15 STUNNING Lake Louise Hikes (from Easy to Hard)
Looking for the best Lake Louise hikes? We share the most popular hikes around the lake and share all of the details in this guide to experience the best hikes around Lake Louise.
These hikes all start from Lake Louise and are certain to have stunning views of the turquoise lake, surrounding mountains, and awe-inspiring glaciers. Any hiker who gets the opportunity to hike around Banff National Park and Lake Louise should consider themself very fortunate.
What’s also great about these trails is their ability to be combined; for example, we hiked Lake Agnes, Little Beehive, Big Beehive, and Mount Niblock all in one day. On another day, we checked off Saddle Mountain and Mount Fairview. Another great option would be to hike the Big Beehive to the Plain of Six Glaciers for an awesome and active day in the mountains. We’ll do our best to note the Lake Louise hikes that are best combined.
When is the Best Time to Hike Around Lake Louise?
Most of these Lake Louise hikes should only be attempted during the summer months, which means mid June to Early October. For the higher elevation hikes like Fairview Summit, Devil’s Thumb, and Saddleback Pass, it’s best to wait until July. Hiking season in the Rockies is short but sweet, so get out there and enjoy it come July, August, and September!
Some of the lower-elevation hikes, like the Lake Louise Lakeshore Trail, Fairview Lookout, and Mirror Lake, make great winter hikes. Please respect your surroundings. Serious avalanches have occurred in the Lake Louise area between October and May, and there have been fatalities. Parks Canada does not “close trails” during periods of bad weather or in the winter. Every hiker is expected to be knowledgeable, aware, and responsible for their own safety.
The Best Lake Louise Hikes
Lake Louise Lakeshore
- Length: 4 km
- Duration: 1 hour
- Elevation Gain: NA
- Difficulty: Easy
- Best Time To Go: Year Round
- Can Combine With: Plain of Six Glaciers
The Lake Louise Lakeshore is the easiest walk you can complete in the Lake Louise area. This route circles Lake Louise’s eastern section with no elevation gain. This nice, easy trail is well-maintained and always provides astonishing views. The trail ends at the start of the Plain of Six Glaciers Trail and is about 2km one way. If you decide to walk the whole trail and back, expect it to take you around 1 hour.
Fairview Lookout
- Length: 2 km
- Duration: 1 hour to 1.5 hours
- Elevation Gain: 100 meters
- Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
- Best Time To Go: Year Round
- Can Combine With: Mount Fairview Summit/Saddleback Pass/Saddle Mountain
The Fairview Lookout trail is a short, sweet hike that provides great views over Lake Louise from some elevation. It’s quieter and less strenuous than the classic Lake Agnes Teahouse hike below, so it’s a good option if you’re not up the elevation gain required for Lake Agnes or just want a quick jaunt in the area.
A nice platform also provides views back out to the impressive and historic Chateau Lake Louise Hotel. Don’t expect much of a view on the way up as it’s pretty forested, but the lookout platform from the top is a lovely view worth the effort.
Mirror Lake
- Length: 6 km
- Duration: 2 hours round trip
- Elevation Gain: 330 meters
- Difficulty: Easy
- Best Time To Go: Year Round
- Can Combine With: Lake Agnes, Little Beehive, Big Beehive, Mount St Piran, Devil’s Thumb
Another fantastic and short hike is up to Mirror Lake. The trail to Mirror Lake is incredibly popular as it is the trail that also leads to Lake Agnes. We highly recommend taking this trail all the way to Lake Agnes, but if you want a shorter one, the hike to Mirror Lake is still very rewarding.
Reaching Mirror Lake will involve hiking a distance of 6 km and almost 400 meters, so it’s no walk in the park. Along the way you get nice peak a boo views of Lake Louise. Once you reach Mirror Lake, enjoy a packed lunch with views of the Big Beehive right ahead of you.
