Moraine Lake Parking: Changes You Need To Know

In 2024, Moraine Lake Parking will be officially closed to personal vehicles. This new policy came into effect in June 2023 to help alleviate some safety, preservation, and congestion concerns around Moraine Lake. Visitors can now visit the lake through the public shuttle bus system known as Park & Ride.

Accessing the lake via bike, public transport from Banff, or a private tour company is also possible. We will get into all these options in this article. Those with mobility challenges visitors can still access the Moraine Lake parking lot with a blue accessibility tag. It’s not perfect, and it never will be. Millions visit the park yearly, and most have Moraine Lake at the top of their list.

Unfortunately, demand has outgrown the limited facilities at the lake. It’s a special place and a sensitive environment; we must ensure it remains that way. This decision was made with this in mind. We know you have questions, so we will answer some of your top Moraine Lake parking questions here.

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Why Is Moraine Lake So Popular?

Why do people put up with the hassle of Moraine Lake during their trip to Banff? The national park does not lack jaw-dropping vistas and beautiful areas to explore. However, with easy access and arguably one of the finest scenes in all of Canada, it’s hard to dissuade visitors from visiting Moraine Lake.

Moraine Lake is considered one of the most splendid places in the world and a symbol of Canada. It’s graced Canada’s twenty-dollar bill and is a pristine wilderness area.

The image of Moraine Lake with the ten peaks behind it has been shared millions of times across social media. Many people plan their trip to Alberta because they have seen images of the famous Lake. It even has its own forum (subreddit) on Reddit — it’s called RedditLake.

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Is Moraine Lake Really That Great?

We’re not fans of touristy places. We avoid crowded hikes like the plague and generally stay home and work on weekends. Moraine Lake is probably the most visited location in Western Canada, and we still treasure every visit.

The scenery is astounding, and the tranquility of the place descends on every visitor. Staggering peaks reach for the sky and flank a turquoise-blue lake surrounded by pine trees. Its grandeur and wonder inhale the hum of its crowds and leave almost every visitor speechless.

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Where Do You Park to Visit Moraine Lake?

You can only park at the Park & Ride Shuttle lot in 2024, which is located at Lake Louise Ski Resort/Summer Gondola and is free to park. The address to that is 1 Whitehorn Road. Those with a blue accessibility tag may access the parking lot at Moraine Lake. There are no other exceptions for personal vehicles.

It’s a huge FREE lot, and the system works wonderfully in our experience. We can’t recommend the Park & Ride enough as it does a great job accommodating visitors and makes visiting Lake Louise easy, too, with the Lake Connector shuttle.

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When Does Moraine Lake Open?

Access to Moraine Lake via Moraine Lake Rd is set to open until June 1st. Moraine Lake Rd closes around the second week of October, right after Canadian Thanksgiving. In 2024, the road is set to open from June 1st to October 14th (so it closes on October 15th). This means the season to enjoy Moraine Lake is relatively short. June, July, August, September, and half of October.

The busiest months are between mid-June and the end of September. It doesn’t get quiet until after the golden larch needles have fallen, typically the first or second week of October. If you visit Moraine Lake before June 15th and after October 1st, you stand a chance of not dealing with the craziness, but it will still be busy. Moraine Lake is unlikely to be fully thawed until early June.

Moraine Lake Road is currently open until the end of the day on October 14th.

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How To Visit Moraine Lake

Parking at Moraine Lake is now closed to personal vehicles. What now? We discuss your options below and answer some frequently asked questions.

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The Parks Canada Park & Ride

The parking concerns at Moraine Lake have gotten worse each passing year, not better. Because of this, in 2023, Parks Canada stopped all personal vehicles from accessing the road. The best option for most visitors to see the lake is the Park & Ride shuttle.

It is the best way to guarantee you get to see Moraine Lake. This new system reduces the harmful impacts of crowds and ensures visitors do not have to deal with the stresses around parking at the lake. It cuts back on congestion and emissions too!

The Park and Ride parking lot is located at Lake Louise Ski Resort with direct buses to Lake Louise or Moraine Lake. It is recommended that you make a shuttle reservation in advance.

Shuttle reservations will be made available in the spring of 2024. Parks Canada will release 40% of the operating season. The remaining 60% will be released on a rolling window at 8 am, 48 hours before departure day, throughout the entire season. The Park and Ride shuttle to the lakes begin at 6:30 am, and the last return bus from the lakes to the parking lot is 7:30 pm.

Pro Tip: Late afternoon/ evening shuttles are less busy than morning shuttles. You are able to reserve a shuttle day of, or even purchase walk up tickets, if there is space available.

