Parking
Use the Lake Louise lakeshore access near Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. Parking is limited and busy in peak season; consider the Parks Canada shuttle and check current reservation and access requirements before travelling.
Overview
About Lake Agnes Tea House
Why go
- Historic seasonal tea house at the alpine-lake destination
- Mirror Lake, waterfall, and Lake Louise mountain scenery
Heads up
- Very popular, with queues and heavy trail traffic
- Steady 400 m climb with stairs and busy-access logistics
Lake Agnes is a classic Lake Louise ascent to an alpine lake and historic seasonal tea house. It combines a steady mountain climb, Mirror Lake, a waterfall, and a distinctive destination in a compact out-and-back hike.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy hike itMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Banff map
Full mapElevation1,738–2,156 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
8 active Banff alerts
- ClosureLake Louise area trails and access areas closed for wildlifeMentions Lake Louise, referenced in this guideThe Bow River Trail, Louise Creek Trail, lower Tramline Trail, and Great Divide Trail parking area are closed because the closure prevents wildlife from being displaced from an essential travel…Official details
- ClosureRed Deer River valley bottom closed for ceremonial bison harvestThe Red Deer River valley bottom is closed to the public during an Indigenous ceremonial bison harvest taking place through November.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Banff Tour Guide
Your drive to Lake Agnes Tea House, 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.
Recorded for this area
The Fairmont Chateau and Lake Louise ShorelineListen
“You're now arriving at the main shoreline area of Lake Louise, centered around the historic Fairmont Chateau hotel. This is where you'll find that famous postcard view of the lake and Victoria Glacier.”
Plays on the road 0.2 km from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Teahouses in the Sky: Lake Agnes and Plain of Six Glaciers
- Deer Lodge: A Historic Lodge Near the Lake
- Great Divide Trail: An Easy Walk on an Old Highway
- Paradise Lodge: Walk-In Access to Lake Louise
- 178 audio storiesacross Banff’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grizzly Bear, Brown Bear, Gray Wolf, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 177 trails, 236 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 Lake Agnes Tea House
Route and sceneryStart at the Lake Louise lakeshore near Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise and follow the signed Lake…
Start at the Lake Louise lakeshore near Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise and follow the signed Lake Agnes Trail uphill through forest. The route climbs steadily to Mirror Lake, then continues on switchbacks and steps beside the Lake Agnes waterfall to the tea house and lake shore. This is an out-and-back: the mapped corridor is about 3.3 km one way, while the visitor hike is about 7 km / 4.4 miles round trip. Allow about 2.5–3 hours round trip; elevation gain is roughly 400 m.
Tea house and logisticsThe tea house is seasonal and cash-only, and queues are common during busy periods.
The tea house is seasonal and cash-only, and queues are common during busy periods. The Lake Louise lakeshore trailhead is a busy access point; plan parking or shuttle access through the current Parks Canada arrangements for the Lake Louise area. Dogs should remain on leash.
Safety and variationsExpect a popular, steadily uphill route with stairs and potentially slick sections.
Expect a popular, steadily uphill route with stairs and potentially slick sections. Snow and ice can linger outside the main summer season, and mountain weather changes quickly. The signed trail continues to Lake Agnes; Little Beehive, Big Beehive, and the Plain of Six Glaciers area are separate extensions or hikes, not part of this standard tea-house route.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Banff
122 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
67 sightingsMooseMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
465 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 9 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Banff. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
