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Ice Skating on Lake Louise
If you like ice skating outdoors with world-class scenery as a backdrop then you’d probably love skating on Lake Louise in Banff National Park.
Lake Louise sits at an elevation of 1750 meters (5742 feet) in the Canadian Rockies. Winter comes early and stays late – a good thing if you’re into enjoying the outdoors. Lake Louise is usually ready for skating by mid-December and stays that way until sometime in mid-April – though skating is weather dependent. The last of the ice doesn’t usually leave the lake until the first week in June.
Ice skating on Lake Louise
There are two areas on the lake that are maintained for ice skating – one around the gorgeous ice castle – which is lit up at night – and another one that can be used for pick-up hockey.
Ice skating with the massive Victoria Glacier in the distance
Don’t worry if you don’t own skates. They can be rented. A two hour skate rental is $11; its $15 for the whole day. Kids skate rentals are about half the adult price. And if you want to try your hand at hockey, then rent a stick for $5.
Walking through the Ice Castle
No shortage of photo opportunities around the ice castle
If you want to skate in the sunshine plan to do it early in the day at this time of year. The days are short and by early afternoon the sun disappears behind the mountains. The temperature drops quickly too but you can warm up around the fire or head to nearby Chateau Lake Louise and grab yourself a hot drink.
For more travel inspiration check out the photos of other travel bloggers on Nancie’s Budget Travelers Sandbox website.
I think a few hours ice skating on Lake Louise is the perfect way to spend a winter day.
Do you have a favourite outdoor skating rink?
Other posts you might enjoy:
- A Guide to the Top 11 Outdoor Skating Rinks in Canada
- A Winter Diversion: Delightful dog-sledding in the Rockies
- The Forks Skating: The World’s Longest Natural Outdoor Rink
Leigh McAdam
HikeBikeTravel
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About Hike Bike TravelAvid world traveler. Craves adventure - & the odd wildly epic day. Gardener. Reader. Wine lover. Next big project - a book on 100 Canadian outdoor adventures.
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28 Responses to Ice Skating on Lake Louise
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About
I’ve been all over the world – to all continents but Antarctica and to a grand total of 53 countries. I’ve always got some sort of an adventure planned – even if it’s only a weekend. I thrive on change and travel provides that.
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leighmcadamtravels at gmail dot com
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That looks great! I love the ice castle with the maple leaves. I need to get back to Banff someday. Thanks for sharing.
Jan recently posted..Happy New Year Everyone
@Jan And thanks for stopping by. Happy New Year.
That is fantastic. Skating and a castle on the beautiful lake. What an idea.
budget jan recently posted..Tuesday in Townsville
@Jan And to skate and visit the lake is in the budget category – staying at Chateau Lake Louise not so much.
Very cool…have only seen Lake Louise in the summer. Looks stunning in winter too!
AnitaMac recently posted..Monday Morning Series: Winter Wonderland
@Anita It’s equally beautiful in winter in a different sort of way.
Looks cold. And beautiful with that incorporeal castle.
Italian Notes recently posted..Beetroot salad with apple and capers
@Mette I loved the look of the castle but you have to see it in the right light.
An ice castle? That is so awesome! I really want to see Lake Louise, but I’m thinking I may wait until spring. I’m too much of a baby when it comes to cold weather.
Christy recently posted..The Grand Wailea: Turtles, Art & Waterslides
@Christy When I think of you I think of bikinis and beaches. Probably a good call on your part.
Ice until early June?? I’ll have to delay my road trip to summer then. I was thinking of April/May, but if that means snow and ice, no way. Still, gorgeous though!
Christina recently posted..Christchurch after the earthquake: a photo journey
@Christina Some early season hiking starts in mid-May but the weather is still fickle. Around Lake Louise itself the ground should be clear of snow but it’s normally the first week of June before the ice on the lake is totally gone.And if you’re coming to see the turquoise lake then you’re better off coming after mid-June.
Amazing ice castle, I love it. Happy New Year!
Muza-chan recently posted..A Japanese Song per Day: Luna Sea – True Blue
Thanks so much Muza-chan.
What a stunningly beautiful place! I love the ice castle; in fact I love sitting in my nice warm house touring the place through your photos. Another nice one, Leigh!
Jackie Smith recently posted..Kotor, Montenegro: Climb Every Mountain
@Jackie The beauty of ice skating at Lake Louise is that a warm place is never very far away.
What a beautiful place to ice skate! I love the ice castle!
Tonya @ The Traveling Prates recently posted..Our Visit to Legoland Florida
@Tonya I agree. The ice castle is gorgeous and I wonder how long it would take to build.
Wow, $15 is not bad for a whole day’s skating! Just posing with a backdrop of that ice castle is worth it already, I guess.
Aleah | SolitaryWanderer.com recently posted..Going Solo for Archaeology Travel
I could be up for ice skating on Lake Louise! The ice castle is very interesting. Don’t think I’ve seen anything like that before.
Debbie Beardsley @ European Travelista recently posted..Alexandrowka – Potsdam’s Russian Colony
When I was at Lake Louise in September, the water was still liquid so only God could have walked across it.
One can ice skate during the winter holiday season outside the Hyatt Regency hotel in San Francisco, just about a block from San Francisco Bay whose waters aren’t warm, but never freeze over.
Dick Jordan recently posted..Travel Photo Thursday: Capturing Look-alikes
@Dick Skating in a place that doesn’t get a freezing cold winter always sounds so exotic to me. I didn’t know about the Hyatt rink – so thank you.
What a fabulous place to skate and a perfect way to spend a day!
Didn’t realize the days ended so early.
InsideJourneys recently posted..My Year of Travelling in Jamaica & Elsewhere, Pt II
@Marcia It’s lust about pitch black out now by 5pm but we’re only a few weeks away from seeing a noticeable change in the amount of daylight. Hurrah!
Ice? Snow?? I would SO kill for some of that downunder as we suffer through the 4th hottest day ever recorded here … the skating looks like SO much fun!! Happy New Year!
Red Nomad OZ recently posted..The Incredible Icebergs of Geikie Gorge!
@RedNomad I like the thought of slightly warmer temperatures but I don’t envy you in your heatwave right now. Skating would be a huge treat for you. Come and visit.
Lake Louise is on my list! We had plans for a big trip up to that area, but my husband broke his knee, and we had to amend our travels (such a bummer). That castle is incredible.
Kate recently posted..A White Christmas Indeed: Truckee, California
@Kate Sounds to me like you’ll just have to get Lake Louise back on your wish list. Breaking a knee sounds awful and painful.