It’s not a complete secret, but many people are not aware there is a second tea house in Lake Louise. In the summer months hundreds of people visit the Lake Agnes Tea House each day, but only a fraction of those numbers hike to the Plain Of Six Glaciers.
The trail to the Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House takes you up close to the heart of Mount Lefroy, Mount Victoria and the Victoria Glacier. This is one of our favorite hikes in the Lake Louise area. It offers incredible views, opportunities to see wildlife and best of all the option to relax with a cup of hot tea. It is a moderately challenging hike that can be accomplished by people of average fitness.
The first few kilometers of the route is along the easy and relatively flat Lake Louise shoreline trail. Although you won’t have the Plain of Six Glaciers Trail to yourself in the summer months, you will leave the vast majority of the lake crowds behind you.
At the end of the lake a delta that has been created from silt deposited by the glacier melt. This glacier silt or rock flour is what the light reflects off of in the lake and gives it the beautiful turquoise colour.
The trail has a small hill to overcome and then as it corners you will pass beneath tall quartzite cliffs that are a popular spot for rock climbing. Just past the cliff faces a sign marks “End Of Nordic Ski Trail,” from this point the route starts to climb up into the forest. This is an area with avalanche chutes. Caution needs to be taken in the winter months and early hiking season.
There is nothing particularly difficult about the rest of the hike, but in this second half of the trail is where most of the nearly 400 meters of elevation gain occurs. From this point the route climb through a narrow valley towards Mount Lefroy and Mount Victoria. As you start to get above the treeline and make your way along the valley ridge you can look back at Lake Louise and the Fairmont Chateau Hotel. The little dark specks on the lake are canoes. When you reach a fork in the trail keep to the right, the left route is for the horse tours that can be booked through Brewster Stables.
The wildlife that you may encounter along the hike are Hoary marmots, Chipmunks, Squirrels, Pika, Mountain Goats and Grizzly Bears. The Mountain Goats tend to be on the steep mountain cliffs near the approach to the tea house.
If you spot a grizzly its hopefully off in the distance, such as this one we saw feeding on a grassy slope. They can be anywhere along the route but are more commonly spotted near the back of the lake or near the rushing waters of Louise Creek.
Along a second ridge the trail passes along spots of grass, moss and sometimes summer patches of snow. This section can be muddy or slippery. There are steel cables that have been bolted into the rock to hold onto if necessary.
It’s only the final set of switchbacks near the ascent to the tea house that are significantly steep. As you get closer you’ll bump into people on their return who will keep telling you “you’re almost there!” Keep patient and have a sense of humour as you continue to hear this over and over for the next half hour or more. The people coming downhill tend to forget how much quicker they are covering ground compared to those going uphill.
It can get tiring, but just take your time and stop for rests as needed. This is the final descent and by this time you will be comforted in knowing that a nice cup of tea or lemonade and homemade treats are within very close reach.
As the trail comes to an end it goes through the forest to an alpine grove and opens up to a meadow where the tea house sits. Just prior to reaching the tea house there is an area with several benches where hikers can relax and enjoy the surrounding mountain views.
We tend to be slow hikers that stop often to rest and to take far too many photographs along the way. With about an hour spent at the tea house and an additional hour to go to the Abbot Pass viewpoint our total time to do this hike was 7 hours. We didn’t start until 2pm and returned back to the lake at 9pm just as the sunlight was starting to set.
The Plain Of Six Glaciers Tea House Information And Hours Of Operation
The original tea house was built in 1924 by Swiss guides employed by the Canadian Pacific Railway. It was a rest stop for mountain climbers making their way to Abbots Pass. The name Plain of Six Glaciers comes from the hanging glaciers of Mount Aberdeen, Lefroy and Victoria, as well as the Lower Victoria and Lefroy glaciers and the hanging glacier on Popes Peak. Three additional cabins were built in 1927 to house hikers overnight. These cabins are now used for sleeping quarters for teahouse staff.
- Seasonal Operation: Opens in mid to late June or early July depending on the conditions. It generally stays open through the month of September to mid-October for the Canada Thanksgiving holiday. (weather permitting)
- Hours of Operation: Daily from 9am to 6pm in July and August. June, September and October 9am to 5pm.
- Accepts cash only! There’s an ATM machine in the lower level of the Fairmont Chateau hotel accessible from the lake side entrance.
Sitting in the tea house after a few hours of hiking is a real treat. Similar to the Lake Agnes tea house, it has no electricity or running water. Everything is prepared daily on site and cooked with propane stoves.
At the beginning of the season a helicopter flies in to stock the tea house with supplies such as flour and sugar. Additional goods are brought up frequently packed in by horses or with the employees when they come in each week for their shifts. The staff do five day shifts and hike in and out on the same trail as the tourists.
