BestHike editor Rick McCharles grew up in Calgary, the closest major airport. He and local hiking friends all feel this is the most beautiful of the Canadian Rockies trails.
Alpine Circuit, Lake O’Hara
Super popular, it’s very difficult to get a reservation to camp overnight.
quota system DOES help protect this wonderful place
Lake Oesa
Considerations
dangerous in wet or snowy conditions
dangerous in low visibility
it can snow any day of the year
trails sometimes closed due to bears
mobile phones normally do not work
bikes and pets not permitted on the bus or at the campground. But you can hike with your dog on a leash.
you normally cannot buy a ticket on the bus. Must be reserved.
national park pass must be displayed in your vehicle when parked
though you can avoid them, some trails have exposure
towards Wiwaxy Gap
Costs
Lake O’Hara Parks Canada Shuttle Bus transports 120+ hikers into Lake O’Hara each day. About half staying overnight at campground or Elizabeth Parker Hut.
Remaining seats allocated in the day shuttle bus lottery, which occurs in early spring each year (3rd to 24th March in 2025). Hikers are allocated a specific bus for the journey into Lake O’Hara.
Hikers who don’t have a bus reservation can always make their own way to Lake O’Hara on foot along the access road (option 2). Bikes are not allowed.
The access road features 450m elevation gain over 11km and takes around 2-3 hours to hike.
Bus Two Way: Adult CDN $14.70 (2019)
Bus Return Only: Adult CDN $9.75
Bus Reservation Fee: 1 to 2 person: CDN $4.50/ticket online or $6.25/ticket by phone
Camping and Bus Reservation Fee $11.70 / campsite (non-refundable) plus Wilderness Pass $9.80 / night / adult
campground
Trekking Guides
We don’t know of any hiking guides for O’Hara. Leave a comment if you have one. Certainly you don’t need a guide.
In summer a lodge room might cost you CDN $730+ (two people).
Due to high demand, the Elizabeth Parker Hut is booked by lottery during the summer months. If you were lucky enough to get a spot, cost is CDN $35 – $45 / night. Or more. Prices are going UP.
Most hikers either camp. Or do a long, tough day trip.
The day hike option is easiest to organize. You still need a reservation for the bus up from the highway. Ideally catch the first bus up (8:30am) and the last bus out (6:30 pm). Or … you could hike up the mountain 11km. Then hike. And walk back down. No reservation required. Good luck with that. 🙂
We once had a bear in this parking lot while boarding!
some like O’Hara best late in the season to see the larch change colour. Green to golden.
WiwaxyGap– HuberLedges– YuknessLedges– AllSouls’ Prospect– Grandview Prospect (in either direction)
click for larger version
And though the Alpine Circuit is the most famous of the Lake O’Hara trails, there are many, many more. If you have more than one day try to do as many of these trails as possible.
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