The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Moraine Lake
Moraine Lake has to be one of the most iconic views in the Canadian Rockies, a really postcard worthy scene nestled in the mountains just a short drive from Lake Louise. There are many ways to get to Moraine Lake and whether you hike, walk, cycle or take a ride you’ll want to add this experience to your bucket list. Now you’ve probably already heard of Moraine Lake but nowadays getting there can take more planning than you think. So what is the best way to visit Moraine Lake?
What time of year can I visit Moraine Lake?
The Moraine Lake road opens to traffic in early June and closes again around early to mid October. The road is somewhat accessible year round but outside of these dates no vehicles can travel the Moraine Lake road. There are short periods of time where the road is clear of snow but closed to traffic and the lake is still accessible via other means (read on to see what’s possible!) however in the winter months once the snowfall has arrived sections of the road become a large avalanche risk making them practically impassable so travel is only really possible for the first 8/9 kms. You will however get a great range of conditions at Moraine during the season, if you visit early in June or in October there’s a good chance you’ll get some ice and snow. Whenever you visit Moraine Lake though you’re bound to walk away with some incredible photographs.
Moraine Lake in October
Can I drive to Moraine Lake?
The short answer here is unfortunately ‘No’! In 2023 the Moraine Lake road was closed permanently to personal vehicles. There are however a couple of exemptions for people with government-issued accessible parking placards or guests of Moraine Lake Lodge.
Moraine Lake in July
Can I walk to Moraine lake?
Yes you can! However it isn’t as straight forward or as easy as it seems. The Moraine Lake road itself is about 14 km in each direction and I wouldn’t ever suggest you walk along the road itself.
Moraine Lake Highline Trail
There is however a trail in the woods and a little up the hill that runs parallel to the main road, this trail offers the most direct route in to Moraine Lake on foot. Realistically to hike this trail you’ll need to park your car at Lake Louise (I’d recommend getting there early to find parking) which does add on a few extra km. Starting at the Lake Louise carpark you’ll follow the paradise valley trail for a short distance before taking a left at the fork on to the Moraine Lake Highline trail totalling about 12.5 km each way with about 385 metres of elevation gain.
Paradise Valley Trail
A longer, more strenuous but more scenic option is to take the Paradise Valley trail from the same starting point at the Lake Louise carpark. It takes you through Paradise Valley, over Sentinel Pass and then back down through the Larch Valley until you reach the Moraine Lake shore front. A one way trip along this trail will be around 20 km with 1100 metres of elevation gain. You can also make it a loop by hiking Paradise Valley in and then finish off by taking the Moraine Lake Highline trail back to Lake Louise, this will make the second half of your day a little easier.
Running up and over Sentinel pass heading back towards Moraine Lake
If you hike via Paradise valley not only will you be seeing one of Canada’s most iconic lakes but you’ll also be ticking off several bucket list hiking trails on the way!
Be warned though hiking in to Moraine Lake and back, whichever way you choose, is a big, long and tiring day. There is a campsite in Paradise Valley if you wanted to break up the journey but booking it can be a little challenging.
I’ve visited Moraine Lake on foot in a day and ended up clocking nearly 33 km and 1700 metres of elevation gain (we may have accidentally strayed off trail).
If you want to get more of an idea of what visiting Moraine Lake on foot in a day looks like check out the video below!
Can I cycle to Moraine lake?
A triumphant yes! And at the right time of year this can be one of the best and most pleasant ways to visit Moraine Lake. If I’m honest though I wouldn’t really recommend cycling to Moraine Lake when the road is open to traffic, unless you go very, very early or late on a summers evening! The road is really busy with large shuttle buses and private tours from before sunrise and there isn’t much of a shoulder, so if the road is open to traffic cycling the road just isn’t a particularly pleasant experience. There are however a few times of year where this is a great way to visit!
Early season conditions after cycling in to Moraine Lake
At the start and end of the summer season there will most likely be a few days or more where the road is clear of snow but isn’t open to the usual shuttle bus traffic. This is by far the best time to take advantage of cycling the road.
I’d recommend renting an e-bike if you can to make the cycle in a little easier as there is still a fair amount of uphill, Wilsons Mountain Sports in Lake Louise offers some fantastic options. You’ll most likely have to park up or rent bikes from Lake Louise village or the lake itself so take that into account. You’ll by cycling more than just the 14 km each way up and down the access road.
If you’re able and willing to make the effort you’ll potentially end up with Moraine Lake all to yourself or at the very least share it with just a few others.
If you’re interested in cycling to Moraine Lake check out the video below which goes in to more detail!
Can I take a bus to moraine lake?
Yes, yes you can and this is definitely the most stress free way of visiting Moraine Lake and is a lot less hassle than trying to time your drive, crossing your fingers that the road is even open and fighting for a car parking space like you used to have to do when you could drive personal vehicles up to the lake. There are however a few different shuttle options to choose from.
Parks Canada Shuttle Buses
The Parks Canada shuttles are the most affordable way to get a ride into the famous lake. However these shuttles are in very high demand and getting a ticket for the day and the time you want can prove to be a little tricky.
The standard shuttle departs from the Lake Louise Ski Resort and will shuttle you in to both Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. They service Lake Louise from around mid May to mid October with these dates changing by a day or two each year, the Moraine Lake shuttle service opens once the access road is open on June 1st to mid October (that closure date is weather permitting). These shuttles run from 7am until 7pm.
40 % of tickets are released for reservation around mid April with the following 60% being released at 8 am MDT (mountain time) two days prior to departure. One of the best things about using the shuttle even just to Lake Louise is it also includes free parking at the Lake Louise ski resort/park and ride as apposed to paying the whopping $42 they’re now asking to park at Lake Louise itself! It’s not only expensive but your chances of getting a space are also super slim!
No matter when you try to book you’ll need to be incredibly quick and also very lucky. Bus tickets will sell out for the day in just a couple of minutes.
Private Buses and Tours
There are a lot of different private shuttle providers that will take you in to Moraine Lake nowadays even though these shuttles will be more expensive than the Parks Canada offering I do think it’s worth it for the piece of mind and stress free travel.
One other HUGE advantage of a private shuttle is they can also get you in to Moraine Lake for sunrise which is by far the best time to visit if you’re a photographer. Not only do you have a wider selection of entry times but they don’t sell out anywhere near as quickly so you can guarantee you’ll get in to see Moraine Lake at the time and date you need without a panicked rush when it comes to booking.
There are lots of shuttle services on offer but here are a couple of my favourite.
VIA VIA
Via Via have a fantastic offering of pick up locations and times going to both Lake Louise, Moraine lake and even Emerald Lake. Pick ups are available from both Canmore and Banff and can get you there by sunrise. On top of that the also offer hot drinks, warm blankets, small groups and even options to add on photo workshops or tours run by a good photographer friend of mine.
Moraine Lake Bus Company
Moraine Lake Bus Company have one of the biggest fleet of buses along with the most departure times of probably any shuttle service heading to Moraine Lake. You can use the shuttle to see both Lake Louise and Moraine Lake in a single day. The driver guides are fantastic and will happily share their knowledge of the area with you and in most cases can be flexible with a return time if you decide to stay longer or come back earlier.
Importantly they can also get you there for sunrise!
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There are a lot of fantastic hikes for photography in the Canadian Rockies but some just about out do the others. It’s a tight contest but I’ve put together my favourite!