Lake Louise, Banff: Plain of Six Glaciers and Lake Agnes Hike

With a 5-star hotel on its shore, red canoes peppering its turquoise waters, and the imposing Victoria Glacier looming off in the distance, Lake Louise is a gem in the basket of riches that is the Canadian Rockies. This is the story of a classic Banff hike: one that traverses ancient forests, verdant valleys, and lakes as still as a mirror, ending with a intimate look at the glaciers that carved this place into existence.

Our day started early, at barely 5:30am. Without even having breakfast, we hopped in the car and drove to the Lake Louise parking lot in the darkness. We trudged towards the lake, where hordes of people already lined the lakeshore, flourishing cameras and selfie sticks. We would soon join them, finding a fortuitous spot in the dense crowd. The sunrise that followed, however, made it all worth it.

As the sun’s rays hit the glacier ahead, the sky turned to blue and we were treated to Lake Louise’s full brilliance, a sight that’s hard to believe if you’ve only seen pictures of it. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned about Banff, it’s that the pictures are no exaggeration. In fact, they hardly do this place justice.

We went back to the car for a quick breakfast, cereal washed down with almond milk straight from the carton. And then at around 7am, we were off on the trail to Lake Agnes. The trail is known as one of the more “civilized” ways to see the Rockies; it’s a wide, sloping ascent that offers occasional glimpses back down to the turquoise lake through the thick conifers.

Our first destination was Mirror Lake, perched under the Big Beehive. It was challenging to get a shot without other hikers in it, which brings me to the only real con of this hike—the amount of people. I’d still wholeheartedly recommend it, because the scenery-effort ratio is just incredible, which became more and more evident as the day progressed.

We climbed some steps to the teahouse at Lake Agnes, which really should have swapped names with Mirror Lake. The stillness in the water was absolutely surreal, as was the length of the line coming out of the teahouse. We saw a couple ground squirrels that looked suspiciously like large chipmunks, no doubt there to feast on the view as well as some tea (no joke, we straight up saw a squirrel drinking out of a paper cup. Mandatory interjection—please do not litter or feed the wildlife!).

We circled the lake and climbed a series of steep switchbacks to get to the top of the Big Beehive, which we had seen earlier from Mirror Lake. From its summit, Lake Louise was visible from a different point of view. The grand Chateau was tiny, and the canoes were little ants.

That was the complete Lake Agnes trail—but we wanted to do the full hike to the Plain of Six Glaciers teahouse (what is it with these teahouses?). After descending from the Beehive, we took the Highline Trail and entered what can only be described as a magical, verdant valley. The lush vegetation contrasted with the starkness of the rocks and ice ahead.

The clouds that had been foreshadowing rain finally gave in, and we climbed the last few switchbacks to the teahouse in a drizzle. We took refuge there and warmed up with some coffee as the rain continued. After a short break, we decided to hike the remaining 1 km extension of the Six Glaciers trail to the end of the valley, to come face to face with the Continental Divide.

This was a distant world from the valley we had hiked through. Rock and ice reigned supreme, and we could hear thunderous rumbles as parts of the glacier cracked. Looking back, Lake Louise and the Chateau, where we had watched the sunrise hours ago, were miniscule. And so were we, as individuals—how small we were at the foot of the glacier, how trivial in comparison to the forces that shaped this land eons ago. And yet together, in the span of generations, we have collectively contributed to an inadverdent pushback against the natural order of things. These glaciers that have lasted for thousands of years will not endure forever.

The descent to the teahouse, and then back through the valley was quick. It was a day of overwhelming views and sensations. We arrived back at the flat trail along the lakeshore and quickly returned to civilization.

Practical tips

• The parking lot at Lake Louise fills up early. So, combine your day hike with a sunrise. It’s the best way to ensure you get a parking spot, and you’ll start your day off with a phenomenal experience!
• Most of the trails in this area, even the difficult ones, are exceedingly busy. Know that Lake Louise is not the place for solitude.
• If you end up at the Plain of Six Glaciers teahouse (not the Lake Agnes one), the 1 km extension to the end of the valley is an absolute must. The views from the teahouse itself aren’t that great; to see (and feel) the glaciers you have to come face to face with them. It’s truly a spiritual experience.