(Last Updated On: February 23, 2023)The Canadian Rockies are among the most breathtakingly beautiful place I’ve seen. And, while the parks that make up the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage site have more than enough spectacular scenery to go around, the area around Lake O’Hara in Canada’s Yoho National Park is particularly gorgeous. (Post updated summer 2022.)
A hike along Lake O’Hara
Our hike along Lake O’Hara begins with an early morning ride on an orange school bus.
It’s a short ride. However, the narrow road through the forest ends a stunningly beautiful lake shore far away from almost everyone else visiting the Rockies this summer.
It’s only a few steps from the bus to the trail that circles Lake O’Hara. Not sure which direction we should go, we follow the majority of other hikers toward the west end of the lake.
Soon they have dispersed, hurrying off on whatever trail they have planned for the day.
The Lake O’Hara trail
We are almost alone on a bright, sunny morning in one of the most beautiful places I can imagine. (Although we are on the wrong end of the lake for morning photography, as the sun rises on the opposite end of the lake!)
Despite being in the wrong spot for photography, it’s unbelievably beautiful!
The first part of our hike is an easy amble along the lake shore on the Lake O’Hara Trail. The scenery around the lake is stunning, but the boulders and plants along the lake’s edge have their own beauty.
On the Lake Oesa Trail
About halfway around the lake, we leave the shoreline to take the Lake Oesa Trail.
A trail that starts to climb almost immediately!
Although a little steep, it’s still an easy trail. It’s a well-worn, shady path that winds up through the trees crowding the cliffs above the lake.
Eventually we climb above the tree line.
The boulder field isn’t as intimidating as it looks at first glance. The trail is relatively easy to follow and doesn’t require a lot of boulder-hopping or other fancy footwork.
And the view is stunning!
We take a lunch break in a bit of shade amid the boulders.
After lunch we continue on, passing another small lake along the way.
However, just past the lake, the boulders become a broad slope of scree. We are probably still well-over a mile from Lake Osea, with no idea of what the rest of the trail is like.
We’ve crossed some small patches like this already. However, this seemingly endless field of it is pretty intimidating.
The sun is high and hot. However, clouds are building in the west. A sign perhaps, of the afternoon rains promised in the morning weather forecast?
We ponder a bit, consult our (not very detailed) trail map, and step tentatively out onto the scree.
It doesn’t take long to decide that crossing it in dry weather is bad enough – there is no way we want to come back across in the rain.
We turn around and head back down the mountain to continue along Lake O’Hara via the shore trail.
Along the way we get to enjoy all the scenery we saw going up from the other direction!
Back on the Lake O’Hara trail
Once we get back to the shore, the rest of the trail turns out to be a relaxing jaunt. The scenery is nice (if not as spectacular as it is above the lake) and there are lots of plants, mosses, cool rocks, and waterfalls to enjoy along the way.
As we walk, the sky fills with unhappy grey clouds, but there is no rain.
Maybe we should have tackled that scree . . .
Plan your visit to Lake O’Hara
Lake O’Hara is located in Canada’s Yoho National Park on the border of Banff National Park. Both parks are part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage site.
Yoho National Park is located within the traditional territories of the Ktunaxa and Secwepemc First Nations.
A Canadian National Park Pass is required to visit the Rocky Mountain national parks. That includes hiking Lake O’Hara.
The Lake O’Hara area has special restrictions, including daily quotas for visitors using the only transport into the area. This helps protect the park’s fragile alpine areas and provides visitors with more of a wilderness experience. However, it also requires significant advance planning and quite a bit of luck.
Pick your favorite season
Lake O’Hara is a lovely place to hike in summer and fall. The lake shore trail is suitable for just about everyone, however, some of the Alpine trails should be left to experienced hikers. Some trails may be closed at any given time due to trail conditions or wildlife.
The Lake O’Hara Trails Club has links to PDF files that describe each of the Lake O’Hara trails.
In winter, cross-country skiers can explore the park. The ski into the park is said to be easy, but trails within are more challenging – and some areas are prone to avalanches and best avoided completely. There is no bus in winter, so all skiers – including guests at Lake O’Hara lodge, must ski the seven miles into and out of the park along the fire road.
In all seasons, be prepared for almost any type of weather. We got really lucky – it would be hard to imagine more perfect weather than we had. Still, with a forecast that called for afternoon showers, we packed rain gear and an extra layer with our sunscreen and insect repellent.
Services
Summer shuttle buses serve Lake O’Hara between mid-June and October. This is also when the campground is open.
