Visitor Use Management - Lake Louise Area
Banff National
Park is developing a visitor use management plan to adapt to increasing visitation in the Lake Louise area.
Visitation to Lake Louise in Banff National Park rose 31% over the last 10 years and is expected to continue to rise. The Lake Louise area is extremely popular. More people than ever before are visiting and connecting with this special place.
Higher numbers of people on the landscape are causing challenges like congestion, crowding, human-wildlife conflict, and impacts to ecosystems. It also makes emergency response more difficult.
Parks Canada has used many tools to address these challenges including shuttles, reservations services, paid parking, and marketing campaigns. We’ve analyzed available data and learned over the years—now, we’d like to hear from you.
Visitor use management planning protects the mountain ecosystems that make Lake Louise and Moraine Lake special, while ensuring high quality experiences for visitors and residents alike.
Plan Scope
This plan will focus on visitor access and use in the Lake Louise area. There are five main areas of visitor use: Upper Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Paradise Valley, the Lake Louise Park and Ride, and the transportation corridors that link them.
Approximately 70% of Lake Louise visitors arrive between May and October, so planning will focus on access and use during this time. The visitor use management planning process may be extended to other locations and times of year in the future.
The community of Lake Louise itself is addressed through the separate Lake Louise Community Plan Update process.
Context
Whether you are new to the Lake Louise area or know this place well, we encourage you to explore this background:
- What makes Lake Louise special?
- History of visitor use management in Lake Louise
- Key issues
- Graphs and charts: How busy is it?
- Goals for the future
We want your feedback!
The first phase of consultation on visitor use management planning for Lake Louise is now complete. This phase collected input on desired conditions and aspirations for the Lake Louise area.
The next phase of consultation will focus on strategies and actions, or how to achieve the desired conditions.
The next phase of consultation is anticipated to take place in winter 2025.
