Lake Louise Ice Skating: Everything You Need to Know

There is no place to ice skate in Banff that is more iconic or scenic than the famous Lake Louise. Not much of a surprise, but it’s regularly been considered one of the world’s best ice skating rinks, and if you are able to enjoy Lake Louise skating in the winter consider yourself fortunate.
Ice skating on Lake Louise is also tremendous as the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise maintains the frozen lake. The lake is regularly cleared of snow and resurfaced, so visitors can enjoy ice skating during the whole winter despite conditions on other natural lakes.
What really sets ice skating at Lake Louise apart from the other lakes is the lake’s atmosphere. Around the lakeshore, you can find cozy fires, an ice bar, a horse-drawn sleigh that you can ride, and even an ice castle. It’s one of the best reasons to come to Banff in winter, and is always a treat.
**The Lake Louise Ice Skating Rink is now open for the 2025 skating season! You can always check what Lake Louise currently looks like on the Fairmont webcam.
Why You Will Love Ice Skating on Lake Louise
Lake Louise is Stunning

Lake Louise is excellent no matter what time of year you visit. There is something magical about this fantastic lake with Mount Victoria in the background, even in the winter. Lake Louise has even been named by CNN Travel as “one of the most beautiful ice skating rinks in the world.” And with a mention like that, you can’t miss ice skating on Lake Louise while you visit Banff.
Lake Louise is an All Natural Rink



In case it wasn’t clear, ice skating on Lake Louise is an all-natural experience. There’s nothing man-made about this ice. It’s all pure Canadian Rocky lake goodness. The lake starts to freeze around November, and by December it should be completely okay to skate and walk on.

Once the ice rink is maintained by the Fairmont, you can rest assured it’s safe to walk on, but if you’re heading out before in the early season, make sure to check the ice for thickness. Ice should be at least 4 inches thick before you can skate on it. The best way to test ice is with an ice screw. You can see a few more of our ice skating safety tips here.
Lake Louise is Maintained Daily

The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise maintains the ice rink on Lake Louise daily. They clear it every morning of snowfall and keep it maintained from around mid-December all the way to mid-April, depending on conditions.

They even have a Zamboni (a machine that resurfaces the ice). This means that every so often, they bust out the Zamboni and shave a thin layer off the top, washing the ice, and this replaces the top with a fresh layer of water that will freeze and look crystal clear.
This is quite a contrast coming from the other frozen lakes in Banff. Lake Minnewanka, Two Jack Lake, and Vermilion are all beautiful lakes to ice skate on. The problem is once they freeze, and then get covered by what feels like neverending snowfall in the winter, and they aren’t good to ice skate on anymore.
Skating Here is an All Winter Long Activity

There are so many great lakes in the Rockies where you can skate in the winter. Gap Lake, Spray Lakes, Goat Pond, and Johnson Lake are some of my favorites in the area. The key to skating on these lakes is to get to them right after they freeze (but safe enough to skate on) but before a large snowfall covers up the ice.

Sometimes, this can be a very small time window – I’m talking one or two nights! It’s all weather dependent and each year, month, and day is different. It can be hard to keep up with when you are not local!
Lake Louise, on the other hand, is good to go every single day in the winter. By mid-December, plenty of Albertans will head here to enjoy the rink, and that lasts until April. All winter long the rink is maintained by the Fairmont. So even if you are visiting for just a short time, you don’t have to worry about missing out on ice skating in Banff.
Ice Skating on Lake Louise is Free

Yes, ice skating on Lake Louise, one of the most beautiful places in the world, is entirely free. (Besides the price of a national park pass). There’s no charge to skate here, but if you need to rent ice skates, you can easily do so at the Fairmont or Wilson Sports in Lake Louise Village.
You’re likely going to get chilly if you are out for some time, so bring a warm drink canister with you with some hot cocoa powder to save money. Alternatively, plan to have hot chocolate inside the Chateau.
Admire The Ice Carvings



Every year, the Fairmont invites ice sculptures to create a beautiful and intricate ice castle out of huge blocks at the front of Lake Louise. It’s in celebration to highlight the most stunning rink in the world.
If you’re visiting Banff in January, check out the Ice Magic International Ice Carving Competition. This is an extraordinary event at Lake Louise and what winter in Canada is all about. This is where ice comes alive and serves as a form of art and architectural design. During this time, you can watch artists from around the world carve different frozen figures.
This year Ice Magic happens between Jan. 29 and Feb. 2, 2025. While the event used to be free for all to visit the ice carving events and wander around, you’ll now need tickets to join in the fun; these are available starting in December for guests of specific hotels only. Those hotels include Baker Creek by Basecamp, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Lake Louise Inn, The Moxy, Canalta Lodge, Mountaineer Lodge and many more so make sure to contact your hotel to see if they are participating if you are interested in Ice Magic.
You Can Skate on Lake Louise at Night

Remember when I said that Lake Louise is free? Well, that’s because it’s in a national park, which means it’s open to the public. This means if you are comfortable with it, you can skate on Lake Louise under the stars. Just make sure to bring a toque, scarf, headlamp, and warm jacket – it’s without a doubt going to be cold.
There’s a Dedicated Hockey Rink

Ice skating at Lake Louise doesn’t just mean putting on a pair of figure skates and skating around in a circle if you don’t want to! There’s often a dedicated rink just for the hockey players. So bring your hockey sticks and a puck and enjoy it!
Lake Louise Skate Rental Hours And Cost

There are a few options to rent ice skates at Lake Louise if you don’t have your own. Skates are available for rent in the Fairmont Chateau Hotel through Chateau Ski And Snow, located just off the lobby. You can also rent hockey sticks and pucks to use on the hockey rink.

