Banff National Park, AB

Louise Creek Trail

A shady creekside climb from Lake Louise Village to the lake area

Length
5.6km
Time
1.5hr
Elev. change
168m
Difficulty
Easy
  • Dogs allowed
  • High point 1,713 m

Hear the audio tour

Lake Louise Petro-Canada: A Key Fuel Stop

Overview

About Louise Creek Trail

Louise Creek Trail is an easy, forested route from Samson Mall in Lake Louise Village to the Lake Louise Drive/Tramline junction near the lake. It follows Louise Creek through subalpine forest with a steady uphill grade and few open views.

The standard visitor experience is 5.6 km/3.5 miles TOTAL out-and-back (2.9 km/1.8 miles one way), with about 200 m/650 ft of elevation gain and 5 m/16 ft of elevation loss on the one-way route. Allow about 1.5 hours round-trip. The stored line follows the one-way corridor once, from the village-side Louise Creek access to the Lake Louise Drive/Tramline junction; it is not duplicated for the return.

Start at Samson Mall in Lake Louise Village, then follow signs for Louise Creek and use the signed road crossings. The trail follows the creek and connects to the Tramline area near Lake Louise Drive. From the route endpoint, use the signed road/path connection if continuing toward the lakeshore; this Louise Creek entry is not the Lakeshore trail itself.

Expect a compacted forest path with a steady climb, roots and rocks, and occasional creek views. The route is generally straightforward but can be slippery or snowy in shoulder seasons and winter. Pets are allowed on leash. Check Parks Canada for current trail status, wildlife advisories, and parking or shuttle rules before setting out.

Why go

  • A quiet, creekside way to reach the Lake Louise area from the village without driving to the lakeshore
  • Straightforward signed route through shady subalpine forest
  • Manageable distance with benches and creek views along the climb

Heads up

  • Mostly forested, with limited open views before the lake area
  • Steady uphill grade and potentially slippery snow or ice in colder seasons
  • All-day parking in the village and access near the lake can be limited or busy

Map & elevation

The route

Loading the Banff map
Full map
Elevation1,545–1,713 m
TrailheadSamson Mall (Lake Louise Village)51.42485, -116.17928
Keep this map with you offline in the Parkwolf app

Plan your hike

Before you go

Parking

All-day parking in the community of Lake Louise is extremely limited. Start from Samson Mall and park only in designated lots; do not park along the road. The Lake Louise Park and Ride and connecting shuttle service can be practical alternatives, but confirm current Parks Canada parking, shuttle, and reservation rules before visiting.

Safety

The trail climbs steadily and can be rocky, rooty, snowy, or icy. Bears frequent the Lake Louise area: travel in groups, make noise, carry bear spray where permitted, and give wildlife plenty of space. Use care and follow signs at road crossings. Check Parks Canada for current advisories and access conditions.

8 active Banff alerts

  • ClosureLake Louise area trails and access areas closed for wildlifeMentions this trailThe 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
See all 8 alerts
A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone
Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Banff Tour Guide

Your drive to Louise Creek 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.

Recorded for this area

Lake Louise Petro-Canada: A Key Fuel Stop
Listen
“If you need fuel, the station coming up is the main Petro-Canada in the village. This is a key place to top up, especially if you’re driving the Icefields Parkway where gas stations are few and far between.”

Plays on the road 0.2 km from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.

More stories near here in the app

  • Lake Louise Village: Your Base for Adventure
  • The Station Restaurant and Bow River Loop Trail
  • Lake Louise Campground: A Fenced Base with Shuttles
  • Grizzly Buffet on the Ski Slopes
  • 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.”
tesja22App Store review
Download Parkwolf on the App StoreGet Parkwolf on Google Play

4.7 from 8,600+ ratings

Wildlife

Wildlife in Banff

All Banff wildlife maps

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Banff. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.

Keep exploring

Near Louise Creek Trail

See it all on the map

Trails that start nearby

Places near the trailhead

Parkwolf’s Banff ranking

Top-rated trails in Banff

All 177 trails
  1. 1Moraine Lake RockpileEasy · 0.8 km
  2. 2Larch Valley and Sentinel PassChallenging · 11.1 km
  3. 3Sentinel PassChallenging · 11.3 km
  4. 4Parker Ridge TrailEasy · 5.5 km
  5. 5Big Beehive TrailModerate · 10.5 km
  6. 6Sunshine Meadows LoopModerate · 11.9 km

Take Parkwolf to Banff.

The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.

4.7 from 8,600+ ratings

Download Parkwolf on the App StoreGet Parkwolf on Google Play