Lake Agnes Tea House: It's Harder Than You Think (What To Expect!)

Lake Agnes Tea House is a true Lake Louise gem… if you can make it there that is!

Hidden among the mountains is an old log cabin where they serve tea made from glacier water, sweets, and sandwiches. The only catch? You have to hike to get to it… and it’s not exactly an easy one (despite the fact that it’s a VERY popular hike!).

I’m not in the best shape I can be in, but I do hike in the summer from time to time, and this hike was harder than I thought. Here’s an overview of the Lake Agnes trail and whether or not you should just opt for tea at the Chateau Lake Louise instead!

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

The History Of Lake Agnes Tea House

Lake Agnes is considered to be one of the first tea houses in Canada. The original log cabin was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1901 and started serving tea in 1905. Both the trail and the teahouse were built for tourism, to promote the beauty of the rockies in comfort!

The lake in the middle of the mountains is natural, and was always there. Although originally known as the Goats Looking Glass to the Nakoda people (Stoney Indians), not Lake Agnes. They were also the ones who carved out the trail for tourists staying at Lake Louise. But those tourists didn’t need to hike it either, they took horses to get there instead!

P.S. The Lake Agnes Tea House is a top things to do in Banff National Park, see my full digital and printable checklist.

A photo of the big beehive at lake agnes. You can see the side of the log cabin on the bottom left. There's a trail leading to the mountain in the background, known as the big beehive. Lake Agnes is on the bottom right of the photo. People are walking around it.

Lake Agnes Tea House Today

The current log cabin that you see is not the original either but they kept some authentic charm. Even though it was rebuilt in 1981 by Cynthia Magee, there’s still no electricity in the tea house and they still manage to bake desserts by scratch! The tea house remains a family business run by her grand children today!

P.S. Learn more about the tea house as you hike by downloading an audio guide for the trail

Opening Hours Of Lake Agnes Tea House

The Lake Agnes Tea House isn’t open all year round. The tea house is only open from June to October – and even throughout those months, there are a few exceptions.

The opening of Lake Agnes Tea House is weather and bear dependant (more on bears in a bit!). When I visited, the tea house opened two weeks late because a bear was spotted in the area in April. So they closed the Lake Agnes trail until June 15 just to be safe. P.S. Read my full guide on whether June is a good time to visit Banff!

The tea house itself opens from 8:00 A.M. until 4:00 P.M. everyday during those months if the weather and bears cooperate!

a raw wood bench faces the wrong way. Behind it is a log cabin in the woods. It has a stone base, a wonderful balcony covered by a triangle roof. It's completely surrounded by lush green trees.

What Should You Expect From The Lake Agnes Trail?

Here’s what you can expect from the Lake Agnes trail, so you can decide if it’s actually appropriate and worth it for you to do.

Be Vigilant, You’re In Bear Country!

As I said, you’re in bear country here so you have to be careful and prepared!

I spoked to a few Parks Canada staff who all said the same thing: the best thing you can do is talk while you’re hiking to keep the bears away. Our voices are not predictable sounds to bears… unlike bear bells (which can also sound like birds to them and act as a dinner bell instead!). By constantly talking, they’ll most likely hear you coming and leave way before you ever even see them.

On the Lake Agnes trail, you don’t really have to worry about making noise though… there are so many people. I started the hike early (before 8:00 A.M. in June, which is “low season”) and I was still hiking with a huge crowd.

For extra protection, you can also have bear spray on you. But, this is only used if you see a bear and they come close enough to you to actually use it.

A man stands on a rock with his back to the camera. He's wearing hiking gear with a backpack. He has a jacket with long pants. And he has a large wide brimmed had covering his head and face from the sunny day. He's looking out at the trees as they decline the mountain he's on. There are two more mountains in the distance.

Expect Crowds Even If You Start Early

The Lake Agnes Tea House hike is one of the most popular hikes in Lake Louise, and for good reason. So expect the Lake Agnes trail to be packed!

Like I said, I tried starting the hike early (around 7:45 A.M.) but the crowds were already there, and there was already a line once I arrived at the top. So, I don’t know if starting earlier really helps – I think everyone is thinking the same. In fact, when I left the tea house just before 10:00 A.M., it was actually the quietest it had been, with hardly any line.

So you can try to go even earlier to be one of the first people at the top for when the tea house opens (leave closer to 7:00 A.M.), or try to actually go later, leaving around 9:00 A.M. to miss the early morning rush.

