Big Beehive Trail

The Big Beehive offers the classic top-down view of Lake Louise and the Chateau from directly above. Strenuous; the final eight switchbacks from Lake Agnes are steep and require good fitness. The trail begins at the Lake Louise Lakeshore; follow the Lake Agnes route to the tea house, then continue past it on the 1.6 km ascent to the summit.

The route. Same approach as Lake Agnes: shoreline, forested switchbacks, Mirror Lake at approx. 2.7 km. At the Lake Agnes Tea House, take the left path toward the Big Beehive; eight steep switchbacks gain approx. 135 m to the summit ridge. Subalpine Fir and Engelmann Spruce give way to Alpine Larch (Larix lyallii) near the top.

Comparison. Little Beehive is easier (Moderate) and gives a clearer angle of the Chateau and full lake length. Big Beehive is the bird’s-eye view; you look straight down on the turquoise water. Mount St. Piran is higher and harder, with 360-degree views and fewer crowds. The Devil’s Thumb is a technical scramble above Lake Agnes with a “double lake” view; not recommended without scrambling experience.

Geology and history. The Big Beehive is a roche moutonnée; the Victoria Glacier smoothed the stoss (upstream) side and plucked the lee side into steep cliffs facing Lake Louise. J. Willoughby Astley named it in 1890; Samuel Allen made the first ascent in 1891. The summit shelter, built by the CPR in 1916, is the oldest surviving structure in the Rocky Mountain national parks. It was designed as a comfortable vantage for early tourists to view the Victoria Glacier; it still offers refuge from thunderstorms and high winds.

Flora and fauna. Hoary Marmot and American Pika in the talus; Clark’s Nutcracker (grey birds with black and white wings) at the summit. Grizzly bears frequent the corridor during larch season and early fall. Typically snow-free late June to early October.

Avalanche risk. The switchbacks sit in a significant avalanche path. Parks Canada discourages travel Oct–June unless you have AST-1 training and rescue gear. The trail is deadly in shoulder season; check trail conditions before attempting.

Photography. Sunrise at the Lookout Shelter: the sun rises over the Bow Valley and hits Mount Victoria and the glacier with pink alpenglow. Sunset from the cliffs facing east: long shadows across the turquoise water.

See the Big Beehive landmark, Summer logistics for 2026 shuttle and parking, and the summer trail page for stats and nearby trails.