The first time I ever laid eyes on Lake Louise on this Banff Tea House Hike—it was pure bliss. There was something about staring at the glacier-fed lake that evoked serenity you couldn’t find anywhere else. I explored the circumference of the lake, only to look at my friend Chris and say, “It’s time I go on a solo journey.” Since Chris was working remotely, he had work to do—but I was here to play.
The Chateau Fairmont Lake Louise is across from the lake, hosting guests with an affinity for leisure—not to mention enjoying front-row seats of Lake Louise right outside their window. Many guests and travelers discover the path next to Lake Louise that leads to Lake Agnes Trail.
From the start, this hike was a one-of-a-kind. I trekked through winding paths of spruce trees where views of crystal-blue Lake Louise peeked through. I almost laughed each time I looked because the beauty of it all didn’t seem real. There were a decent number of travelers exploring this path: a friendly reminder I wasn’t alone.
Pro Tip: Hiking poles are recommended if a steep incline isn’t your thing.
On this 4.6-mile trek, I could hear exotic accents expressing their thoughts at that moment. Russia, India, Germany, you name it—the accents blended with the sounds of birds chirping in the distance. It felt good to clear my mind with the fresh air blowing against my skin.
There were murmurs of a tea house being on top of the hill, overlooking the valley of Lake Louise. I was excited for a brief moment of civilization nestled within the wilderness. A glimpse of a lake soon caught my eye along the trail, but it wasn’t Agnes yet. Mirror Lake sparkled in the distance. Everyone was trying to get their mirrored glamour shot, including me.
My legs let me know this was a moderate hike. Around the last corner, my motivation was dwindling. I came face-to-face with the prettiest thing I’d seen in a while 😜: Lake Agnes Tea House. While I arrived just in time at 4:30 pm, you would’ve thought it was 1 am in a bar because the staff were gearing up for closing time.
For once, I didn’t mind waiting in line. Ordering hot tea in the middle of the wilderness was a wild feeling, and I couldn’t help but feel gratitude for being exactly where I was. From oolong to a tasty breakfast blend, the options were surprising. I went with the Lake Agnes Wildberry Tea, which warmed me up on this chilly Canadian summer day on this Banff Tea House Hike.
“Ordering hot tea in the middle of the wilderness was a wild feeling.” —Me
I carried my tea with me to face Lake Agnes in all its glory. It felt good to take on this hike alongside strangers who didn’t feel like strangers anymore. I was overjoyed I had made it to the top of the mountain before dusk. Satisfied with my progress, I debated heading down.
Suddenly, I noticed a hidden trail called “Little Beehive” from behind the tea house. I saw one curious traveler headed that way, and decided to go investigate. Immediately upon climbing this elevated winding path, I looked over the cliff and couldn’t believe it: Lake Louise was sitting there in all its glory with its electric blue waters.
I felt like I had won the landscape lottery, but the adventure wasn’t over yet! I kept walking through the woods to find where the “Little Beehive” was on Banff Tea House Hike. Venturing through forest and brush, the trail took me on a winding path higher up the mountain. My heart started to pound thinking about my Canadian friend’s story of her and her boyfriend’s encounter with a bear.
“Mama grizzly was in no mood for bear hugs. We slowly backed away, and gtfo.” —Michelle
Pro Tip: There’s a high avalanche risk on this trail, so don’t consider this route if there’s still snow on the mountains above. 😱
In certain parts of the US, we don’t think about bears much. When I started to see the bears’ dens scattered at the top where the “Little Beehive” mountain was, that’s when I knew I didn’t like thinking about bears this much. Considering there were no other humans around—just me and the sleeping bears—it was my turn to exit the scene.
As I journeyed down the mountain toward civilization, I was amazed at how powerful and awe-inspiring this scenery was. Lake Louise reminds you that there are things bigger than yourself that exist to inspire you. While it was time to exit the forest, I’d never forget what I’d seen and experienced here: it was an unforgettable day trip to Banff Tea House Hike.
Great post! Banff is definitely on my bucket list, and you made it go higher up 😉