Privately operated Lake O’Hara Lodge is open from mid-June until early October and from late-January through early April. During winter, the lodge offers guided ski adventures.
The Alpine Club of Canada also operates the Elizabeth Parker Hut in the park. It is open year-round.
Make a reservation
There is no limit on the number of visitors allowed to walk the seven miles along the fire road to the lake.
However, only 31 day-use visitors are allowed on the Lake O’Hara shuttle bus. The only others on the bus are the overnight visitors staying at the 30-site campground or one of the Alpine Club hiking huts. (Guests at Lake O’Hara lodge have their own shuttle.) Bikes are not allowed on the road or in the park.
For most of us, those limits mean that advance planning and reservations are essential to visit Lake O’Hara.
But scoring a reservation for a day hike also requires a lot of luck. That’s because reservations are now issued through a random drawing, instead of on a first-come-first-serve basis. Entries are accepted during the month of March and there is a non-refundable fee to enter.
(Campers still have a timed first-come-first-served reservation process.)
Reservations for the Lake O’Hara Lodge are handled by the lodge. Likewise, reservations for the Elizabeth Parker Hut are handled by the Alpine Club.
Shuttle service for day use visitors
When you enter the lottery for a day use ticket (which is really just a ticket for the shuttle into the park), you’ll be asked to choose between the 8:30 and 10:30 buses. You need to be there for that bus or risk losing your spot. However, several buses make the return trip, and day use visitors can choose whichever is most convenient when they are ready to leave.
There is a fee both to take the shuttle and to enter the lottery for a shuttle reservation.
This reservation process makes it even harder to get a reservation than the old system because you can’t search for an available time. You have to pick a date and time (or several) and hope that you aren’t choosing the same date and time everyone else wants.
Campers
The Lake O’Hara campground has 30 spots for small tents. It has a small cooking shelter, food lockers, storage room, and other basic facilities. Fees are about $45 total (campground, bus, etc.) for one person for one night.
As of 2020, campground reservations can be made either online or by phone. Reservations open for the entire year in February on a first-come, first-serve basis. Campers can stay for a maximum of three nights per stay.
The Lake O’Hara campground is very popular, but it isn’t very big. If you want to stay there, identify when you want to visit. (If possible, identify alternate dates as well.) Go online or get on the phone at 8 a.m. MDT (Mountain daylight time) on the day reservations open.
If you can’t get a reservation when you first try booking, try again later, as spots do open up.
Elizabeth Parker Alpine Hut
The Alpine Club of Canada operates the Elizabeth Parker Alpine Hut near the shore of Lake O’Hara. This hostel-style dorm has sleeping quarters, a kitchen, and sitting area.
The Elizabeth Parker Hut is open year-round.
Because it too is extremely popular in summer, summer reservations are made through a lottery in the fall. Alpine Club members can make reservations for other seasons up to 12 months in advance. Non-members can book 30 days in advance.
Lake O’Hara Lodge
The Lake O’Hara Lodge offers a variety of lodge rooms and cabins along the lakeshore. Accommodations are all-inclusive and include meals in a gorgeous dining room.
For those who can afford it (rates start at $800 per night in summer for a double twin room, with a two-night minimum), a couple of nights at the lodge seems like the ultimate wilderness indulgence. Prices do drop during the winter, but only basic lodge rooms are available at that time.
Despite the price, the lodge is usually fully-booked far in advance.
You can only book through the lodge, but you can read reviews for Lake O’Hara Lodge (or search for more available and affordable lodging) on TripAdvisor (affiliate links).
Get to the park
Lake O’Hara is located near the city of Field, British Columbia.
Vehicle access to Lake O’Hara is strictly controlled. While anyone can hike the seven miles in to the lake along the fire road, the only vehicle access is via the Lake O’Hara shuttle bus. As explained above, advance reservations for the bus are required. They can be made as part of your campground or Alpine Hut reservation if you are staying in the park. Lake O’Hara Lodge runs its own shuttle.
There are only 31 spaces for day visitors and those spots go quickly. (There used to be 42 spaces a day!)
The bus leaves from a parking lot located about halfway between Lake Louise, Alberta, and Field, British Columbia.
Keep in mind that you must present your confirmation when you check-in for the bus.
Pets and bikes are prohibited on the bus, in the campground, or pretty much anywhere else at Lake O’Hara. (You can walk in with your pet on a leash, but then you can’t actually spend time in the park!) Hard-sided coolers, large stoves, and similar large gear is also prohibited.
