Lake Louise canoeing

Lake Louise is a glacier lake in Banff National Park, sitting just below Mount Victoria near the Alberta and British Columbia border. National Geographic picks it as a lake best for canoeing, and Banff & Lake Louise Tourism lists it among the park's top paddles. Paddlers head toward the back of the lake with Victoria Glacier hanging above them.

The Boathouse on the west shore, closed for 2026 and reopening in summer 2027, rents the hotel's red canoes by the hour or half hour, first come, first served, with no advance bookings. Each canoe takes up to three adults. High lakes like this one usually thaw in early June, and parking fills early, so the tourism board suggests taking a shuttle. Anyone bringing their own boat needs an AIS Prevention Permit before launching in Banff National Park.