Hotels near Plain of Six Glaciers

The Plain of Six Glaciers trail is the best single introduction to hiking in Banff, and the numbers suit most reasonably fit walkers: 11.6 km round trip with 595 m of elevation gain, typically 4 to 5 hours, rated moderate. The route leaves the Lake Louise lakeshore promenade, runs flat along the turquoise water for the first 2 km, then climbs through moraine rubble and old-growth Engelmann spruce into a rock amphitheatre ringed by Mount Lefroy, Mount Victoria and the Victoria Glacier. Ice fall off the hanging glaciers is audible from the upper section on warm afternoons.

The wooden teahouse at the 5.5 km mark has served hikers since 1927 and still runs with no electricity and no road access, supplied by horse and helicopter. Expect cash-only service, a 20 to 30 minute wait at midday in July and August, and soup or tea at roughly CAD 12 to 18 (about EUR 8 to 12) per item. Push the extra 1.1 km past the teahouse to the abandoned glacier viewpoint if your legs allow - it adds about 40 minutes and sheds most of the crowd. Check the Parks Canada Banff trail conditions report first, because the upper traverse holds snow into early July in many years.

Pro Tip: Standard vehicle parking at Lake Louise costs CAD 42 per day in 2026 and the lot regularly fills before 06:00. Take Roam Transit Route 8X from downtown Banff instead - CAD 12.50 each way, reservable in advance, and it stops at Lake Louise Lakeshore a few hundred metres from the trailhead.