Lake Agnes Teahouse
- Length: 6.8 km
- Duration: 2.5 – 3.5 hours round trip
- Elevation Gain: 385 meters
- Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
- Best Time To Go: June to October
- Can Combine With: Little Beehive and Big Beehive
The Lake Agnes Teahouse hike is a popular thing to do in Banff for visitors to Lake Louise. It’s also one of the most iconic and popular hikes in Banff National Park and has been enjoyed by visitors for well over a century. The hike ends at the Lake Agnes Teahouse, a Lake Louise teahouse restaurant that has been serving visitors since 1905. It is a rustic old cabin that sits along the banks of Lake Agnes and over a rushing waterfall.
Its popularity is perhaps its only downfall, as the teahouse can attract a crowd in the summer months with a line out the door. Nevertheless, it is a classic and ends at the lovely Lake Agnes, the perfect spot for breakfast or lunch. This is an easy-to-moderate hike above Lake Louise that is suitable for most visitors to Banff.
This easy hike, which can be done in under two hours if moving quickly, is an iconic thing to do in Banff. However, be warned: It is a busy one! To escape the crowds (and get better views), keep climbing to the Big or Little Beehive.
The Plain of Six Glaciers
- Length: 10.6 km
- Duration: 3 – 5 hours round trip
- Elevation Gain: 370 meters
- Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
- Best Time To Go: June – October
- Can Combine With: Lake Louise Lakeshore, Lake Agnes Teahouse/Big Beehive
- Read the full hike description!
This is one of the most incredible Lake Louise hikes that starts out strong with a walk along Lake Louise and finishes in an open plain of glaciers. To sweeten the deal, the historic Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse is there to reward hikers with a cup of tea or a fresh-baked goodie. It’s a stunner of a hike with a whole bunch of rewards vs. effort.
At one point, this massive valley was the convergence of six glaciers that have all since retreated due to warming temperatures. All that is left now is the monstrous debris field that will leave hikers in all of their earth-shaping capability. It’s also possible to combine this hike with the Lake Agnes / Big Beehive hike for an incredible day in the mountains.
Want to join a guided hike? Discover Banff Tours operates guided hikes through the Plain of Six Glaciers multiple times a week.
The Little Beehive
- Length: 9.0 km
- Duration: 2 – 4 hours
- Elevation Gain: 490 meters
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Best Time To Go: June – October
- Can Combine With: Lake Agnes Teahouse, Big Beehive, Mount St Piran
From Lake Agnes, you have two popular additions to continue your hike and gain some of the best views of Lake Louise from above. The Little Beehive, despite its name, is not much smaller than the Big Beehive, so I wouldn’t base the two hikes on difficulty. That being said, the Little Beehive is slightly easier and it’s an extra 1 km (one way) from Lake Agnes.
The real difference between the two Beehives lies in how busy and the views from these two hikes are. The Little Beehive sees fewer hikers and offers views over Lake Louise and Mount Fairview. It’s also possible to see the Lake Louise Ski Resort in the distance. It’s a really nice hike, and I’d recommend it for anyone with the energy to escape the crowds at the Lake Agnes Teahouse. Note that it does not connect to the Big Beehive, and you must hike back to Lake Agnes to start your journey towards the Big Beehive.
The Big Beehive
- Length: 10.3 km
- Duration: 2 – 4 hours
- Elevation Gain: 520 meters
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Best Time To Go: June – October
- Can Combine With: Lake Agnes Teahouse, Little Beehive, Devil’s Thumb
The Big Beehive is a classic addition to the Lake Agnes Teahouse trek and well worth the effort, much like The Little Beehive. The trail to the Big Beehive extends past Lake Agnes and then climbs a ridge through a series of switchbacks to reach the top of the Big Beehive. From Lake Agnes, the Big Beehive Trail is an extra 1.6 km one way with another 135 meters of elevation gain.
From there, you have amazing views over Lake Louise, as it’s closer to the Lake than the Little Beehive. If you find the right spot, it’s possible to see Lake Louise and Mirror Lake simultaneously.
It’s also Lake Louise’s most popular photo spot for social media, similar to the rocks of Peyto Lake. Regardless of the famous photos, it’s a fantastic Lake Louise hiking trail that we’ve been up to countless times and are never disappointed.
