Mirror Lake

A small, circular tarn on the trail to Lake Agnes, ~2.6 km into the ascent from the Chateau Lake Louise lakeshore. Mirror Lake reflects the Big Beehive’s sheer quartzite cliffs; a glassy reflection that gives the lake its name.

Geology. The tarn formed in a depression carved by glacial turbulence as ice was forced around the base of the Big Beehive buttress. The Victoria Glacier sculpted the Beehives as roches moutonnées; meltwater and plucking created the basin. Often frozen early and late in the season.

Trail. The trail splits at Mirror Lake: the right-hand path leads to the tea house switchbacks and steep wooden stairs beside the Lake Agnes waterfall; the left-hand path serves as the horse trail. A natural resting point before the final ~1 km climb to the Lake Agnes Tea House. One of the busiest waypoints on the most popular trail in Banff National Park.