The Lake Agnes tea house with a long line leading up to the balcony, and down the stairs. There's a proud canadian flag. And trees are behind the cabin.

How Long Is The Lake Agnes Trail?

The Lake Agnes trail is 3.5 km each way (totalling 7 km round trip!). On their website, they say it usually takes about 2-3 hours total to complete the hike, and I’d have to agree with this. I completed the hike up in just under an hour, let’s just say I kind of bee lined it to the top because of how many people were there… and I wanted to beat the crowds. I didn’t really stop, not even for pictures. But it was hard, my legs were really tired and I was out of breath.

To make the hike easier, don’t follow my lead and just slow down and take your time!

In total, I spent 3 hours. Spending an hour to get up, an hour at the tea house, and then another hour to get down (this time stopping for pictures!). I was also on a bit of a schedule to make my Moraine Lake shuttle in the afternoon. But, if you have time, take your time and it will be a lot easier to finish the hike.

P.S. Planning on visiting Moraine Lake in Banff? They’ve closed off public access and you have to book a shuttle in advance to visit. See my full guide on whether Moraine Lake is worth it!

The hiking trail to Lake Agnes Tea house. It's a small pretty flat path that leads into the trees. There's a Canadian rocky mountain with some snow still on the peak behind it.

The Lake Agnes Trail Is Separated Into 20 Minute Intervals

The first stage of the Lake Agnes trail is the hardest. It’s both the steepest and the longest straight uphill section. It will last about 20 minutes and then you’ll reach a turn (with a small viewpoint of Lake Louise – make sure not to miss it!).

From the sharp turn, it’s another 20 minutes to Mirror Lake. This is a good spot to rest. There are some rocks you can sit on and it’s not a bad view of the Beehive mountain either! After you’ve rested a bit at Mirror Lake, it’s another 20 minutes to the top! And then you’re there – easy right!

P.S. Make sure to spot the waterfall before reaching the top!

The Final Stairs To The Tea House!

The stairs are the final step to the Lake Agnes Tea House! I read in a travel book that the stairs are a near vertical climb to the top – THIS IS NOT THE CASE! Reading this actually deterred my parents from doing the Lake Agnes hike. And, although it’s not that easy of a hike, the stairs are the easiest part.

These are very normal stairs to climb up! Plus, it’s so much easier compared to simple hiking a mountain because you can use the railings to pull yourself up. And you can see the tea house at this point, so you’re very motivated.

The dreaded stairs on the lake agnes tea house trail. These are the final steps. They are normal incline wooden stairs. Someone is about halfway up th efirst set. There's a second set going up in the opposite direction ahead. Trees line the right side, and a rock wall lines the left.

I will Admit, The Hike Was Harder Than I Thought…

When I was researching the Lake Agnes trail, I thought it was an easy hike, because well, everyone does it! Their website says that you don’t even need hiking boots! As I said, I’m not a serious hiker but I enjoy going on some hikes in the summer back in Montreal. I’m not in perfect shape but I’d also like to believe I’m also not in the worst. I also did the hike with my hiking boots, and I’m very happy I wore them because…

This hike was one of the harder ones I’ve done… It’s the length of the uphills without any flat terrain, or a downhill to give yourself a bit of a break. It’s not a long hike, but the straight incline can be exhausting.

And I would recommend wearing hiking shoes for the hike (my go-tos are Columbia Newton Ridge because they’re also waterproof!). The path is pretty well maintained but it’s not perfect. It’s still uneven with rocks and tree roots in the way. And, I was also thankful to be wearing my boot mainly for the way down. If you’re not wearing proper shoes it can be quite painful for your toes as they’ll hit the edge of your shoes.

The state of the lake agnes hiking trail. There's a large pile of horse poop near the front of the photo. There are large branches on the sides. Some rocks are sticking out. At least it's half shaded from the sun above, giving some relief.

Watch Out For The Horse Poop On The Trail!

Most of the Lake Agnes trail is for pedestrians only. But, about halfway up, your trail combines with the horseback riding trail. After this point, you better watch your step for horse poop on the way.

The worry of stepping in the poop wasn’t even the worst part though. It was inhaling it when you were already out of breath from hiking up! Instead of inhaling good fresh air to breath, you just inhale the poop… that was less than enjoyable to say the least!

But If You’re Determined, You’ll Make It!