The Beehive Circuit
- Length: 12 km
- Duration: 4 – 7 hours
- Elevation Gain: 625 meters
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Best Time To Go: Summer (June – September)
- Can Combine With: Mount Saint Piran, Devil’s Thumb
- Read More: The Beehive Circuit Guide
The Beehive Circuit combines Mirror Lake, Lake Agnes, the Little Beehive, and the Big Beehive. It’s a big day out for most visitors, but you’ll be well rewarded with amazing views and varied views over Lake Louise. The Big Beehive and Little Beehive are two of the most popular hikes in all of Banff National Park. While the busy trails often feel far from being in the wilderness, the surreal views more than make up for anything that you can say negative about the hike. The greater “Beehive Circuit” makes for a tremendous day out for beginner to intermediate hikers with spectacular views and a solid challenge.
These popular Lake Louise hikes are best done early in the morning or around sunset and in the dark (bring a headlamp!). For the best chance of getting some alone time, go early in the morning or around sunset.
Mount Saint Piran
- Length: 12.2 km
- Duration: 3 – 6 hours
- Elevation Gain: 918 meters
- Difficulty: Difficult
- Best Time To Go: June – October
- Can Combine With: Lake Agnes Teahouse, Little Beehive
- Read: The Full Guide to Mount St Piran
If you want to continue on even further past Lake Agnes and the Little Beehive, head for the summit of Mount Saint Piran. The trail follows along the Little Beehive Trail until it veers off 400m from the summit of the Little Beehive. You follow a signed path through the thinning forest until you reach the alpine out of the tree line.
From there, it’s a beaten path or cairns through rock fields and scree. It’s not a technical challenge, but it does require some solid physical stamina. Once you reach its summit, though, you’re rewarded with some stellar views over the area as you can see the Waputik Icefield to the North. It’s a sharp departure from the busy throngs of crowds down at Lake Louise as only a few complete the hike. You also get to claim you summited another peak in the Canadian Rockies.
Saddleback Pass
- Trailhead: Lake Louise Shoreline/Boathouse
- Distance: 7-14km (many variations that make distance hard to determine)
- Elevation: 595 meters
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Time: 2 – 4 hours round trip
- Can Combine With: Sentinel Pass/Fairview Lookout/Mt Fairview
One of my favorite larch hikes in Alberta that not many people seem to talk about is the hike up to Saddleback Pass. If you want to escape the crowds at Lake Louise, this is a fantastic choice.
This hike is best done from Lake Louise, but we checked it off the list when we hiked between Moraine Lake and Lake Louise on the Paradise Valley Trail, which is an option for those seeking a long day out in the mountains.
Saddleback Pass is one of the best larch hikes in the area; from Lake Louise, you’ll start towards the trail to the Fairview Lookout and continue on the path up to summit Fairview Mountain. From the top of Saddleback Pass, you’ll enjoy Mount Temple, Haddo Peak, and Sheol Mountain views.
At the top of the pass, you have a few options. There is signage to continue through Saddleback Pass and to the Sheol Valley to loop back around to Lake Louise, or you can continue up Saddle Mountain or Mount Fairview. All are great quiet options that you could hit on a single day if you have the time.
We highly recommend taking the Sheol Valley Trail that loops around Saddle Mountain on a well-distinguished trail until you make it back to the lake connector trail. But if you have had enough by the time you reach the top of the pass you can turn around and head back to Lake Louise the way you came.
As mentioned, we had a long 24 km day that allowed us to cross Saddleback Pass off the list. With a start at Moraine Lake, up to Sentinel Pass, through the Paradise Valley Trail to Lake Annette, and onwards through the Sheol Valley to Saddleback Pass, up to summit Saddle Mountain and down to the Lake Louise Chateau. It made for a very long but utterly epic day in Banff that was absolutely full of wonderful golden larches in late September. If you want to do something similar we suggest looking at a map to get a sense of the area.
Mount Fairview
- Length: 10 km
- Duration: 3 – 6 hours round trip
- Elevation Gain: 1012 meters.
- Difficulty: Difficult
- Best Time To Go: Late June – October (Late September for Larch Season is amazing)
- Can Combine With: Fairview Lookout/Saddleback Pass/Saddle Mountain
This is a really great day out in the mountains for active hikers and a real gem in the Lake Louise area. You’re guaranteed stunning views on a quiet trail. The trail leaves from Lake Louise and heads up to Saddleback Pass before the summit of Fairview Mountain.
