How to Hike The Lake Agnes Tea House Trail

The Lake Agnes Tea House hike is a classic hike in Banff National Park that provides access to stunning natural landscapes and finishes at a historic tea house. The trail begins at Lake Louise and ends at the Lake Louise Tea House and has grown to be one of the most popular hikes in the park.

It has a rich history. The Lake Agnes Tea House (commonly referred to as the Banff Tea House or Lake Louise Tea House) dates back to 1901, and its name is derived from Canada’s first First Lady, Lady Agnes MacDonald.

Lake Agnes is a stunning alpine lake set inside a breathtaking cirque formed by the peaks of Mt. Saint Piran, Mount Niblock, and Mount Whyte.

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Lake Agnes Tea House Hike (Lake Louise Tea House)

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Hiking to Lake Agnes: Key Points

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Lake Agnes Tea House Hike Route Description

Starting from Lake Louise Lakeshore, the Lake Agnes Tea House hike follows the lake’s north shoreline. Right from the start, views of the lake are astounding, and it is no mystery why millions visit the lake every year.

Turquoise blue lake water, soaring peaks, forests, and the stunning Mount Victoria, topped by an expansive glacier, make for one of the most ideal settings on earth. No matter how often you see it in person, it is a sight that never grows old.

The lakeside trail is where you’ll see most hikers heading, as it is the start of the vast majority of hikes around Lake Louise. Finding the trailhead is pretty simple to Lake Agnes, but you have two options for the route, and it allows hikers to avoid taking the same trail in and out.

We recommend taking the trail to Lake Agnes and Mirror Lake first, as it’s more of a gradual climb and offers better sights along the route. As you leave the crowded shore of Lake Louise, you’ll begin a gradual climb on a wide trail that follows a series of long switchbacks to the first stop.

You’ll get a few fleeting glimpses of Lake Louise until you’re surrounded by a spruce forest as the trail moves around to Mirror Lake and Lake Agnes.

Mirror Lake is the first highlight, offering great views of the Big Beehive. While the lake is not as vibrant as Lake Louise, it does have some blue color and serves as a nice foreground to Big Beehive. From this angle, it’s pretty easy to see where the namesake comes from, as it quite literally looks like a very, very big beehive.

From Mirror Lake, the trail moves to the right, following signs to Lake Agnes and the Beehive hikes. From here, the trail continues to climb through a series of switchbacks where the occasional opening of the forest allows views of the soaring peaks surrounding it.

You have two options from Mirror Lake up to Lake Agnes, but the trail to the right is more scenic with a small waterfall and provides access to the Little Beehive hike. It’s also the route you’ll want to take if you want to continue and complete the Beehive Circuit.

The Little Beehive is a 1.2-kilometer round trip detour from Lake Agnes and not too difficult, so it’s a great addition that should not be missed. It rises to a nice ridge with fantastic views of Lake Louise and Mount Fairview.

On the lookout, a series of large rocks make for a great place to take photos and clamber along the ridge edge. The view from the Little Beehive does differ from the Big Beehive, and it generally sees fewer hikers, even though it is easier than the Big Beehive.

From the Little Beehive, the trail can either descend the same way back to the original trail to catch a view of the waterfall coming off of Lake Agnes. Or take a shortcut directly to Lake Agnes and the Tea House. Hikers that forgo the Little Beehive will catch some great waterfall views before arriving at Lake Agnes and the tea house.

The historic Lake Agnes Tea House dates back to 1905 and has served hikers for over a century. Even if you are not getting tea or pastry, it’s worth checking out the wooded Banff tea house just to get a sense of the history and its close ties to the conservation movement in North America. It’s not an all around restaurant, but you will be able to grab a few treats there.

By 9am in the summer, a long line forms outside the tea house, and the Lake Louise Tea House is packed with visitors. If you’re lucky enough to arrive around the opening of the tea house at 08:00 a.m., it’s worth having a cup of tea before more hiking in the area.

After visiting the Lake Louise Tea House, take in the views of Lake Agnes and epic cirque formed by Mount St Piran, Niblock, Whyte, and the Devil’s Thumb. A trail goes around the lake’s Northwest side, and it’s worth the trek to get a different vantage point of Lake Agnes, even if you do not plan to hike any further up.

We particularly love some of the large rocks at the end of the lake, which is a perfect spot for picnics and does not disturb the natural environment off-trail.