Shuttle reservations are for one specific bus route. Once at Moraine Lake or Lake Louise, you can connect between the lakes on a first-come-first-serve basis via the free Lake Connector Shuttle.

The Lake Connector bus is free of charge for those with a shuttle ticket, making it easy to see both lakes in one day. The shuttle is for reservation holders only. You can not park at Lake Louise and hop on the Lake Connector.

Certified service animals are allowed on the shuttle buses. All other pets must be crated and kept on their owner’s lap while riding the shuttle. No large pets are permitted on the shuttles.

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Lake Connector Shuttle Frequency

• Lake Louise to Moraine Lake: Every 15 minutes between 8 am and 6 pm.
• Moraine Lake to Lake Louise: Every 15 minutes between 8 am and 6 pm.

Check out the map to better understand the layout and where to park. If you’d like more info, such as schedule and up-to-date fairs, check out the Parks Canada Website.

All You NEED to Know About The Lake Louise Shuttle 

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Shuttle Reservations For Moraine Lake In 2024

Parks Canada shuttle reservations are required. The 2024 Reservation Launch date for Moraine Lake shuttle reservations is April 18, 2024 at 08:00 a.m. MDT, and you’ll be able to book your seat on a shuttle bus in advance. 40% of shuttle tickets will be released during this time. The shuttle to Moraine Lake will begin on June 1 and it’s last day of operation is October 14th, 2024.

60% of seats will also be released on a rolling basis 48 hours before departure day at 8 a.m. MST starting in Late May 2024. You can reserve a seat up until the end of your timeslot this year. Walk-up seat sales may be permitted if there are still seats available. Book your seat reservation on the Parks Canada website.

We find the shuttle system very easy to use, which is an excellent solution to the parking issues at Moraine Lake.

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What Shuttle Do I Take If I’m Staying in Lake Louise?

If you stay at a hotel in Lake Louise Village or the Lake Louise Campground, you can use the Park & Ride Connector shuttle for free as it stops in the village and campground. The Park and Ride Connector shuttle loops between the Lake Louise Campground, the Community of Lake Louise (Samson Mall), and the Lake Louise Park and Ride located at the Lake Louise Ski Area. Once at the Park and Ride, you can catch the shuttle to either Moraine Lake or Lake Louise, you still need to have a purchased reservation.

Staying in a Lake Louise hotel does not get you special access to Moraine Lake. Some hotels and lodges around Lake Louise village offer private shuttles, though. You will have to call the Lake Louise hotel you have booked to confirm if they offer shuttles to Moraine Lake. The only one I know of for sure that offers it is the Fairmont, and they charge guests for the shuttle.

If you are staying at actual Lake Louise, which includes staying at the Fairmont, Paradise Lodge, or Deer Lodge, you are permitted to take the Lake Connector Shuttle from Lake Louise to Moraine Lake with the purchase of a shuttle ticket. Please call your hotel to confirm this beforehand as the rules always change.

All You NEED to Know About The Moraine Lake Shuttle

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ROAM Transit to Moraine Lake

The Roam Transit bus does not run to Moraine Lake except between September 19 – October 10, 2023 (2024 dates tbd), for the larch season. You can catch the Roam Route 10: Moraine Lake Express from Banff to Moraine Lake during this time.

The Roam Transit Route 8x runs daily to Lake Louise from Banff. The Roam Route 8X: Lake Louise Express runs from Banff to Lake Louise Lakeshore along the Trans-Canada Highway, stopping at Lake Louise Village.

The cost is $10 per adult; reservations are recommended. However, you can walk- up to the fare boxes. Roam buses accept US and Canadian currency as small as a nickel and up to $20. Children 12 and under are free but still require a reservation.

If you are coming from Canmore, you can take the Roam Transit Regional Route 3 Bus from Canmore to Banff, and then take the Roam Transit from Banff to Lake Louise.

Read More: How to Get From Canmore to Banff

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Bike To Moraine Lake

Although there is no more parking at Moraine Lake, you can still bike to Moraine Lake with any type of bicycle (pedal-assisted included). There is one short week in Banff when Parks Canada plows Moraine Lake Road but leaves the road closed to vehicles. This is when all the locals take advantage of biking Moraine Lake and seeing the beauty without the crowds or vehicle traffic. If you want to bike to the road in May before Parks Canada plows it, it might be possible until the Ten Peaks viewpoint as they plow this part first. After this viewpoint, you may encounter some snow.