You’ll be surrounded by staggering peaks, larch trees, gain a high mountain pass, and summit a mountain that rewards you with stunning views of Lake Louise down below. Altogether, it’s one of the best Lake Louise hikes.
This hike through to Saddleback Pass is a tremendous one in the larch season as the valley is full of larch trees. A great alternative, although still busy, to the famous Sentinel Pass hike. Plus, Mount Fairview, whether photographers know it or not, is photographed by almost every visitor to Lake Louise, which makes it a nice one to cross off the list and say, “I climbed that.”
Although Fairview Summit looks tall, I didn’t find it too difficult. Anyone with decent fitness and adequately prepared with some snacks/lunch, water, and proper clothing should be able to summit Fairview. It gets cold on the mountain summits all year round. When we summited in July, it was freezing at elevation.
We’re pretty fast hikers, and we summited Mount Fairview and back in under three hours. The last push to the summit was the hardest as it’s very steep and rocky – this is where poles come in handy.
Compared to the Beehive Hikes and Mount Saint Piran, Fairview was my least favorite. Mainly because I didn’t get a full view over Lake Louise like I thought I would. However, you do get to see Mount Temple and get up close to Mount Victoria, Aberdeen, and Haddo Peak! All in all, it’s still a stunning hike!
Saddle Mountain
- Trailhead: Lake Louise Lakeshore
- Distance: 8.2 km
- Elevation: 658 m from Lake Louise/100 meters or so from Saddleback Pass
- Difficulty: Easy (from Saddleback Pass). Hard when starting at Lake Louise.
- Time: 3-5 hours
- Can Combine With: Saddleback Mountain/Fairview Lookout/Mt Fairview
I wanted to list Saddle Mountain as a fun Lake Louise trail right after Saddleback Pass and Mount Fairview. As I mentioned, when you get to the top of Saddleback Pass, you have a few options, and continuing onward to summit Saddle Mountain is one of them.
This is one of the easiest peaks to bag in the Rockies, and if you’re already going up Saddleback Pass, it’s just an extra 100 meters to the summit of this one, so it’s well worth adding on! The views from the top are incredible over the valley. You can easily see Mount Temple and Little Temple, and on a clear day, you may even get views of Mount Assiniboine!
Paradise Valley
- Trailhead: Moraine Lake canoe docks, or at Lake Louise Lakeshore, or take shuttle to the Paradise Valley Trailhead
- Distance: 20 km
- Elevation: 800 meters if going from Moraine Lake to Lake Louise. 385 meters if starting from Paradise Valley Trailhead.
- Difficulty: Moderate/Hard. Varies depending on where you start your hike.
- Time: 6-8 hours
- Can Combine With: Sentinel Pass/Saddleback Pass
This is one of the best Lake Louise hiking trails. It actually connects Lake Louise to Moraine Lake via Sentinel Pass. You can start this hike either at Moraine Lake or Lake Louise or take the Parks Canada shuttle to the Paradise Valley Trailhead. (A limited number of Paradise Valley transit seats are available on a first-come-first-serve basis at the Park and Ride, located at the Lake Louise Ski Area.)
If wanting to do a point-to-point hike between Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, starting at Moraine Lake would be the better option so that you can climb up to Sentinel Pass and drop down into Paradise Valley rather than climb up to Sentinel Pass. Nevertheless, both can be done if you seek a long 20km point-to-point hike!
The reward for hiking the entire Paradise Valley trail is that you get to check off Lake Louise, Saddleback Pass, the Sheol Valley, Lake Annette, Sentinel Pass, and Moraine Lake all in one go! Once you drop into the Sheol Valley and get to Lake Annette, it’s unlikely you’ll see many people too.
Along the route, you’ll pass through thousands of larches while hiking under Mount Temple. Meaning it’s a great hike to do in Banff in the fall for the amazing colors! This hike is a point-to-point hike, so it’s best done by using the Parks Canada Shuttle System.
