Lake Louise, AB
This was the second stop on our Alberta trip with Emma. Our accommodation for our one night in the village was the Lake Louise Inn. To make the most of our time here, we arrived at 9.30am. The two spots we wanted to visit were Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, both of which are closed to public vehicles and require a shuttle reservation. The Parks Canada shuttle does not accept dogs (only small ones in a crate on your lap); regardless, they book up extremely quickly. The inn recommended Fairview Limousines, which not only allow pets but their pick-up spot was at the inn itself. It was much pricier than the Parks Canada shuttle, and Rita cost the same as a human, but she did get her own seat at the window and a dog treat as she disembarked.
The first day, we took the 10.45am shuttle to Lake Louise. This location doesn’t need an introduction – the water was turquoise blue, framed by larch trees and snow-capped mountains. We spent some time taking lots of photos. The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise stands over the lake but is restricted to hotel guests. If you’re thinking of staying there, they do accept pets!
The stand-out hike here is to Big Beehive, via Lake Agnes Teahouse. This in fact was featured in a “100 Hikes of a Lifetime” book I had gifted to me several years ago. Since 1905, the teahouse, standing at over 2000m elevation and named after Canada’s first prime minister’s wife, has served tea to weary hikers enjoying the scenic trails. With over 100 types of tea to choose from, plus sandwiches and snacks, you will be fuelled up for the hike down!
Rita at the foot of Big Beehive, beside Mirror Lake.
From the Lake Louise pathway, we took the 3.5 trail to the teahouse. En route, there is a nice viewpoint, and shortly before the top, Mirror Lake and a waterfall. Lots of photo ops! We decided to continue up to the peak of Big Beehive before stopping for tea. This hike was challenging due to the snow (yes! In July) and steep terrain. And it started raining for us! It was worth it for the spectacular views of Agnes Lake and Lake Louise, both of which looked even deeper turquoise from above.
We then took a less sheer route back down to the teahouse. We had to queue for about half an hour – there are different queues for sit-in and to-go. Dogs aren’t allowed on the patio so our choice was made for us. I had a Rocky Mountain energy tea - a naturally caffeinated lemongrass tea – and Emma had a strawberry green tea. It was quite chilly up the mountain so it warmed us up. The hike back down was not too challenging, but we were both exhausted at the bottom and were ready for our 5.30pm bus back to the inn.
Upon check-in at the inn, Rita received a branded poo-bag holder and a sign to place on the door when she was in the room unattended. I really liked this idea as it gave me “permission” to do so, and Emma and I could comfortably go for dinner at the Legends restaurant. There is a patio for warmer days if you’d like pooch to join you. The inn boasts nearly 250 rooms, with a ton of amenities: heated pool and whirlpools, “Hole Inn One” mini-golf, bike rentals, fitness centre, parking – all complimentary for guests. We would have happily spent more time here. The room was basic but satisfactory.
The next day, we took the 9am shuttle to Moraine Lake. We spent a couple of hours on the short hiking trails. The first was the Rockpile, which looks like it sounds, all natural remnants of the glacier. The steep incline took us to marvellous views of the lake. After, we walked the Lakeshore trail and Rita had a dip. It was nice to watch the canoers and take in the blue waters. There were some longer hikes which recommended groups of at least 4 hikers due to the chance of bear encounters. Before heading back to the bus, we visited the gift shop and I picked up a keychain.
