Big Beehive Lake Agnes Tea Hut Plain of the
Six Glaciers Tea Hut Loop - Lake Louise
You can still take your vehicle to Moraine Lake and the
actual lake at Lake Louise but parking is limited in the high season and
you must get up the road very early to get one!
New in 2021: Parks Canada is
offering daily shuttles from the Lake Louise Park and Ride (6km
east of Lake Louise village) to the Lake Louise Lakeshore and
Moraine Lake. Available from May 21 – October 11, 2021. Shuttles
must be reserved ahead of time to guarantee a seat. Walk up
seats are not available.
https://www.banfflakelouise.com/explorethepark/transit-and-shuttles
From the Lake Louise hotel promenade
Trail around Lake Agnes to the Big Beehive
switchbacks
Approaching the Big Beehive switchbacks
Looking back at the Lake Agnes tea hut
Route to Mt Niblock and My Whyte from back of
Lake Agnes trail
Big Beehive switchbacks
Big Beehive Gazebo - nice views!
Lake Louise hotel from the top of the Big Beehive
Little Beehive to the north
Jean on the Highline Trail hiking to the Plain of
the Six Glaciers Tea Hut
View from the Highline Trail
Heading down the Highline Trail to intersect the
Plain of the Six Glaciers trail
The Ledges on the Plain of the Six Glaciers trail
Looking back to the hotel
The Mitre
Plain of the Six Glaciers Tea Hut
Mt Lefroy
On the trail back to the hotel
On the trail back to the hotel
Big Beehive Lake Agnes Tea Hut Plain of the
Six Glaciers Tea Hut Loop - Lake Louise
Hiking Loop Class 1 –
Pleasant hiking
with some steep switchbacks to the Big
Beehive
Altitude: Highest Point
The Big Beehive 2,270m (7,448 ft)
Elevation Gain: 700m (2,300 ft)
Full Loop - Return Distance 14.4km (9 miles) extra 2.4km return
if you hike the 1.2km past the Plain of the Six Tea Hut
Loop Time:
For fairly fit hiker 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 hours
with stops at the Big Beehive and Plain of the Six Glaciers Tea
Hut, 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 if you take a less aggressive pace
Best Season to Scramble:
June to October - the Tea Huts open early June and close early
October ie generally Thanksgiving Weekend
Highlights
This loop is pleasant
hiking in amazing scenery and a worthy one if you want a break
from scrambling the bigger peaks that are all around the area
Getting There
Head west out of Calgary on the TransCanada
highway # 1 to the Lake Louise town-site 187km (116.9 miles). If
your base is Banff head west on the TransCanada for 56km (35.0
miles) to the Lake Louise town-site. There is only one exit so
keep your eye out for it. Go straight through the town-site and
up the hill to the Lake Louise hotel parking lot (around 4-km
more). Park in the lower or upper parking lot. Washrooms are in
the parking lot.
Route Description
Head over to the promenade in front of the
Lake Louise Hotel. From there keep going as if to go counter
clockwise around the lake. There is a small sign for the Lake
Agnes Tea Hut, take this trail. Don’t take the lower trail that
says Plain of the Six Glaciers. That trail continues
counter clockwise alongside the lake
to the back of the lake. Once on the Lake Agnes trail follow it
past Mirror Lake (take right side of Mirror Lake)
and follow the signs to the Lake Agnes Tea
Hut. Circle around the lake and hike the steep switchbacks to
the top of the Big Beehive. Once at the top you have to go left
and traverse back along the top to the gazebo and lookout point.
After enjoying the great views head back along the top and take
the trail left to drop down to the Highline Trail. Head right on
the Highline trail. The Highline Trail traverses high above Lake
Louise and gradually descends to intersect with the Plain of the
Six Glaciers Trail. At this intersection head right and follow
the trail back to the Plain of the Six Glaciers Tea Hut. After
you have enjoyed the views its 5.5 km back to the Lake Louise
hotel along the lake shore.
Lake Louise hotel to the
Lake Agnes Tea Hut 3.6 km allow 1 to 1 1/2 hours, elevation gain
1,320ft
Lake Agnes Tea Hut to the
top of Big Beehive 1.0km allow 45 minutes, elevation gain 445 ft
Big Beehive to the
Highline Trail 0.9km
Highline Trail to the
intersection with the Plain of the Six Glaciers trail 2.3 km
Plain of the Six Glacier
trail intersection to the Plain of the Six Tea Hut 1.1km
Plain of the Six Glaciers
Tea Hut back to the Lake Louise Hotel 5.5km
Approximate total loop
distance 14.4km elevation gain 700m (2,300ft)
