Last updated on August 30th, 2024 at 02:10 pm
If you are planning to visit Lake Louise in the summer you’ve definitely heard of the Lake Agnes Tea House hike! This stunning hike is perfect to complete as a half day out and back or can be extended by continuing on to either of the beehives for incredible views over Lake Louise itself. For many though the Lake Agnes Tea House hike is the ultimate destination.
Note that the Lake Agnes tea house hike is not a year round hike and should only be completed in the summer and fall. It crosses through major avalanche terrain in winter and is not safe for anyone without the proper training.
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Key Stats For The Lake Agnes Tea House Hike
Distance: 3.4km one way
Elevation: 385m gain
Time: 3 hours
Bring cash for the teahouse. It is typically open from early June to Thanksgiving weekend.
There are beautiful larch trees surrounding Lake Agnes, this is a GREAT fall hike.
How to Hike To The Lake Agnes Tea House
From the parking area and bus drop off at Lake Louise, follow the lake shore trail as it winds in front of the Chateau Lake Louise. A small wooden set of steps on the right hand sign, along with a trail sign, points you in the direction of the Lake Agnes Tea House hike.
The steady climb begins almost immediately! But the trail for the Lake Agnes Tea House hike is a popular one so it’s wide and well beaten. There are glimpses of the blue Lake Louise as you gain elevation but otherwise the hike is mostly in the trees as it switches back.
Eventually you pop out at Mirror Lake, a beautiful spot with a big wide area beside it, perfect to sit, enjoy the view and have a picnic on a nice day! It is backed with the big beehive and makes quite the striking spot to stop and marvel in the majesty of the mountains.
When leaving Mirror Lake, keep right, following the signs for the Lake Agnes Tea House hike, taking the trail on the other side of Mirror Lake will lead you the long way round to the Big Beehive.
From Mirror Lake the Lake Agnes Tea House hike gets steeper, with loose rocks and much rougher trail to contend with. That being said, the views rapidly start to open up, making a welcome distraction for the hard work it takes to handle this section of the trail.
You’ll come across a junction, turn right to head to the Little Beehive, a gorgeous lookout over Lake Louise, you can then backtrack and descend to Lake Agnes. Stay on the trail to go directly to Lake Agnes, the trail continues for a short way before a set of stairs takes you up beside the waterfall which flows out of Lake Agnes. At the top of the steps you’ll find yourself on the Lake Agnes lakeshore. The teahouse is a few moments away.
If you want to grab a bite at the Lake Agnes Tea house make sure to bring cash and be prepared for a wait as the line is often long. You can check out the menu ahead of time to make sure you have enough money to cover everything you want.
For many this will be the end of the Lake Agnes Tea House hike, turn around and return the way you came and enjoy the elevation loss after the hard work!
If you want to explore the area more, you can add on the Little Beehive and/or the BIg Beehive hike. The Big Beehive trail is very steep and I’d recommend good shoes and poles to complete it. The Little Beehive is slightly more forgiving. Both offer excellent views out over Lake Louise.
Getting To The Trailhead
Lake Louise is a busy place in summer! You’ll need to arrive very early if you want to get a parking space in order to do the Lake Agnes Tea House hike. If you successfully get a spot you’ll then need to pay to park, which is $36.75 for the day.
If this doesn’t sound appealing to you, my favorite option is to book the Parks Canada shuttle which leaves from the Lake Louise ski resort. While some seats are available to book when reservations open in April, a certain number of seats are released three days prior at 8am for those who want to plan more at the last minute.
If you are travelling from Banff you can also book the Roam public bus which will take you direct from the Town of Banff to Lake Louise. These spots sell out, especially the morning buses so book as far in advance as you can.
There are also a number of private shuttles which you can book to take you to Lake Louise, although typically this is a more expensive option than the others I suggested.
Things You Might Need To Complete The Hike
The Lake Agnes tea house hike is not one to be underestimated, it gains a fair amount of elevation over a relatively short distance, you’ll want a good pair of shoes to complete this hike! Either a solid pair of hiking boots or trail shoes will do you well on this trail.
If you value your knees, hiking poles might be handy, especially for the descent. Although they aren’t needed you may feel more comfortable using them.
Make sure to take plenty of water, it can get hot on the trail and there are very few water sources until you reach Lake Agnes. I also like to add Nuun tablets to help with hydration.
Even though this trail is usually very busy, it is still very much in bear country. Pack bear spray and make sure you know how to use it.
Lasty, if you want to grab a bite at the Lake Agnes Tea House, take cash!
Places To Stay Nearby
There are some great campgrounds in Lake Louise, designed for soft and hard sided campers. Reservations can be hard to come by though, so plan in advance if you want to stay here. You will still need to book a shuttle separately to get to the lake or you can add on some kilometers and elevation and follow a trail up to the lakeshore!
For those looking for a little more luxury there are a number of hotels in the town of Lake Louise. For those on a budget, check out the HI Lake Louise. At the other end of the spectrum is the Fairmont Lake Louise, located right on the lakeshore, locations don’t get any better than this! For a more middle of the road price, check out the Mountaineer Lodge in town, they can help organise your shuttle to the lake directly from the hotel at an extra cost.
