If you have seen the pictures of Lake Louise you’ll be familiar with the gorgeous turquoise colour of the water, on a previous visit in September 2015 I marvelled the colours for myself, but this time when I visited in late May 2022 the lake was still largely frozen as the seasons slowly changed from winter to spring. After the initial disappointment I was actually quite pleased I got to see a different side to the lake. It’s still stunningly beautiful, framed by mountains and glaciers in the distance, and a winter wonderland worth seeing.
You can hike a handful of trails on the shores, the Fairview Lookout is an easy walk (about 45 mins) and provides picturesque views of the lake and the iconic Chateau Fairmont Lake Louise, if you fancy a bit more of a challenge you can take the three hour round trip up to Lake Agnes Tea House – you’ll need a moderate level of fitness as its steep in places, but well worth (note: this trial was closed when I visited in May 2022 due to winter conditions, but I hiked it on a previous visit in Sept 2015 so check the local conditions before you set off).
The hub of Lake Louise is the Chateau Fairmont, open to non-residents you can dine here, enjoy the facilities and if you choose to stay here there are a number of lake activities to take part in. In winter there’s ice skating on the lake, snow shoeing, dog sledding and more. In the summer the iconic red kayaks dot the lake or there’s horse riding on the trails.
If you are exploring the Rockies, a stop at Lake Louise is a must, it’s one of the most beautiful destinations I have visited. You could easily just spend the day here and then return back to Banff (about 40 mins away), or to make the most of the surrounds and the scenery an overnight stay would be a good addition to your itinerary.
