In January of 2023, Parks Canada announced that the Moraine Lake road will not be accessible to personal vehicles when the road reopens in late May 2023. This means that in order to see the beautiful teal waters and majestic peaks of Moraine Lake, a little more planning will be involved. But trust us– it is worth it!
There are several options available to access Moraine Lake beyond a personal vehicle. We will go into detail of each option below.
Parks Canada Shuttle
Parks Canada provides frequent shuttle service that runs between the parking area (“Park and Ride”) up to Moraine Lake between June-October. Seats for the shuttle must be reserved in advance. 40% of the seats will be released for the season on March 13th, 2023, while the other remaining 60% of seats will be released in a rolling window, at 8am MDT two days prior to departure day. Note that the shuttle service includes the Lake Connector route between Moraine Lake and Lake Louise, so you can visit both spectacular sites with ease.
Shuttle reservations allow for a 1-hour window to catch your shuttle from the Park and Ride parking lot to the lake. You may show up anytime during that reservation hour to catch the shuttle. Once you have arrived at the lake(s), you may stay as long as you’d like, and can make use of the Lake Connector shuttle on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Where to Catch the Shuttle
Your shuttle trip must begin and end at the Park and Ride parking lot, where Parks Canada staff will check you in. The Park and Ride parking lot is located at the Lake Louise Ski Resort (1 Whitehorn Road), and parking here is free. Advanced reservations are required.
Photo: https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ab/banff/visit/parkbus/louise
Pricing
Prices include shuttle connector between Moraine Lake and Lake Louise, as well as return trip to the Park and Ride parking area
Adult (18-64 years) $8.00
Senior (65+ years) $4.00
*There is a non-refundable $3 reservation fee if booking online, and a $6 reservation fee if booking by phone.
For more information, schedules, FAQs, and to book your Parks Canada shuttle seat, please follow the link below:
Roam Public Transit
Roam Public Transit provides regional service between Canmore, Banff, and throughout Banff National Park to some of the most iconic locations, including Lake Louise. While the Roam Transit bus service directly to Moraine Lake does not commence until September, you can still use the service to access Moraine Lake via the route to Lake Louise. See more details below:
Summer Route:
Roam Transit Route 8 (Lake Louise) runs frequently between the town of Banff directly to the Lake Louise Lakeshore. By purchasing a Roam Transit Superpass, riders will have access to use the Parks Canada Lake Connector shuttle at no additional cost. Reservations for the Roam Transit bus route 8 are encouraged to ensure a seat, however, seats for the Lake Connector shuttle between Lake Louise and Moraine Lake are a first-come-first-serve system (reservations are not available). Simply present your Roam Superpass to the Parks Canada staff at Lake Louise or Moraine Lake to receive your Parks Canada boarding pass for access to a seat between the lakes on the Lake Connector shuttle. Roam riders can reconnect with the Roam bus by returning to the Lake Louise Lakeshore on the Parks Canada Lake Connector shuttle.
*Reservations system will launch in May 2023 for the 2023 summer season here:
Autumn Routes:
Starting in early September, Roam Transit adds Route 10 (Moraine Lake) back to their schedule, just in time for Larch Season! Reservations for this route are strongly encouraged to guarantee a seat on your desired travel date. By purchasing a Roam Superpass, riders have access to the Parks Canada Lake Connector shuttle between Moraine Lake and Lake Louise as well.
*For pricing, schedules, and to make reservations, please visit the Roam Transit website. Please note that the reservation system for Summer 2023 will launch in May 2023 (specific date TBA):
Commercial Vehicles
Licensed commercial vehicles, such as guided tour buses, will be permitted use of the Moraine Lake road. There are many different sightseeing and guided tours available in the Moraine Lake/Lake Louise area; please have a look online to see which licensed tour operator has the type of tour you may be seeking!
Taxis
Registered taxi operators will be permitted use of the Moraine Lake road. While taxis are a pricier option, they may be useful if you are seeking transportation in the hours which the Parks Canada shuttles and Roam Transit buses do not operate.
Hiking and Road Biking
Hiking and biking (including e-biking) along the road to Moraine Lake is permitted, however the road is narrow and does not have a shoulder. Caution is advised. The road from the townsite of Lake Louise to Moraine Lake is a 28km round-trip (14km each way). While private vehicles will not have access to the Moraine Lake road, there will still be buses and commercial vehicles that frequent the road. Proper care to ensure you maintain high visibility during low-light settings is vital. Consider reflective gear and headlamps to ensure you are visible to drivers along the road.
Exceptions
Visitors with a valid disabled parking hang tag will be permitted private vehicle access to Moraine Lake. The disability tag must be clearly visible in the vehicle, and tag holders must speak to the traffic control staff at the Moraine Lake road junction for access to the road.
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