The exact timing of road clearing depends on snowpack and avalanche conditions above the road. This is not announced and typically is only known through local know-how. We’ve biked to Moraine Lake a few times in the past. From Lake Louise, it’s approximately 14 km uphill. This takes me about 50 minutes on a mountain bike and 40 minutes on a road bike. It’s all uphill, but the fun ride down makes it all worth it.

There are a few spaces to park your car at the start of Moraine Lake Rd, but those often fill up in bike season. If you can’t get parking here, one of your options is to park at Samson Mall. This adds a lot of elevation and distance to your bike ride, so pack extra snacks.

If you’re a domestic traveler, make sure to bring your bike to Banff. Wilson Sports in Lake Louise Villlage rents out bikes, but they sell out fast in the summer so reservations are recommended. Or it’s possible to rent bicycles for the day in either Banff at Bactrax or Rebound Cycle in Canmore.

**You can always bike to Moraine Lake during any season, but when the road opens to vehicles, you will be biking next to buses.

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Stay at Moraine Lake Lodge

If you can secure a stay at the Moraine Lake Lodge, you have guaranteed access to Moraine Lake. Since room rates range between $900-1100 per night, rightfully so. Moraine Lake Lodge is the only lodging at Moraine Lake, so if it’s in your budget, make sure to book well in advance.

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Moraine Lake Bus Company

Moraine Lake Bus Company is a family-run local Banff company that offers sunrise shuttles to Moraine Lake every day. This is a point-to-point shuttle service and is solely a bus transport, not a guided tour. They are one of our favorite companies in the Bow Valley and provide a great stress-free way to get to Moraine Lake.

Shuttles transport guests to Moraine Lake as early as 4 a.m., and from there, guests can choose how long they want to stay. This is a fantastic option for hikers and climbers who want an alpine start. This service starts at $49 for a round-trip ticket and utilizes variable pricing, with tickets at 4 a.m. starting from $99. Long weekend and last weekend tickets are priced higher.

The Moraine Lake Bus Company doesn’t just run sunrise shuttles, though. In the high season, they have over 30 departures a day, with options that go directly to Moraine Lake, directly to Lake Louise, or to Moraine Lake with a 1-hr stop at Lake Louise. See their full schedule here.

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Book an Organized Tour

Another way to guarantee that you will see Moraine Lake is by booking an organized tour or utilizing the Banff Hop on Hop Off Bus. Tour operators have access to park at Moraine Lake.

Radventures offers guided tours for small groups (max 14 guests), starting and ending with hotel pick up in Banff, with local interpretation and an amazing guide on hand to answer questions. Enjoy complimentary hot drinks, see the best spots at Moraine Lake to view the sunrise, and get our guests set up for sunrise photos (as their guiding team has photography training). After, guests can get an optional hot cafe breakfast at Trailhead Cafe before heading to Lake Louise, where you get front-of-the-line access to canoe rentals (something unique to only a Radventures tour). Book that tour here.

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Hike There Via the Paradise Valley Trail

This option should only be reserved for those with experience hiking in the Rockies as it is a long hike, with a very steep section up Sentinel Pass (photo below,) so you have to be pretty determined for this method.

The Park and Ride allowed us to cross a point-to-point hike off our list. The Paradise Valley Trail connects Moraine Lake to Lake Louise via a 20km hike. As we only own one car, we could never complete it. However, a few years ago we took the Park and Ride to Moraine Lake, hiked to Lake Louise, and took the shuttle back to the Park & Ride from Lake Louise for a truly epic day.

For those dead set on seeing Lake Moraine, it’s possible to hike there on the Paradise Valley Trail from either Lake Louise or the trailhead for Lake Annette, which you still need a shuttle reservation to get here as it’s along Moraine Lake Rd.

This trail is 20 km that is a point-to-point hike through the stunning Paradise Valley. During the larch season, it’s one of the most incredible hikes in Alberta!

Along the way, you’ll pass Lake Annette, Mount Little Temple, and Mount Temple before ascending to Sentinel Pass the back way. Once at Sentinel Pass, you’ll descend down to Moraine Lake.

If you have a shuttle reservation (park at the Park & Ride at the Lake Louise Ski Area), you can utilize the buses to complete this point-to-point hike. This hike had been on our list for a long time, and we finally checked it off last season. Even during the busiest time in the park, we didn’t see a soul for most of the trial.

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Moraine Lake Highline Trail

A slightly easier alternative to the Paradise Valley Trail is the Moraine Lake Highline Trail, which almost runs parallel to Moraine Lake Rd. Start your hike at the Paradise Valley Trailhead, which after a kilometer will fork. Take the left trail to get on the Moraine Lake Highline Trail.