Skate Rentals from the Fairmont:
- Half-Day Rental: Adults $23 | Children $13
- Full-Day Rental: Adults $33 | Children $23
You can also rent skates from Wilson Sports in the Lake Louise Village for $12 or on Banff Avenue at Banff Adventures for $15 a day.
You Can Skate on a Bright Blue Paradise


If you’re lucky, and I mean super lucky, you might get a clear ice skate day on Lake Louise. Which means you can ice skate on a clear blue sheet of ice.

Lake Louise, every few winters, can freeze very early before a significant snowfall, and the result is a blue glass lake. It’s an absolutely stunning natural occurrence and can happen in November, but don’t count on seeing the lake this way as November is generally the worst month to visit Banff, so you’ll mainly find locals enjoying it around this time.

To see the lake like this happens for a very short window, and by short, I mean super short. It also doesn’t happen every year. This past year, people only had one day to skate on Lake Louise while it was clear. The key is to catch Lake Louise when it’s safely frozen over, but before the snow falls again and covers it. We missed it last year, as it only happened for one night.
There are plenty of other things to do at Lake Louise in the winter!

There are so many amazing things to do at Lake Louise in the winter. It’s a magical time to enjoy the lake, from skiing at Lake Louise Ski Resort to enjoying a horse-drawn sleigh ride. See the best things to do at Lake Louise below.
Our Recommended Hotels Near Lake Louise
Storm Mountain Lodge
Just 20 minutes away from Lake Louise on AB-93 is the cozy and secluded Storm Mountain Lodge. If you are after a cozy mountain cabin feel for winter don’t hesitate to book this place.
Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
Obviously one of the best places to stay for some awesome Lake Louise ice skating is the Fairmont herself. This is the best property to stay at, and it’s right on the shores of Lake Louise! That being said it is one of the most expensive properties in Banff.
Baker Creek Mountain Cabins
These cabins are located on the Bow Valley Parkway just a short drive away from the lake. It’s perfect for those that want to stay in a cabin like accommodation and don’t mind being away from the crowds.
What to Wear at Lake Louise in the Winter

It always feels about 5°C colder at Lake Louise than in Downtown Banff. Dress for winter when ice skating at Lake Louise! You’ll thank me later.
Outerwear
- Parka (for severe temps)
- Down Jacket
- Snowpants
- Hat, Gloves, Scarf
Footwear
- Warm Boots
- Ice Skates
Hopefully, you’ll love Lake Louise skating as much as we do! 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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Plan Your Trip to the Canadian Rockies
- Recommended Experiences: There are many things to do in the Rockies, but our top recommendation is the Banff Gondola – a must do experience! If you want to get active, consider snowshoeing on top of the world. Lastly, enjoy nighttime in Banff on this Sunset and Stars Tour!
- Want an all in one tour? Pursuit is running this special Winter Wonder tour on weekends!
- Transport in the winter: If you don’t want to drive to Banff in the winter, we totally get it. To avoid this book with the Banff Airporter.
- Hotels in the Rockies: There are many places to stay, from luxury hotels to wilderness cabins. See all our favorites here.
- 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.
- We can help you plan your 2025 trip to Western Canada! If you’re feeling overwhelmed by planning we can assist! We’ll personally go over your itinerary, hop on a 1 on 1 phone call, or create a bespoke itinerary just for you! See our services here.
Stunning! I can’t wait to visit there after reading this. Must say you have an elegant choice of topic. When is the best time to skate on lake loius? Those photos are amazing.
Can you tell me , do we need to book to skate in the winter on lake louise. I know summer months with tourists is very busy and you can only get to lake louise by booking tickets with one of the tour companies…i imagine winter is much quieter ie: late Dec or Jan
No Lake Louise in the winter is much quieter and you shouldn’t have any problems getting there.
Hi Natasha! Just wondering if you know if lake Louise is frozen to skate on yet? Thanks so much!
Yes! We went a few days ago, it’s about 4-5 inches thick
Great article Natasha!
We are staying in Banff 6-8 Jan. Just wondering is it best to hire skates at Fairmont or hire from Banff? Just hope they don’t run out of sizes in skates at Fairmont.
Thanks
Is there a website where we can find out if the lake is open today? It is extremely cold this weekend and other outdoor attractions are closing due to weather.
The lake is always open, Fairmont just manages a bit of the ice. https://www.chateau-lake-louise.com/webcam/