Parking
Use the Taylor Creek day-use area/Taylor Lake parking lot, about 8 km west of Castle Junction and 17 km east of Lake Louise. The trail begins at the locked gate and stairs at the back of the lot; use designated parking only.
Overview
About O'Brien Lake
Why go
- Quiet alpine lake beneath Mount Bell with larches and subalpine scenery
- Shared Taylor Lake approach is well established and easy to follow to the junction
Heads up
- Long, sustained climb with a rougher and less-maintained final section
- Muddy, rooty, and slippery terrain can make the O’Brien branch slow
O’Brien Lake is a quieter alpine-lake destination beneath Mount Bell, with subalpine forest, larches, meadows, and a more secluded shoreline than nearby Taylor Lake. The route is a good choice for hikers who want a full-day outing and are comfortable with a less-maintained final section.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy goMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Banff map
Full mapElevation1,472–2,119 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
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 O'Brien Lake, 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
Fire Followers: Woodpeckers in Burned ForestsListen
“If you’re passing through a burned forest, you're in the territory of some special birds. Look for black-backed and American three-toed woodpeckers.”
Plays on the road 1.2 km from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Life Beneath the Lanes: Banff's Wildlife Crossings
- Castle Mountain Internment Camp: A Hidden WWI Story
- Baker Creek Resort: Unplugged Log Cabins by the Creek
- Storm Mountain Lookout: River, Rails, and Peaks
- 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 O'Brien Lake
Route and distanceStart at the Taylor Creek day-use area and follow the Taylor Lake Trail to the signed…
Start at the Taylor Creek day-use area and follow the Taylor Lake Trail to the signed O’Brien/Taylor junction. Turn onto O’Brien Lake Trail and continue to the lake shore. This record represents the O’Brien Lake route only; the short Taylor Lake spur is not included. It is an out-and-back: the stored line follows the physical corridor once from the trailhead to the lake, while the visitor distance is about 10.4 miles (16.7 km) round trip.
Route characterThe shared approach is a long, steady forest climb beside Taylor Creek, with roots, rocks,…
The shared approach is a long, steady forest climb beside Taylor Creek, with roots, rocks, muddy sections, and occasional wooden walkways. After the junction, the O’Brien branch becomes less maintained, with slippery rocks and roots, short up-and-down sections, and less certain tread. The route is moderate-to-challenging because of its distance, sustained climb, and rougher final section rather than technical scrambling.
Access and logisticsThe trailhead is the Taylor Creek day-use area, about 8 km west of Castle Junction and 17 km…
The trailhead is the Taylor Creek day-use area, about 8 km west of Castle Junction and 17 km east of Lake Louise. Park in the Taylor Lake parking lot and begin at the locked gate and stairs at the back of the lot. Use designated parking only. The O’Brien branch is not an official Parks Canada named trail, so download the route before leaving service and do not assume the final section is maintained like the Taylor Lake approach.
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.
