IN LAKE LOUISE

BANFF NATIONAL PARK

This year as Banff National Park celebrates its

125th anniversary as the first national park in
Canada, we bring you the top five recommended
hikes in Lake Louise during the Fall Festival.
Top 5 Fall Hikes in Lake Louise
as Recommended by Locals

Each autumn, the alpine larch tree’s needles turn a

spectacular shade of yellow, contrasting beautifully against
a backdrop of dark blue sky and the snow-capped Rocky
Mountains. Larches – combined with the number of giant
11,000ft peaks, glaciers and alpine lakes – make the area
around Lake Louise truly unique. It is an experience you will
never forget. The peak time for viewing the larches at their
best colour is mid to late September.

These 5 hikes are our top picks for seeing the

larch trees in the most memorable settings.

1. The aptly named “Larch Valley” –

4.3km one way; 535m elevation gain;
3.5 to 4 hour round trip.

• Level of Difficulty: Difficult

• Trailhead: Drive 14km from Lake Louise along the Moraine
Lake road and begin just beyond the Moraine Lake Lodge.
There’s no better place to see the larches at their best. This hike
takes you into the larch forest high above Moraine Lake where
the views of the Ten Peaks are breathtaking. Group of 4 required.

1.a Alternate hike to Eiffel Lake –

5.6km one way; 370m elevation gain;
4.5 hour round trip (from parking lot)

• Level of Difficulty: Moderate

• Trailhead: The trail to Eiffel Lake splits off from the Larch
Valley trail. This is a less difficult alternative to a neighbouring
area where you will find a glorious alpine lake and a
panoramic view of the Valley of the Ten Peaks.

2. Saddleback –
3.7km; 595m elevation gain;
3 to 4 hour round trip

• Level of Difficulty: Difficult

• Trailhead: Follow the Saddleback trail on the boathouse
side of the lake. Rising steadily above Lake Louise up to
the Saddleback, you will be captivated by views of Mount
Temple and Paradise Valley.
 3. Lake Agnes –
3.4km one way; 385m elevation gain;
2.5 to 3 hour round trip

• Level of Difficulty: Moderate

• Trailhead: Start at the Upper Lake Louise parking area,
4km from the village of Lake Louise.
• Side trip to the Little Beehive – 1km one way;
135m elevation gain from Lake Agnes. Lake Agnes and
a quaint European-style tea house await you on a tarn
tucked underneath towering peaks at the end of a
well-maintained trail.

4. Arnica Lake –
5.1km one way; 120m elevation loss;
580m elevation gain; 5 hour round trip

• Level of Difficulty: Difficult

• Trailhead: Vista Lake Viewpoint on Highway 93 South,
8km south of Castle Junction
• Continue on to Twin Lakes – total (including Arnica Lake)
8.0km one way; 120m elevation loss; 715m elevation gain,
6 to 7 hour round trip. Arnica Lake is located in a quieter
corner of Banff National Park and is well worth the drive.
Hiking under a canopy of larch trees, the continental divide
will guide you to Arnica and Twin Lakes.

5. Consolation Lakes –
2.9km one way; 65m elevation gain;
2 hour round trip

• Level of Difficulty: Easy

• Trailhead: Drive 14km from Lake Louise along the Moraine
Lake Road and start at the bridge near the Rockpile. Your
hike to Consolation Lakes will reward you along the way
with views of high alpine meadows, enormous talus slopes
and the Quadra Glacier with much less effort than most of
the Moraine Lake Trails. Group of 4 required.

125 Hiking Challenge.

The Grand Nature Club invites you to join the 125 hiking
challenge. Hike 125km of trails in any Banff or Lake Louise
National Parks this summer with the Grand Nature Club and
earn one of our prize packages and a certificate of completion.
Go to www.grandnatureclub.com for more information.
Racing for the
First Ascent

Lake Louise is renowned as one of the birthplaces of Canadian

mountain guiding. When the Canadian Pacific Railway
opened up the Canadian Rockies to visitors from around the
world, the mountains quickly received a reputation for having
some of the best climbing opportunities in the world.

What made it so exciting was that these mountains had never

been climbed before, unlike the Alps in Europe. The race for
first ascents was on.

However in August 1896, during a small but much publicized

expedition to Mount Lefroy, Phillip Stanley Abbot fell to
his death just feet from the summit, becoming the first man
known to have been killed in Canadian mountaineering.
His tragic death sent a shockwave through North America’s
climbing community. It also influenced Canadian Pacific to
hire their first two professional Swiss mountain guides to lead
guests safely to the summits of their dreams.

Between 1899 and 1954, generations of these Swiss

mountaineers taught thousands of visitors and locals to hike
and climb in the Lake Louise area. Canadian Pacific Swiss
guides were responsible for over 250 first ascents in these
mountains, most of them in the company of hotel guests. The
most amazing legacy of the Swiss guides is that in the 55 years
they guided tourists up difficult mountains, not one person
was seriously injured or hurt.

Most of the hiking trails in and around Lake Louise were

first mapped and created by the Swiss Guides as they created
opportunities for visitors to experience the backcountry
surrounding the hotel. The guiding tradition continues today
at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise with their Mountain
Heritage Guides.

Please refer to Parks Canada’s new “Day Hiking Banff National Park”
brochure for maps and important safety information about these and
other hikes. For additional hiking information, visit Parks Canada Visitor
Information Centre located in Lake Louise.