While you are sitting on the veranda of the tea house you can enjoy views of the glaciers, although you can’t see all six of them from here. It is the perfect vantage point to witness avalanches which are common in the early summer months. You’re likely to hear an avalanche before you see it. Listen for a thunderous sound and then look towards the glaciers to see a spectacular dust cloud of snow as pieces of ice tumble down the mountain.
Hike The Extra Distance To The Abbot Pass Viewpoint For Even Better Views
Taking an additional 1.3 km trail past the tea house along a lateral moraine arrives at the Abbot Pass viewpoint. It covers 50 additional meters of elevation and will take approximately one hour return trip from the tea house. We had a pleasant hike along the moraine, but we have been told it can get quite windy.
From here you can look down across the crevasses of the Lower Victoria Glacier. It also allows you to get within very close view of the hanging glaciers on top of Mount Victoria. This is what you were looking at way back from the front shore of Lake Louise.
You can see moraines left behind hundred of years ago by the Lefory and Victoria glaciers. There is little of the Mount Lefroy glacier left today, just a small amount of ice remains at the base of the mountain.
The photo just doesn’t do any justice to the glacier. It’s full of massive crevasses that can be up several meters wide.
Continuing along the lateral moraine.
You can keep going further along the moraine and get even closer to the glacier, but it starts to become very steep and has loose rock. We didn’t feel comfortable to continue on.
You can make out the red backpack of the gentleman that continued ahead of us.
A climber by the name of Phillip Stanley Abbot was one of the first recorded North American mountaineer fatalities. He fell to his death in 1896 while trying to climb Mount Lefroy. This incident led to the Canadian Pacific company hiring their first two professional Swiss mountain guides that could lead visiting climbers safely to the peaks.
In 1922 a hut was constructed by the CP Swiss guides in at the top of Abbot’s Pass using stones from the pass. It still stands in its original form. It was used as an overnight shelter for mountaineers climbing the pass which is named for Philip Stanley Abbot.
Today the hut is still a popular hiking destination that is operated by the Alpine club of Canada. It is the second highest permanent, habitable structure in Canada. It sleeps up to 24 people and has an equipped kitchen with propane burners and lights. It is rarely accessed from the Lake Louise side, there’s a much safer route coming in from the other side of the mountain in Yoho National Park in the province of B.C.
The Abbot Hut appears as a tiny dark speck on top of Abbott’s Pass which sits between Mount Victoria on the right and Mount Lefroy to the left. The pass is also called the “death trap” due to the avalanches and falling rocks as well as the dangerous hidden crevasses near the top.
Hiking Tips For Plain Of Six Glaciers
- The temperatures can change dramatically as elevation increases, bring layers to adjust as needed.
- The majority of the hike is exposed, in the summer months it can get quite hot.
- Bring lots of water and clothing to keep covered up or wear sunscreen.
- Hiking shoes are the recommended footwear
- The tea house only accepts cash as payment, either Canadian or U.S. dollars
- You are entering bear territory, it’s advised to carry bear spray. Make noise as you hike, especially around blind corners and at the back of the lake near the rushing waters of Louise Creek where bears are frequently spotted.
Directions And Information For The Plain Of Six Glaciers Trail
From the Lake Louise village just off the Trans Canada Highway, take Lake Louise Drive uphill for 4 kilometers to the Lake Louise public parking lot. Cross Louise Creek on the foot bridge and make your way to the front of the lake where the Chateau Hotel sits. Follow the shoreline trail to the back of the lake where it connects up with the Plain Of Six Glaciers Trail.
- Distance: 5.5km’s one way (3.4 miles)
- Time: anywhere from 4 to 6 hours return trip
- Elevation Gain: 370 meters (1215 ft)
- Maximum Elevation: 2100 meters (6890 ft)
Loop Hike To Both The Plain Of Six Glaciers And Lake Agnes Tea Houses
You can connect the Lake Agnes and Plain of Six Glaciers tea house trails via the Highline trail to form a 14.6 km loop. It will take a minimum of 5 hiking hours to complete, not including stops at the tea houses.
The trail can be taken in either direction starting with the Plain of Six Glaciers or Lake Agnes Tea House. Some people prefer to go to Lake Agnes first then cross over to the Plain Of Six Glaciers. This way you get to see continuous glimpses of Lake Louise as you descend back down from the Plain Of Six Glaciers. The Highline trail offers two options. You can follow the trail around the base of the Beehive or take the more strenuous hike up and over the top of the summit.
Great post guys!
Thanks Paul!
Thanks for sharing this excellent post. The photographs are outstanding. The information you have provided will be very helpful when I hike to the Abbot Ridge Lookout later this year.
Glad you liked our post. Enjoy your hike to the Abbot Ridge. Will you be staying in the Abbot’s hut?
