Everything You Need to Know About the Plain of Six Glaciers Hike

The Plain of Six Glaciers hike is one of the most rewarding trails you can do straight out of Lake Louise, ending at a viewpoint practically underneath the glaciers on Mount Victoria. I have hiked this trail in early summer with snow still covering parts of it and in peak season as well. Here is everything you need to know before you go, based on what I actually found on the trail.

Trail Stats

Trailhead: Lake Louise Lakeshore

Parking: Lake Louise day use parking lot which will usually be full

Transit: Roam Transit Route 8X from Banff or the Parks Canada shuttle from the Lake Louise Park and Ride. Or book with a shuttle company which will cost more but is likely the most convenient choice.

Permit: Banff National Park Pass required

Getting There

Lake Louise is about 45 minutes from Banff. I always take the Roam 8X bus from Banff townsite, since it drops you close to the trailhead without the parking gamble.

From the bus stop or parking lot, walk past the Fairmont Chateau along the lakeshore. The Plain of Six Glaciers trail branches off at the far end of the lake, where the main lakeshore path curves away from the water.

The Hike

Along the Lakeshore

The trail starts by following the shoreline past the Chateau, then continues along a wooden boardwalk at the far end of the lake. This section is flat, easy, and a nice warm up before the climbing starts, with mountains framing the valley ahead the entire time.

Once you leave the boardwalk, the trail heads into the forest and starts climbing steadily. It is a straightforward, well graded climb, and you will start catching views back down toward the lake as you gain elevation.

Climbing Through the Forest to the Tea House

The forested trail continues for a while before the trees start to open up and the views really start to deliver. The scenery is spectacular for most of it since you are heading straight toward the glaciated peaks of Mount Victoria and Mount Lefroy, with mountains surrounding you on both sides the whole way. Along the way the trail passes several small waterfalls tumbling down the rock faces above you. 

The Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House sits around 5.5 km / 3.4 mi in, which is close to three quarters of the way to the final viewpoint. It is a genuinely nice place to stop, and noticeably calmer than the Lake Agnes Tea House on the Big Beehive side, since fewer people make it this far. Right around the tea house you get a great view of one of those waterfalls with a big snow covered peak rising behind it.

It sells tea, soup, and baked goods, though it is cash only, and there is an outhouse nearby along with plenty of benches if you just want to sit and take in the view.

Past the Tea House Toward the Glaciers

Beyond the tea house, the trail narrows and gets rockier. Parks signage calls this stretch unmaintained, but in practice it is a decent trail, just a bit narrower and rockier than the section below.

Snow and Avalanche Debris in Early Season

I want to flag something from a hike I did here in late May, since it genuinely changed my plans that day. Early on we hit a large avalanche debris pile completely covering the trail, with bent trees on either side showing where it had come down from higher up.

We continued carefully past a couple of smaller ones, but then reached a massive pile, several stories tall, with a waterfall running down the cliff beside it and clearly draining into the base of the snow. That combination told me the snow could be hollowed out underneath and unstable, with a real chance of a hidden drop beneath it, so we turned back before reaching the final viewpoint that day.

If you are hiking this trail in late spring or early June, check the trail conditions for Lake Louise area before you go, and be willing to turn around if necessary. Avalanche danger here usually runs until late June.

The Final Push to the Viewpoint

On a normal summer day with the trail clear, the final section beyond where the maintained trail ends brings you right up close to the glaciers themselves. The cliffs get taller and darker here, with the ice and snow of the glaciers spilling down between them.

This viewpoint is genuinely one of the best payoffs of any moderate hike in Banff National Park. You are standing well below the sheer, ice covered cliffs, close enough to even occasionally hear the thunderous sound of ice shifting in the glaciers.

Heading Back Down

The return trip retraces the same trail back down through the tea house and the forest to the lakeshore. You get long views back down the valley toward the turquoise water of Lake Louise as you descend, which is a nice payoff on the way out too.

If you still have energy left at the bottom, this same trailhead also connects to the Lake Agnes and Big Beehive trail system, which makes for a long and adventurous day if you combine both in one outing.

Tips

Bring more water than you think you need, since there is limited shade past the tea house and this is a longer trail than most people expect. Carry bear spray and know how to use it, since this valley sees regular wildlife activity even though it is a popular trail. Cash only works at the tea house, so bring Canadian dollars if you want tea or a snack partway up.

If you are hiking in early summer, check the Parks Canada avalanche forecast before heading out, and do not push through debris piles that look unstable.

Frequently Asked Questions