Lake Louise; The hiking capital of Canada
Lake Louise and the mountains that surround it are famous for their beauty, and that’s what people come to see. But Lake Louise is more than just a pretty face!
For walkers and hikers, Lake Louise is an excellent base. It is central to the best high elevation hiking in the Canadian Rockies — including the famous Iceline, the Lake O’Hara area, and the Plain of Six Glaciers.
A superficial glance might give the impression that the mountain landscape, plants, and animals are the same everywhere. But with a closer look, you will discover a great deal of diversity. In Yoho, there are trees and plants of the coastal rainforest — like cedar, hemlock, and devil’s club. Meanwhile, near Lake Louise, drier conditions foster open avalanche paths filled with wildflowers, juniper, and the rare whitebark pine. Flowers bloom from late spring to early fall, with the height of wildflower season coming in late July and early August.
The high country is home to fascinating animals that specialize in forested or alpine environments: pikas, marmots, ptarmigans, ground squirrels, porcupines, pine martens, and mountain goats. For much of the summer, alpine meadows are also home to the grizzly bear.
Geology leaps out at you. Glaciers shine in the sun, and sedimentary rocks come in pink, orange, purple, green, grey, and white. And there are stories from the past to share: tales of high class hotels, first ascents, and wilderness explorations.