Thanks for having such a nice, informative site about the Teahouse. We hiked up to one afternoon years ago, not knowing it was there until we heard people on the way down talking about the wonderful lemonaid and chocolate cake!
We are going back this year in mid-September, hoping to do the hike and enjoy the Teahouse again. Do you think it will be open? (We are in our mid-60’s and not sure when we may get back again.)
Thanks again for such an enjoyable web site. –Jay
The Plain Of Six Glaciers tea house usually remains open through the Labour Day long weekend. It is early this year, September 2nd is the actual holiday. If the weather remains nice there is a good chance they will keep it open until mid-September. If that one has closed the Lake Agnes tea house will definitely be open. It generally operates into the month of October, weather permitting.
I’m glad our website was able to help you out, enjoy your trip!
Cheers,
Audrey
This site is wonderful!!! Thanks so much! My wife and I just hiked up to the Plain of 6 Glaciers this morning and took the connector over to Lake Agnes as well. It was absolutely breathtaking! We started at about 9:30 and there really were not that many people on the trail until we got to the tea house at lake Agnes. We actually preferred the hike to Plain of 6 Glaciers much more than the lake Agnes hike due to the decreased traffic and better scenery. It actually only took us 4 hours total to do the whole loop too which was better than we thought and that included plenty of pictures breaks and lunch (we are pretty young though and in good shape). We loved every second of the trip and would recommend it to anyone!
Hi,
What is the best place to hike in the winter in Banff? Is the The Plain Of Six Glaciers Trail is open in march?
Merci,
Catherine
Hello Catherine,
I’m not sure if the trail is open in March. You would need to be well equipped for making your way through winter conditions, very deep snow, ice, possibility of avalanches, etc.
I don’t have any specific trails to suggest for winter hiking. My husband and I only hike in the non-winter months, we are not experienced to do snow hiking. Unless you are are experienced in it, I would suggest sticking to lower valley trails. An example would be Fenland Trail near Banff. It is short, but nice. Another popular winter hike is the Johnston Canyon Trails where you can hike to the frozen falls. I would recommend wearing ice cleats in March. https://banffandbeyond.com/johnston-canyons-frozen-waterfalls/
Cross country skiing or snow shoeing are much more popular in the winter months than hiking. We have hiked to the Peyto Lake viewpoint in winter, but it was waist deep snow and we really regretted not having snow shoes, it took us forever to get there. https://banffandbeyond.com/bow-summit-and-peyto-lake-lookout-in-winter/
Here are some links with winter trails for hiking and cross country skiing for both Banff and Lake Louise areas:
http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ab/banff/activ/hivernales-wintertrails/banff.aspx
http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ab/banff/activ/hivernales-wintertrails/lakelouise.aspx
I hope that helps you a bit. The best thing to do is go to the Parks Canada office on Banff Avenue in the town of Banff or the Lake Louise office at the small Samson Mall in the village of Lake Louise. The staff will be able to offer you hiking/trail suggestions based on your experience level, how long you want to go for and can let you know the conditions of the trails at that time.
Cheers,
Audrey
Great post! This hike was amazing, I’m glad I experienced for my first hike within the Canadian Rockies. It definitely did not disappoint! Thanks for sharing
It’s definitely a great hike to do in the Lake Louise area!
Hi Andrew,
It is very hard to find out each year when the Tea Houses open, there is not a lot of information available. However I have just connfirmed that the Plain Of Six Glaciers Tea House is now open as well! Every day from 9 to 5pm, take that closing time with a grain of salt. I have found it to close early on slow days or in inclement weather.
Cheers,
Audrey
You’re welcome!
Thanks for the very helpful information…My husband and I plan to do that hike in the middle of September this year…very excited about it after reading this. Knowing what to expect has put my mind at ease so I feel confident we can do it. We’re mid 60’s and in pretty good shape. The pictures you posted are awesome and I hope to have some of my own when I come home! I just need to study up some more about the bears situation. Thanks
You’re welcome, glad our information was helpful to you. I’m sure you will be fine doing the Plain Of Six Glaciers hike, you’re likely in better shape than we are. There’s nothing particularly difficult about the trail. The elevation can start to get to you, we found so near the end towards the teahouse but we just slowed down and took our time. There should be a fair amount of people on the trail still in mid-September. Perhaps choose to do the hike on a Saturday or Sunday and that should ensure more people and makes for less chance of bears. It is best to carry bear spray with you as a precaution and in areas where you can’t see far ahead or around corners or in treed areas make noise so you don’t startle a bear should there be one you can’t see around you. There’s no need to get overly concerned, but reading up and being prepared is a good thing just incase you did have an encounter. Here is the Parks Canada link to bear safety: http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/mtn/ours-bears/securite-safety.aspx You can also check the current warnings and trail closures for Banff National Park to see if any warnings have been issued for the area.