If you’re determined to get to Lake Agnes Tea House, then you’ll make it up! It’s very easy to get discouraged by the straight uphill at the start. In fact, I saw a lot of people turning back. But just keep thinking about that reward and you’ll be fine, that’s what got me to the top (and p.s. it was really worth it!).

If you want to get to the tea house, then you will! Just know, it’s not as easy as they said it would be, take your time, and you’ll be fine!

The beautiful juxtaposition of the. lake agnes tea house in the canadian rockies. On the left, the log cabin tea house is cut in half, an evergreen trees stands in front of the left side. It has a stone base, and a wooden balcony and roof. Trees come down from behind it, leading down the mountain. There's even more moutains in the distance, they almost blend into the blue sky above, but the mountains are a slightly darker shade of blue.

You Made It To The Tea House At Lake Agnes!

Congratulations! You made it to Lake Agnes Tea House! It’s the perfect reward after an exhausting hike. It’s safe to say that I’ve never experienced anything like this before. It feels like such an oasis with this private log cabin tea house! You feel like you’re on top of the world in the safety of the mountains!

Now it’s time to rest your legs, have a cup of tea, and enjoy nature before you begin your hike back down!

What To Expect From The Line At The Teahouse

I rushed to get to the teahouse as early as possible because I heard about how crowded it was at the top. And they’re not wrong, there are a lot of people. But, I don’t think you have to rush here to beat the lines. I started the hike at 7:45 and made it to the top just before 9:00 A.M… there was already a line (and remember, the teahouse opens at 8:00 AM).

By the time I left, just before 10:00 A.M., there was no line. So I don’t think you can really plan to miss the line. Just enjoy being outside, and expect to wait! I imagine the line might be even worse around lunch time because people start ordering sandwiches and hanging around longer. In the morning, everyone was very quick ordering mostly desserts and tea.

A hand written sign is stuck on the railing of the stairs at the lake agnes teahouse. The left side says TAKE AWAY (left side of the stiars) The right side says: TABLE SERVICE Right of stairs. You can see people standing and waiting, and more people are sitting on the balcony enjoying their tea and food.

Eat In Or Take Out?

I had also read beforehand that I order take out because the line moves much faster. But that might not be the case, at least it wasn’t for me. Just go to whichever line is shorter. For me, the take out line was twice as long as the line to eat in. And I was sitting inside within 2 minutes.

This was mainly because I was also okay eating inside the cabin. If you want to eat outside, it will most likely be a much longer wait. But I loved eating in the cabin. For starters, it was quite the cozy atmosphere, and we got to peak into the kitchen!

If you decide to take out, there are a few picnic tables, benches, and even rocks to set up on around the lake. But finding a place to set up with your food is also an added stressor of taking out…

Enjoy The Delicious Tea!

The tea is steeped using filtered glacier water! You don’t get to drink that every day! It doesn’t get more fresh than that. And, I’m not going to lie, it was some of the smoothest tea I’ve tasted!

They serve all types of teas from caffeinated to herbal blends! I tried the Lake Agnes Breakfast blend (of course) and highly recommend it if you like breakfast teas.

a couple sit at a cozy table inside the lake agnes tea house. You can see the logs of wood that were used for the walls. The photo has a warm yellow hue. The couple sits at a table by the large window that reveals trees and a mountain as their view. They hold a cup of tea in their hands as they sit on wicker chairs. The door behind the man is swing open, and there's a sign that says : we're open hanging on the window.

Are There Bathrooms At Lake Agnes Tea House?

There are lovely outhouses for you to use when reach the top! It’s another hike up to them though! But don’t worry, this time it’s only about a minute or two… but it is all uphill!

Help The Lake Agnes Tea House: Offer To Bring Down Some Garbage

I know carrying garbage doesn’t sound like something you’d want to do, but it’s always nice to offer to help out in any way you can! It turns out, the staff does the same hike you do before and after their days off. On their way up to the Lake Louise tea house, they bring up supplies the teahouse needs, and on their way down, they bring back garbage.

No Electricity But There’s Data At The Top

I was shocked that I actually had service at the top of Lake Agnes trail. Of course, there’s no wifi but having the data was surely nice!

Do You Need To Bring Cash To The Teahouse?

You can actually use card to pay for your tea, although there’s a small additional fee. If you don’t want to pay the fee, you can also just bring cash. They accept CAD and USD.

