Lake Louise is a lake the colour of milky turquoise, set under a wall of rock and a hanging glacier, and it is one of the most photographed places in Canada. The colour comes from fine rock flour, ground by the glacier and carried into the water, which reflects the blue-green part of the spectrum. At about 1,500 metres, the lake is surrounded by the peaks of the Rockies, with Mount Victoria and the Victoria Glacier at its head, and the old château at the foot, a large hotel that has stood here in various forms since the 1890s. The lake was named for Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, a daughter of Queen Victoria, and the province of Alberta also bears her name.
The way here is the Bow Valley Parkway, the quieter road that runs alongside the Trans-Canada Highway between Banff and Lake Louise for about fifty kilometres. It is a rider's delight if you are in the right frame of mind, because the speed limit is low, the road is narrow and lined with tall spruce, and there are lay-bys for wildlife. Elk, deer, bighorn sheep and the occasional black or grizzly bear all use the corridor. Please keep your distance and never stop to approach an animal. At certain times of year, part of the parkway has seasonal restrictions to protect wildlife, so check with the park before you set off.
Banff National Park charges an entry fee, and you need a pass on your windscreen or, for a bike, carried on you. The weather in the mountains changes fast, with snow possible any month of the year, and high passes and roads can close with little warning. Summer is the busiest time, and the car park at the lake fills very early, so arrive in the morning or in the evening.
Fuel and food are available in the village of Lake Louise, a short distance from the lake, with a petrol station, a grocery and a handful of cafes and restaurants. Prices are higher than in Calgary or Banff, so fill up in Banff if you can.
Beyond the village, the Icefields Parkway continues north toward Jasper, one of the great mountain roads of the world.