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Outdoors

Lake Agnes Tea House Trail Hike

A well-maintained trail climbs from the Lake Louise shoreline to Lake Agnes, a lake below high peaks with a seasonal tea house. From the lake, side trails lead to the Little Beehive, once the site of a fire lookout, and the Big Beehive, which looks down on Lake Louise and the Chateau.

For The Reps · Updated

hike scenery for Lake Agnes Tea House Trail near Banff, Alberta
Photo: Chateau Lake Louise from Big Beehive (15340411650) by Wilson Hui from Calgary, Canada, CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0). Via Wikimedia Commons.
Where
Banff, Alberta, Canada
Distance
7.8 km return (3.9 km each way)
Climb
495 m
Time
2.5-3 hours
Difficulty
Moderate

The route

Lake Agnes Trail from the Lake Louise Lakeshore, out and back.

The trail starts at the Lake Louise Lakeshore, 4 km from the community of Lake Louise. Parking there is paid and usually full before sunrise in summer, so most people come on a reserved Parks Canada shuttle from the Lake Louise Park and Ride or on Roam Transit Route 8X from Banff.

When to go

The tea house opens from early June to early October; Parks Canada says the trail is exposed to avalanche hazard and does not recommend it from mid-October to mid-June.

Permits and fees

You need a Banff National Park pass (adult day pass $12.25 in 2026). You also need either paid parking at the Lake Louise Lakeshore ($42 per vehicle per day, 15 May to 12 October 2026) or a reserved Parks Canada shuttle seat (adult $12.75 plus a $3.50 online booking fee in 2026), which does not include park entry.

Before you go

  • The tea house serves light lunches, desserts and drinks and takes cash only; it opens 8 am to 5 pm in season.
  • Bring your own water and pack out your recycling and rubbish.
  • Add the Little Beehive (about 0.9 km beyond Lake Agnes) or the Big Beehive (about 1.5 km beyond the lake) for wider views.
  • Shuttle seats sell out, and Parks Canada says you should expect to wait at least 30 minutes for a shuttle at busy times.

What to bring

  • Shoes with grip that you have already worn in
  • At least 1.5 litres of water
  • Food you will actually want to eat
  • A warm or waterproof layer
  • The route, saved offline
  • Sun cream and a hat

Getting ready for it

If your longest walk lately is under two hours, do a few longer walks first, ideally with some climbing and the pack you will carry.

Step-ups and lunges twice a week make the descents much easier on your knees.

Staying safe

  • Avalanche terrain: Parks Canada advises against high-elevation trails in this area from November to June.
  • Bear warnings, minimum group size requirements and closures may be in place; check the Banff trail report before you go.
  • Tell someone your route and when you expect to be back.
  • Turn around if the weather turns or the footing gets sketchy. The trail will still be there.

Route details checked September 30, 2026 against pcweb2.azureedge.net, web.archive.org, parks.canada.ca and parks.canada.ca. Rules and closures change, so check before you go.