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Walk to Moraine Lake

I’ve never walked to Moraine Lake along Moraine Lake Rd, and don’t have much desire to, but I should mention it as we’ve seen people walking the road to Moraine Lake during all months. This takes a little over 2 hours one way. Parks Canada does not condone this, but they also do not forbid a walk on the road.

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Cross Country Ski (Winter Option)

If you want to get to Moraine Lake Road during the winter, it is possible to cross country ski there. As the road is off limits to vehicles from October to June, this is the only way to access Moraine Lake in winter.

This round trip is about 16km and there is a double track set with a skating lane. This road is the main road that leads to the lake in summer (Moraine Lake Rd). Although much of the trail is uphill (250 meter gain), it doesn’t feel that way as you are surrounded by trees the entire time (and no traffic!).

Along the way, turn around to catch views of Lake Louise Ski Resort, the Bow Valley and Ten Peaks ahead of you.

If you want to experience Moraine Lake up close and personal, you must pack avalanche gear and have avalanche knowledge because the track setting ends at a viewpoint of Consolation Valley and the Ten Peaks. Beyond this point, you must pass through an avalanche-prone area to reach the frozen lake. This is not recommended for beginners.

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FAQ About Parking At Moraine Lake

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Can I Catch Sunrise At Moraine Lake?

Yes, you can still catch sunrise at Moraine Lake. The sun rises incredibly early during the summer in Banff. The only sunrise service offered by Parks Canada is the new Alpine Start Shuttle, which runs daily at 4am and 5am. Learn more about the Alpine Start Shuttle here.

Commercial operators are allowed to provide a shuttle service for guests, so if you can find a tour that offers sunrise at Moraine Lake, this is a guaranteed option. We recommend Radventures Earlybird Explorer Tour.

Moraine Lake Bus Company is a private company that offers shuttles (not a dedicated tour) to Moraine Lake as early as 4 a.m. every day. There is high demand for these sunrise shuttles, so you should book your shuttle well in advance. Another option is to book a night at the luxurious Moraine Lake Lodge, which is the only lodging option at Moraine Lake.

Personally, we find Moraine Lake to be a bit of an underwhelming sunrise location as the lake is nestled in such a deep valley you never see the early sun hit the entire Moraine Lake area. If you’d love to see the sunrise or sunset, there are many locations in the park. One of our favorite sunrise locations with easy access is Two Jack Lake.

READ MORE: How to See Sunrise at Moraine Lake

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How Can I Take My Watercraft To Moraine Lake?

You can not drive to Moraine Lake for parking if you want to take your own watercraft. The Parks Canada shuttles can take several types of watercraft, including packrafts, inflatable kayaks, inflatable paddleboards, and some small hard-sided kayaks. If you’d like to canoe on Moraine Lake, you will have to rent one by the hour from the lodge.

If you are looking for a great foldable kayak option, we have recently fallen in love with our Oru Origami Kayak.

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When Is The “Quietest Time” To Visit Moraine Lake?

The quietest time is in quotations, as Moraine Lake doesn’t really have an off-season. As it’s only open for four full months out of the year, the demand to see the lake remains very high. Still, there are two main periods that are significantly quieter than peak summer.

This is when Moraine Lake Rd first opens in early June before most of the park’s visitors arrive. Or right after larch season in early October before Moraine Lake Rd closes for the season.

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What are Facilities Like at Moraine Lake?

There are pit toilets at Moraine Lake, but being some of the most used in the park, they are far from desirable.

There is one lodge – the Moraine Lake Lodge, which has a small cafe and gift shop for outside guests. There’s a bear bin for garbage, and typically a Parks Canada employee hanging around to answer any questions. Beyond that, you won’t find anything besides wilderness – and lots of people.

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Where to Stay Near Moraine Lake?

There is nowhere else to stay on Moraine Lake besides Moraine Lake Lodge. Your next closest option is Lake Louise, where a few hotels and lodges are located. Our absolute favorite is Paradise Lodge and Bungalows. You can also stay at Chateau Lake Louise, the only hotel on Lake Louise.

READ MORE: Awesome Lake Louise Hotel and Accommodation Options

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Things To Do At Moraine Lake

There are two main things to do at Moraine Lake. Go for a canoe or get on a hike. The most accessible and iconic hike is the Rockpile Trail, though this is easily where all the crowds hang out.We also recommend the Moraine Lake Lakeshore for a more straightforward endeavor. Beyond that, there are some fantastic Moraine Lake hikes and scrambles, a few ranked in difficulty.

• Consolation Lakes
• Tower of Babel
• Sentinel Pass
• Eiffel Tower
• Mount Temple

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Hopefully, this Moraine Lake Parking Guide helped you plan your trip. 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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