big Beehive promontory. Lake Louise lies more than 500 metres below, with the Bow Valley beyond. It’s a great payoff if you want a high look over the lake, but it takes a substantial hike to reach.

From Lake Louise lakeshore, the full hike is about 10.8 km return with 645 m of elevation gain. The route climbs through forest and past Mirror Lake to Lake Agnes Tea House, then continues around the far shore and up steep switchbacks for 1.6 km to the ridge. Keep along the ridge to the shelter; the first opening offers only part of the view. The cliffs around the viewpoint make shortcuts off the ridge dangerous, so retrace your route.

At the shelter, Lake Louise stretches below, with the Fairmont Chateau on the shore and Fairview Mountain behind it; the Bow Valley and ski hill fill out the wider panorama. Trees partly break up the view. For a photo, include both lake and shoreline so the Chateau gives a sense of the height.

Lake Agnes sits in a hanging valley, with its outlet falling beside the tea house and Mounts Whyte and Niblock around the basin. The tea house first opened in 1904; today’s building dates to 1981. It serves drinks and light snacks in its summer season, a useful break on the way up, not food at the viewpoint itself.