Take better pictures
As a photographer, I screwed up. We wanted plenty of time to try to hike to Lake Oesa, so we just started off on the closest trail (around the west end of Lake O’Hara) that would take us there. That left me looking into the sun pretty much the entire time it was visible.
For the best photos, get to the lake as early as you can and follow the shore trail to the right through the lodge toward the east end of the lake. As you get near the end of the lake you’ll have a couple trail options, or you can continue on around the lake to the Lake Oesa Trail. You’ll have beautiful light on the lake and surrounding mountains the whole way out and, if you do take the Lake Oesa Trail, you’ll also have beautiful light when you get to the west end of the lake on your return later in the day.
Bring a meal
Bring all your own food unless you are staying at Lake O’Hara Lodge.
Lake O’Hara Lodge used to allow day use visitors and campers to have afternoon tea or, sometimes, an early evening dinner. We knew we would be out hiking too long to do tea, so we planned to do an early dinner at the lodge. However, when we arrived we were informed that they couldn’t take dinner guests until all their regular guests had eaten so they knew how much food they had left. They also make it pretty clear that their well-heeled clientele didn’t want to see day-use visitors hanging around.
We got the message and left.
Apparently the policy has been clarified since our 2014 visit – meals, including beverages and tea service, are NOT available to anyone who isn’t a guest at the lodge.
Lodging away from the lake
If you can’t stay right along the lake, there is lodging near Field, British Columbia, or Lake Louise, Alberta. There aren’t a lot of options, but there are options. Book as far in advance as possible to have the widest range of choices and prices.
We stayed at the Great Divide Lodge in Field. It’s a really good choice for the price and the location is very convenient. There’s nothing fancy about it, but it covers all the basics in a great location.
Check TripAdvisor to find the best deal, compare prices, read what other travelers have to say, and make a reservation. Rakutan members get additional savings when booking through TripAdvisor, Agoda, or Priceline. (Affiliate links)
Resources
Parks Canada’s Lake O’Hara page has links to most of the info you need to plan a visit.
Parkways of the Canadian Rockies (affiliate link) is a great guide to Banff, Jasper, Kootenay, and Yoho. First written by Brian Patton in 1975, it hasn’t been updated and republished since 2008. But I’d still recommend it. Just maybe not as your only guide to this area.
Canadian writer and outdoorswoman extraordinaire Leigh McAdam’s website Hike Bike Travel has a number of posts on Lake O’Hara, including one on the trail to Lake Oesa. For those who prefer paper or who want more options across Canada, her book Discover Canada: 100 Inspiring Outdoor Adventures includes a couple of hikes in the Lake O’Hara area. (It’s also available as a ridiculously cheap e-book.)
The Bear Foot Theory blog has a detailed post on camping at Lake O’Hara that seems to be updated regularly.
Darwin Wiggett and Samantha Chrysanthou used to have an excellent Guide to Yoho National Park e-book. It was part of their (no longer available) How to Photograph the Canadian Rockies e-book series. These were amazing guidebooks that were both beautiful and extremely useful. (I used the Icefields Parkway book while I was traveling, and it had everything I needed to find good locations at the right time of day. It also included tips on lenses and techniques to use.) Unfortunately, they seem to no longer be available. If you find one somewhere at anything resembling a reasonable price, grab it.
See more photos of Lake O’Hara on CindyCarlsson.com
Exploring the Canadian Rockies
Thx for sharing this post about Lake O’Hara. I’d forgotten just how lovely Yoho National Park is!
All of the Canadian Rocky Mountain parks are beautiful, but I think Yoho is my favorite – it’s a wonderful place, and not one everyone knows about.
This is indeed a beautiful part of the world. I haven’t been to Lake O’Hara specifically, but I’ve been awestruck any time I’ve been I’ve been in this area. Your photos are beautiful. And all the information you provide about visiting is fantastic.
I highly recommend Yoho next time you are in the area, Donna. It’s such a gorgeous spot! Thanks for stopping by.
Lake O’Hara looks a fabulous place for hiking. So peaceful and I love those clear reflections in the lakes.
It’s really beautiful and, once everyone on the bus has dispersed, you pretty much have the place to yourself. It’s kind of amazing.
Lake Ohara looks stunning. Your photos (even if they were taken from the wrong direction) make me want to plan a return trip to Canada.
Thanks, Lyn. I never had a chance to edit most of the pictures from our trip out there, and every time I look at them I think “It’s so beautiful. Let’s go back right now!!”
Gorgeous photos. That is an amazing area of the world to hike and explore.
Thank you! It is an amazing place.