Lake Louise Inn

This trail starts in the village and follows a steady incline all the way up to Lake Louise. Spots of the trail closer to the lake are more susceptible to being iced over, making it a little difficult to navigate at times when not hiking here in summer. Overall, this is a great hike and the lake views once you reach the top are spectacular but take note of the icy conditions for winter.

This is a route that is best completed as an easy cycle on a wide gravel path, with a very manageable grade. This is a good trail to come to for a leisurely experience around Lake Louise, since other trails are much more popular and quick moving. There are however, not many stellar views, but there is a lovely white-water rushing river, as well as the destination of Lake Louise itself to keep you motivated. Only the tramline section from the town to the lake is accessible to mountain bikes.

The publicly accessible trailhead is at the northern end of the loop near the train station where visitors can park for the day. The trail also runs past the Lake Louise Campground but visitors must be staying at the campground in order to park in those spaces for the day. The trail may occasionally be closed due to bear activity, and sections on the west side of the river are closed from May 15 to October 15. Overall, this is an easy and mostly flat trail that folks will enjoy with...

The trail is relatively easy, well-marked, not too busy, and there are a few options for making longer loops if desired during the summer. During winter, this is a fun cross-country ski loop in Banff. You will follow a small section of Trail 20, a blue trail, and then head out on the moderate climbs and descents through forests and occasional open spaces that make up the Pipestone Loop.

The Bow Valley Parkway Scenic Drive is a 51 kilometre alternate route between Banff and Lake Louise. It is a narrow two-lane road with a much slower speed limit of 60km/h compared to the nearby Trans Canada Highway 1. This route is not fenced like the Trans Canada Highway that runs through Banff, so there are chances to see wildlife right along the roadside. Keep an eye out for deer, elk, wolves, coyotes and grizzly bear. Early morning and just before dusk offer the best chances to see...