Lake Louise Scrambles
The Devil’s Thumb
- Length: 11.9 km
- Duration: 3 – 6 hours
- Elevation Gain: 1,012 meters
- Difficulty: Difficult Hike / Easy Scramble
- Best Time To Go: June – September
- Can Combine With: Lake Agnes Teahouse, Beehive Circuit
While physically, it’s not much harder than the Big Beehive, The Devil’s Thumb is classified as a scramble. Albeit a straightforward one, and a great place to start for the adventurous to test their skills. From the Big Beehive hike, this departs from the trail on the way to the overlook and heads along the ridge and then up a gully to the top of Devil’s Thumb. It’s a great choice for the adventurous looking for something more out of their Lake Louise hikes.
The gully up to the top of Devil’s Thumb can be busy, steep, and contain loose rock. For this reason, we recommend wearing a helmet. You never know if an inexperienced hiker above you will launch a rock down the gully – hikers have been hurt here from this! It’s also why we recommend an early morning approach or late afternoon when it’s quieter.
Mount Niblock
- Length: 16.4 km
- Duration: 6 – 10 hours
- Elevation Gain: 1,522 meters
- Difficulty: Moderate – Difficult Scramble
- Best Time To Go: June – October
- Can Combine With: Lake Agnes Teahouse, Mount Whyte (serious scramble)
This, along with Mount Whyte, are questionable Lake Louise “hikes.” Nevertheless, for experienced hikers or scramblers, these are tremendous options in the area as you’re guaranteed to escape crowds, the views are phenomenal, and it’s also a nice challenge. It’s also wild as Niblock dwarfs the others in the area and provides phenomenal views over the surrounding peaks.
When we scrambled up the gully to summit the peaks, only one group was on the route that day, despite a packed Lake Louise in the summer. You also have the option of Mount Whyte, but due to its difficulty, I am not listing it in this post as a hike for obvious safety reasons. Anyone attempting its summit likely knows the area already.
If you do plan for this scramble, please approach it with respect. Mount Niblock has some real exposure, and Mount Whyte is very exposed. Exposure means if you fall, let go, or slip, you’ll likely be seriously maimed or die. This also means carrying the right equipment, including appropriate outerwear, boots, water, food, hiking poles, GPS, and a helmet.
Gear We Recommend
The vast majority of hikes and easy scrambles in the Rockies, you’ll find us in our trusty Salomon Speedcross.
Arc’teryx Cerium is our pick for the best down jacket. It’s incredibly light, and we bring it on almost every hike in the Rockies.
This nifty clip from Peak Design secures a camera to my backpack strap for easy reach. No more digging in the backpack!
20L feels like the ideal size for quick hikes and scrambles. We love the Nano from Gregory with a hydration reservoir.
There is not much cell service in the Canadian Rockies. In case of emergencies, we carry an emergency beacon with GPS.
Parking at Lake Louise
If you’re hiking at Lake Louise in the summer, you should know that parking is the hardest part of the hike. Parking at Lake Louise in the summer is difficult, with visitors typically needing to secure a spot at Lake Louise Lakeshore before 7 a.m.
We recommend using the Lake Louise shuttle operated by Parks Canada as this is a guaranteed way to access Lake Louise. If you take the shuttle, make sure to pay attention to when the shuttles stop running so you can time your hike accordingly. Make sure to read our Lake Louise parking guide before you go to see all your other options.
Other Banff National Park Hikes
Of course, there are so many more hikes in Banff and tons of exploring. Looking for the best Banff hikes? We rank our favorite hikes around the park and share all of the details in this guide to experience the best in the park. You’ll find on these hikes in Banff high alpine passes lined with wildflowers, jagged peaks topped by glaciers, and a healthy dose of turquoise blue lakes.
Advice on Hikes Around Lake Louise
- 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. Any time we set out for an objective, I determine a time at which we need to turn around in order 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 the 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.
- In regard to times, keep in mind your mountain fitness, as it’s much different from the gym. The low end of the times in this post are a constant fast pace uphill with little to no breaks and a brisk pace downhill. Most hikers should plan for a middle-of-the-road time with the estimated duration.
- Although there is cell service around all of these Lake Louise hikes, a Garmin In Reach can save your life if you do a lot of hiking in the Canadian Rockies.