The lake agnes teahouse sits in the background of the photo. People are standing on the stairs waiting in line, while others sit on the large balcony. But in the front on the right is a couple, with a paper cup in their hand, both with smiles on their faces. They lean back on a rock. They are actually surrounded by large rocks, most of them are still in the ground, creating an uneven path to walk on. The sun is shining right at the camera, creating a darkness of shadows on the subjects.

Continue Your Hike: Connecting Trails

The Lake Agnes trail is just the start of the hiking trails around Lake Louise. From this trail, you can actually continue your hike to make it longer (hike to the Beehives), and even reach a second tea house (Plain of Six Glaciers)…

The Beehives (Little Or Big!)

You can extend your hike by adding a hike around the Little Beehive (.9 km one way). You’ll see a sign after Mirror Lake that will take you there, so you can add it in before reaching Lake Agnes.

The Big Beehive is the mountain you’re looking at from the teahouse. You can hike to the top after your tea, although it’s known as a harder hike adding 1.6 km each way.

Bot of these trails don’t bring you to a tea house, just lookout points.

A waterfall on the rocks with an odd shaped mountain in the background, it's known as the beehive for it's rather particular triangular beehive shape.

Plain of Six Glaciers (Tea House Banff National Park)

You can actually continue your hike and head to a second Lake Louise tea house – the Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House. It’s another 5 km to the Plain of Six Glaciers from Lake Agnes. But from the Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House, you can at least head straight back to Lake Louise, turning it into a loop! This is actually known as the Highline trail and ends up being a 14.6 km loop!

It’s quite a bit longer of a hike, and will take you the whole day complete. But, the tea houses give you a nice break between each hike.

P.S. See my top things to do around Lake Louise…

Easier Lake Louise Tea House Alternatives

If you love the idea of tea in the Canadian Rockies, but don’t know how you’ll fair the steep way up to Lake Agnes Tea House, there are a few alternatives…

Horseback Riding To Lake Agnes Teahouse

You can actually go horseback riding to Lake Agnes Tea House with Brewster Stables and skip the worst uphills. It doesn’t get much easier than that! The only thing you’ll have to do is a short hike to the stairs, but, like I said, you’ll skip the hard part of the hike. You’ll get the experience of horseback riding with the reward of tea in the mountains at the top!

a marbled brown and white horse with a saddle and harness is tied to the wooden railing on a trail in the woods.

Relax With Tea & A View Of Lake Louise

If hiking or horseback riding isn’t your thing, you can enjoy tea by the lake without ever breaking a sweat! Book afternoon tea at the The Chateau Lake Louise at the Fairview restaurant. It’s definitely a lot more expensive than tea at Lake Agnes, but it’s still a lovely experience.

I’m actually not the biggest fan of the Fairmont Afternoon Tea experiences anymore because there’s a better alternative… At the Fairmont Le Chateau Lake Louise, sit on the terrace of the Lakeview Restaurant. It’s quite a bit more of a budget friendly, and you can even order tea with a meal.

The only catch is that it’s a first come first serve basis. The restaurant opens at 11:00 A.M., so if you get there a bit before then, you’ll be first in line to get the best seat on the terrace. I arrived at 10:40 A.M. and were the second people in the line (but this was also in June, and during the week).

Check Out My Banff Digital Download To Print

You might be interested in my downloadable mini travel guide for Banff National Park! Includes basic information, tips & advice, and a checklist of all the top things to do!

See it on Etsy >>

a couple sit with a tea cup in their hand by a large rounded window looking out at the view; the wonderful lake louise and the canadian rockies. The restaurant is empty, except for one other customer in the far back corner.

Need A Place To Stay In Lake Louise?

Hotels in Lake Louise book fast and are expensive and there aren’t that many options! We booked our hotel for June in February of that year and we were already late.

The place to stay is the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise – but it will cost you (see current rates). Instead of staying the night, we opted to enjoy an afternoon tea at the hotel.

We stayed at the Deer Lodge which was a 5 minute walk to Lake Louise . Despite the lower reviews, it is in the middle of renovations so we booked a newly renovated rooms and it was perfect! They provide breakfast and pre-made sandwiches that we bought for lunch before we headed out every day! See it on Booking.com.

For a more budget friendly option, in the town of Lake Louise, stay at HI Lake Louise Alpine Hostel. The common room screams cozy cabin vibes! View updated room rates and availability on Booking.com.

See more hotels in near Lake Louise on Booking.com.