From the end of Lake Agnes, the trail continues up to the Big Beehive, which requires another half hour of hiking to the ridge. The Big Beehive, much like the Little Beehive, offers some fantastic jaw-dropping views of Lake Louise and the surrounding area. If you have the strength, we can not recommend the hike enough.

There are several routes down from Lake Agnes. If you climb up to the Big Beehive, we suggest you take the route down towards the Plain of Six Glaciers trail. For those descending from Lake Agnes for some variety, take the shorter trail across the bridge from the Lake Agnes Tea House and down the staircase. It’s shorter and provides some variety to hike back down to Lake Louise.

The staircase also provides some views of the waterfall from another angle, a quick glimpse of the valley and the Little Beehive.

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Gear We Recommend for Hiking in the Rockies

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Tips For Hiking to the Lake Agnes Tea House

If you’re up for the hike, it’s well worth the addition of the Little Beehive or Big Beehive, or possibly even Mount Saint Piran for some extraordinary views of Lake Louise. The views from the two vantage points do not require much more work than the Lake Agnes hike, and they offer surreal views out over Lake Louise and the Bow Valley. Quite literally, it may be the most beautiful landscape you’ll ever see. If you are a scrambler, you can also consider hiking to Devil’s Thumb above the Big Beehive.

Please, try and refrain from the use of the restroom facilities at Lake Agnes. First of all, there’s only two, and there will likely be a long line up. There is no sewage, and a long drop toilet is used to collect human waste. Due to the sheer number of hikers who choose to use the restroom at Lake Agnes, a helicopter collection of sewage is needed to remove the waste.

That’s right, the helicopter many hikers will see is not dropping off supplies but collecting hiker’s poop. There are public restrooms at Lake Louise that we recommend using before you start the hike. This applies to facilities around the park, but please treat them with respect. The amount of time, money, and resources required to manage human waste would be shocking to most.

The Banff tea house is bustling, and you’ll often have to wait in line to get a cup of tea or baked goods from the historic business. If you want to enjoy the experience, arrive early in the morning when they open at 8:00 or go for an evening hike as they close at 5:00 p.m. Otherwise, the Lake Louise Tea House is most busy from 10:00 until 2:00 p.m. when most visitors arrive at Lake Agnes.

The Lake Agnes Tea House only accepts Canadian and US Dollars. If you want to purchase something, come prepared with cash on hand. Due to the exchange rate, it’s best to pay with Canadian Dollars.

Staff members carry garbage down daily, so if you can pack your own garbage out it would be greatly appreciated!

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Lake Agnes Tea House Hike Duration

The hike up Lake Agnes is 3.5 km long and climbs about 400 meters in elevation. There are several worthwhile stops along the way and plenty of trails for detours in the area.

On average, the hike up to Lake Agnes should take between one to two hours. A roundtrip journey takes around three to four hours; of course, it’s very easy for the hike to take more or less time depending on your ability, fitness, and whether you decide to go to the Beehives.

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How Hard is the Lake Louise Tea House Hike?

In our opinion, the Lake Agnes Tea House hike is straightforward and should be appropriate for most visitors to the park. If you’re extremely limited in physical abilities, it may not be the best choice as the hike climbs 400 meters. The reward is well worth the work as Lake Agnes is one of the most scenic spots in all of Banff National Park. If you continue on to the Beehives, you won’t regret it!

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When Can You Hike to Lake Agnes?

The Lake Louise Tea House trail is best done in the summer months from June – September. In the shoulder months of May and October, hikers should expect to find snow and ice on the trail, but not enough to make navigation of the trail too difficult. Lake Louise and Lake Agnes are frozen in the winter months and should melt around late May or early June.

Of course, the weather is seasonal; every year, the melt date is different, and it can extend well into June. In 2019, we visited in early June and found ice-free lakes. In 2020, Lake Agnes was not thawed until mid-June.

The Lake Agnes Tea House is open daily from mid June at 8:00 am to 5:00 pm and closes around Canadian Thanksgiving (mid October).

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How Popular is This Trail?

Aside from the hike through Johnston Canyon off the Bow Valley Parkway, the hike to Lake Agnes is the most popular in all of Banff National Park. Despite this, you’ll be surprised by the number of people who only visit Lake Louise and who do not choose to venture up to Lake Agnes.

It’s been said that nearly 80% of visitors to Banff, Yoho, and Jasper venture further than 1 kilometer from the road or parking lots.