- Alltrails is our favorite app to have on a hike. It shows the correct trail way, elevation, and other hiker reviews. We paid the subscription fee so that we could download all the data we need to our phones. Best $3 (per month) ever spent!
What to Wear?
The most basic principle of what to wear hiking is layering. Anyone that 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.
Our Favorite Tours and Excursions in Banff
- Banff Gondola: Get up on top on Sulphur Mountain!
- Banff Hop on Hop Off: Explore the park at your own pace.
- Lake Minnewanka Cruise: Enjoy a guided tour on the largest lake in Banff.
- Guided Glacier Hike on The Athabasca with IceWalks: Because when else can you walk on a glacier?
- From Banff: Lake Louise and Moraine Lake Sightseeing Tour
- Radventures Earlybird Explorer: Sunrise at Moraine Lake with treats!
- Moraine Lake Bus Company: An alternative option to the Parks Canada shuttle, this tour provides early access to Moraine Lake with shuttles starting as early as 4am.
- Mt Norquay Via Ferrata: Conquer your fear of heights
↓ Ask Your Questions ↓
The Banff Blog Private Facebook Group is your headquarters for Canadian Rockies travel advice and information, including hike and off-season travel information. You can also meet new adventure buddies.
Plan Your Trip to the Canadian Rockies
- Recommended Experiences: There are many things to do in the Rockies, but our top recommendations include the Banff Gondola and a cruise on Maligne Lake to Spirit Island in Jasper. If you want a stress-free way to get to Moraine Lake, we highly recommend looking into Moraine Lake Bus Company.
- Hotels in the Rockies: There are many places to stay, from luxury hotels to wilderness cabins. See all our favorites here.
- Get to Banff or Canmore Without a Car: The Banff Airporter provides fantastic service connecting you from the Calgary International Airport (YYC) to Banff or Canmore.
- Get Around: We suggest renting a car to get around. You can search for rental cars on Rentalcars.com. For a campervan trip, you can check prices and compare on Outdoorsy.
- Cheaper Airfare: We also use Going for airfare deals and travel credit cards to earn points on purchases. Those credit card points can be redeemed for free flights and hotels! Our favorite cards is the Capital One Venture X (which has an insane welcome bonus right now) as it has no foreign transaction fees.
- Hop On, Hop Off: This tour is taking Banff by storm. It’s exactly what it sounds like, hop on and off a bus to visit all the best attractions at your own pace!
First of all, thank you so much for all this fantastic information. We are experienced hikers coming to Banff from May 22nd to the 27th. Do you think it will be possible/advisable to attempt these hikes? I’m especially keen to do the Paradise Valley hike, assuming the road to Moraine is open and we can find a ride to get there after parking at Lake Louise. But any of these sound fantastic. Thanks!
Hi Alex,
The road to Moraine will not be open until June 1st. Typically most of these hikes are not advisable until early June. But it depends on conditions. You will definitely be able to do Fairmont Lookout, and probably Lake Agnes. It’s a maybe on the Little and Big Beehive though!
Hello,
Do you guys do any guided hikes? Or would you?
Thanks!
Oh, I am also a fellow Michigander who grew up in Lansing and now lives in Florida. I do miss the seasons dearly!
Hi Ben!
We will occasionally run meet ups throughout the summer, which will always be posted in our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebanffblog
You can also sign up our tour waitlist form for 2023, where we will be leading tours around the park! https://forms.gle/dnyqUgoSWWFeyAeV9
Hey guys,
Have been reading your blog a fair bit before our trip to Canada this year, as one half of us is from Edmonton and I’m Aussie, but we love the blogs you guys post – incredibly informative and suuper helpful. From one travel couple to another you guys are killing it! Hopefully get to run into you guys on the trails this fall 🙂
Chris and Laura
Hiking with kids, 6 & 9. Looking for a short but exciting Lake Louise hike. Fairview lookout vs. Tunnel Mtn. vs Mirror Lake.
Which would you choose?
Thanks!
Hi Geneva,
Tunnel Mountain is a great one, but it’s near the town of Banff and not near Lake Louise. The Fairview Lookout gives an impressive view over Lake Louise, while Mirror Lake does not. It’s also less trafficked so I would personally choose that one.