Big Beehive Trail

Big Beehive Trail is a Banff National Park day hike based out of the Lake Louise shoreline area. The route is built as an out-and-back to the Big Beehive lookout, with the option to turn it into a loop using connecting trails like the Highline Trail and the Plain of Six Glaciers approach.

Typical itinerary uses the Lake Agnes Tea House as the midpoint: start along the Lake Louise lakeshore path near Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, continue past Mirror Lake, and then keep going to Lake Agnes for a break at the tea house before the final climb.

From the tea house, the route follows the north shore of Lake Agnes and then angles into the main ascent. The hardest stretch is a switchback-heavy climb up to the Big Beehive viewpoint, where you get a high, panoramic look back down toward Lake Louise.

Estimated length is about 10.4 km round trip with roughly 564 m of elevation gain, and most hikers plan around 4–5 hours total including stops.

The route is most commonly done in June through October; winter hiking is not recommended beyond Mirror Lake due to avalanche exposure. The pass/permit expectation for Banff National Park requires a valid Parks Canada entry pass and daily parking arrangements when applicable.

For planning and packing, bring day-hiking basics for rocky, uneven terrain near the upper sections, and consider trekking poles for the descent. The trail passes through avalanche zones that are marked by signs, and the area is in bear country, so bear spray practices are part of standard preparation.

More information: Guide to Hiking Big Beehive Trail in Lake Louise, Big Beehive Hike in Banff National Park - Out & Across, Big Beehive Hike in Banff National Park