As you progress through the hike, you’ll increasingly find yourself alone on the trail, and it’s possible to find some isolation along the Lake Agnes shoreline. That being said, if you’re looking for peace and quiet, the Lake Agnes trail is not for you unless you are the first up to the lake or the last one to descend for the day. We took the photo above at around 9:00 p.m. after summiting Mount Niblock. At that time we were some of the last in the area.

The Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse is another teahouse in the area that is not as popular of a hike as Lake Agnes, and it’s another great option if you want to see fewer people on the trail.

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Should You Bring Dogs & Kids?

The trail is appropriate for most hikers who feel comfortable walking uphill. If you’d like to take the detours to the Little Beehive or Big Beehive, it would be appropriate for anyone of moderate fitness.

I’d say kids from ages six years old and up, maybe even younger. Strollers will not work on the rugged trail, but you should be fine hiking to the lake if you have a baby carrier.

Dogs should be able to handle the trail just fine. Just keep in mind the hike is over 7 km (round trip) in length, so small dogs may struggle with the length while large dogs will handle the trail with ease. Also, remember dogs must always be on a leash in the national park for the safety of fellow hikers, the dog, and wildlife.

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Parking at Lake Louise

The toughest part of the Lake Agnes hike may not actually be the hike itself for you, but instead it will be to score parking at Lake Louise. It’s best to use the Lake Louise shuttle rather than fight for parking at Lake Louise in the summer. Paid parking is also in effect at Lake Louise during the summer season. We break down everything you need to know about parking at Lake Louise here.

Our Ultimate Guide Detailing How To Get To Lake Louise

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Cell Service at Lake Louise

You can get a cell signal at Lake Louise, though not at Lake Agnes. That being said, I have received text messages at the Little Beehive.

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Is Lake Agnes a Good Larch Season Hike?

There are some larch trees that turn golden around Lake Agnes in late September. However, it’s far from our favorite larch hike in the Rockies. If you’re after larch trees, you can see our favorite larch season hikes in Alberta. If you hike above Lake Agnes to Big Beehive or complete the Devil’s Thumb scramble, you’ll be able to see a sea of golden larches from above come the third week of September.

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Wildlife on the Lake Agnes Trail

Being in Banff in the Lake Louise area, you always stand a chance to see wildlife, including bears. Truthfully, the only thing I’ve ever seen around Lake Agnes are chipmunks, pikas, and marmots. It’s an incredibly busy spot, and bears don’t exactly like that.

Please don’t feed these animals, no matter how adorable they are. Every year, hikers feed chipmunks peanuts or whatever else they have in their pack in an attempt to get a photo, and this should be avoided. Please leave nature wild and leave no trace.

It’s unlikely you’ll come across a bear on the trail as it’s so heavily frequented. Nevertheless, it’s always important to still carry bear spray on any hikes in Banff.

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Advice on Hikes in the Canadian Rockies

• If this is your first time hiking in the Rockies, take a conservative approach. Pick an adequate hike for your fitness, plan for plenty of time, pack water and food, and don’t be afraid to turn around.
• For long hikes, set a turnaround time at the departure. Whenever we set out for an objective, I determine a time at which we need to turn around to arrive at the parking lot or campsite by dark. I would recommend not hiking in the dark as it’s easy to get lost and it’s not fun in bear country.
• Always carry bear spray if you plan to hike in the park. We carry ours in our neighborhood, and bears have been known to stroll through town and busy parking lots. Always practice wildlife awareness when you’re on a trail, and please give animals space.

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What to Wear On a Hike?

The most basic principle of what to wear hiking is layering. Anyone who has spent time in the wilderness or mountains can speak to the fact your temperature can fluctuate a lot on a hike. You can easily start off cool at the mountain base and get hot as soon as you begin moving.

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Other Easy Hikes in Banff

You don’t have to be an experienced mountaineer to enjoy the Canadian Rockies. It’s very easy to find several great trails that should be appropriate for all visitors. We’ve compiled a few of the most popular easy hikes in the Rockies that everyone can enjoy.

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Things to Do at Lake Louise

After taking in the spectacular scenery, go for a hike, climb, ski, or canoe in Banff National Park. Lake Louise is an image that will last with you for a lifetime. It’s hard to find a more majestic and awe-inspiring place in the world than Lake Louise.

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Hopefully, this helped you plan your route up to the Lake Agnes Tea House! If you have any other questions leave a comment or see our Canadian Rockies travel guide for more articles about photography spots, lakes, hikes, and everything else.

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