Parking
Reach the Big Beehive spur from the Lake Agnes Tea House, 3.9 km one way from Lake Louise Lakeshore. Lakeshore parking is paid and very limited; consider the Park and Ride or shuttle option.
Overview
About Big Beehive Trail
Why go
- A high view over both Lake Louise and Mirror Lake
- A standout summit spur after the Lake Agnes hike
Heads up
- Steep switchbacks and rough upper footing
- A long approach if starting at Lake Louise
Big Beehive is a short, steep out-and-back spur from Lake Agnes Tea House to a lookout high above Lake Louise. The spur is about 1.5 km one way; return the same way for roughly 3.2 km and an hour. I’d add it if you have reached Lake Agnes and still feel good for one more climb. The payoff is a view over Lake Louise and Mirror Lake from above, rather than another walk around the water. The distance here covers the Big Beehive branch only; it does not include the climb to Lake Agnes.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs the extra climb worth it?Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Banff map
Full mapElevation2,125–2,243 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
8 active Banff alerts
- ClosureJohnston Canyon Trail and Day Use Area closedJohnston Canyon Trail and Day Use Area are closed to all traffic and travel through December 11, 2026, because construction work requires protecting public and workers’ safety.Official details
- ClosureBaker Lake and Hidden Lake campgrounds closed to campingCamping is prohibited at Baker Lake and Hidden Lake campgrounds through December 1, 2026, because a grizzly bear entered campsites and investigated tents and gear; the closures reduce risk to…Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Banff Tour Guide
Your drive to Big Beehive Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Banff National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Banff audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Lake Louise and the Lakeshore0:00 / 0:32
“You're coming up on Lake Louise, where the public shore looks straight toward Victoria Glacier between the mountains. You don't need a big hike for that view.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Map Drawn from Memory
- Ice Beneath the Boulders
- Lake Louise and the Ice Aircraft Carrier
- A Butterfly Before the Snow Has Gone
- 185 audio storiesacross Banff’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grizzly Bear, Brown Bear, Gray Wolf, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 162 trails, 90 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“…Loved the commentary as you drove thru. I’m sure the app can do more than I know but the tips were very helpful. I’m gonna use it when we go to Banff next month.”
Trail guide
Hiking Big Beehive Trail
Getting to the real startLake Agnes Tea House is reached by walking 3.9 km one way from Lake Louise Lakeshore.
Lake Agnes Tea House is reached by walking 3.9 km one way from Lake Louise Lakeshore. Add the Big Beehive spur and return to the shore the same way, and the full outing is about 10.8 km round trip. Allow 3.5 to 4 hours overall: Lake Agnes itself is usually estimated at 2.5 to 3 hours return, and the Big Beehive spur adds about an hour. The tea house sits beside Lake Agnes and serves light lunches, desserts and drinks during its usual operating season, from early June to early October. If that is more than you want, Lake Agnes makes a good shorter turnaround.
The climb from Lake AgnesFrom the tea house, take the Big Beehive branch around the lake and onto a rocky, rooty…
From the tea house, take the Big Beehive branch around the lake and onto a rocky, rooty mountain path. It crosses a stream on large stones, then climbs the slope below Devil’s Thumb through a set of steep switchbacks. The grade eases briefly at a junction, but keep following the marked Big Beehive route: the final stretch grows rockier and less defined, with protruding stones and short ups and downs. This is a moderate hike on the map, but the short mileage hides a sustained climb and uneven footing.
Keep going past the shelterA wooden shelter is the first obvious stop on the ridge.
A wooden shelter is the first obvious stop on the ridge. The fuller panorama opens farther along the trail, so continue past it to the end rather than turning back at the building. From the lookout, Lake Louise lies below, Mirror Lake sits beneath Big Beehive, and Little Beehive rises across the basin. For a useful phone photo, include the far-shore hotel with the lake; it gives the view a clear sense of scale.
Parking, dogs and the descentThe full walk starts at Lake Louise Lakeshore, then climbs to Lake Agnes before the Big Beehive…
The full walk starts at Lake Louise Lakeshore, then climbs to Lake Agnes before the Big Beehive spur begins. Lakeshore parking is paid and very limited, so plan ahead and consider the Park and Ride or shuttle option. Dogs are allowed on summer trails unless a restriction is posted; keep them leashed and under control. The descent follows the same steep switchbacks and rough rocks, so take your time on the way down too.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Banff
123 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
150 sightingsBrown BearMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
44 sightingsGray WolfMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
12 sightingsRiver OtterMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
69 sightingsMooseMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
466 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 9 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Banff. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