Enjoy the hike and the beautiful scenery!
Cheers,
Audrey
Great post guys! Very informative and well-written. Me and my wife Jill are traveling to Lake Louise Oct. 5-10, and the 6.8 mile round-trip hike sounds ideal for us. As you mentioned in the article, we should bring lots of water, wear layers, wear proper footwear, be prepared for temperature changes and bring bear spray. Any other advice for hiking the trail at this time of year? I noted with interest your written comments above about bears. What is bear activity like here during October? Do you recommend any particular brand of bear spray and where can I get it? I suspect there are fewer hikers in early October which might embolden the bears to frequent the trail more often?
Thanks,
Brad
In Lake Louise you can pick up bear spray at Wilson Sports in the village of Lake Louise or at Chateau Mountain Sports inside the Fairmont Chateau Hotel at the lake. Otherwise it is available at sporting, camping/wilderness or outdoor type stores such as Mountain Equipment Co-op, they have locations in Calgary. The brand doesn’t matter. They all have the same content, just make sure the expiry date is good.
The Plain of Six Glaciers Trail should be fine at the beginning of October, unless there is a dump of snow, (rare that early, but it has happened). As long as the weather is nice there should still be some others on the trail, just not nearly as busy as the summer months. The bears are actively foraging for food in September and October to fatten up for hibernation, it doesn’t necessarily mean there would be more of a chance of a bear near the trails, it all depends where the food is they are searching for. Take the recommended precautions about reading up on bear safety, carry bear spray and making noise during your hike.
It does ascend quickly, but it is over a set of switchbacks so it’s not that bad and going up to the top of the Big Beehive is optional.
It’s a descent trail. Regular hiking shoes are fine and a hiking pole is not needed, but if you like to use one it is always nice to have. The trail conditions will depend on when you go in summer. Until things have a chance to dry up there can be some slushy/muddy sections or spots with standing water.
For a detailed description and photos of the highline trail check out this gentleman’s blog.
http://hikingwithbarry.com/2013/11/20/glaciers-louise-albert
Hi, I am planning to make the hike in late May. Will the trail be open then? I understand that the Tea House probably would not be.
Thanks,
Nick
You would need to check to see what the trail conditions are closer to when you want to do the hike at the end of May. There’s no way to know what they will be at that time. I’m sure there would be a fair amount of snow still on the higher parts of the trail and/or ice. The most important thing will be checking in with Parks Canada to see if there is any risk of avalanches in that area. The tea house definitely will not be open, it starts up at the very end of June or sometimes not until early July depending on the conditions.
Cheers
We are coming September 18th-20th and wanting to hike this. However, my wife is terrified we will see a grizzly. Is it safe for two people to hike alone?
It’s not a trail that has a restriction requiring a hiking party of four or more. The trail is still fairly popular in September. It looks like the 18th is a Sunday. If you want to ensure there are more people hiking the trail do it on that day. The vast majority of people coming to the parks never encounter a bear, many don’t even get to see a bear. However it is bear territory you are hiking in. Follow the safety precautions and carry bear spray. http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/mtn/ours-bears/securite-safety/ours-humains-bears-people.aspx
You can also check the bear report to see if any sightings or activity has been reported on or near the trail. Or stop in at the Lake Louise visitor center located in the Lake Louise village at Samson Mall before you start the hike. http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/mtn/ours-bears/miseajour-update/miseajour-update-byk.aspx
Awesome post Audrey.
It brought back nice memories as I had the chance to do this walk twice along with my beloved wife. Quite an amazing place to visit and live. thanks for sharing
You’re welcome. Glad you and your wife got to enjoy it, it’s a great trail in the Lake Louise area.
We hiked up to the six glaciers tea house yesterday (first snow of the season!), thank you for the recommendation. Pleased to report they do now accept MasterCard and (I think) Visa for a modest $2 charge. They plan to close on 10th Oct unless Parks Canada close the trail ahead of this.
Thanks for the info. Good to know they were accepting Mastercard now. I think it might be a safe bet for people to carry a bit of cash just in case. You never know if they will revert back to cash only. With the recent snowfall at the higher elevations and what seems to be an early winter approaching I wouldn’t be surprised if the trail is closed earlier. We’ll just have to wait and see.
Very informative post describing the climb to The Plain of Six Glaciers. We are visiting Lake Louise for the 2nd time (after 20 years) when we first climbed to the Lake Agnes tea house. That was amazing! Regrettably a hike to The Plain of Six Glaciers is out of the question due to physical limitations. Through your detailed descriptions & amazing photos, you’ve provided a window into this truly amazing experience. Thanks for the trek through your shoes & views!!
Thanks, glad you enjoyed seeing the Plain Of Six Glaciers through our post.