The Horton Hill hike, just an hour's drive from Calgary in Kananaskis Country isn't going…
The Lake Oesa Hike in Yoho National Park, BC
The hike to magnificent Lake Oesa from Lake O’Hara in Yoho National Park is short, easy and family-friendly. It rewards with incredible mountain scenery and a turquoise-coloured lake in a spectacular mountain setting.
It’s a straight forward 6.6 kilometre (4.1 mile) round trip hike to Lake Oesa with only 240 metres of elevation gain – providing of course you start at Lake O’Hara and you haven’t had to walk in from the parking lot. But that’s another story.
The hike to Lake Oesa
The trail to Lake Oesa is very well signed. And the trail itself is beautifully constructed. In places, huge slabs of flat rock have been carefully laid to provide a fantastic surface for walking on. Despite it being one of those most beautiful hikes in the Rockies, you won’t find throngs of tourists.
When you finish the hike pick up cold drinks, ice cream bars and other snack food items at a small concession where by the bus stop. Bring cash.
The crux of the hike is getting to the trailhead. Here’s what you have to do if you want to hike to the lake or on any of the other outstanding trails around Lake O’Hara.
If you have the money – and that’s only part of the equation – then try and snag a room or cabin at Lake O’Hara Lodge. It’s best if you’re very flexible. Request a booking six months out or phone them for a last minute cancellation.
Book a bunk at the Elizabeth Parker Hut. You are encouraged to apply by lottery beginning at the end of October for the following summer. In mid-December bookings that haven’t been confirmed are available on a first come first served basis. Get on the phone the second they’re open!
Planning your hike to Lake Oesa
Doing any hike at all in the Lake O’Hara region takes some planning. If you’re planning to camp the following is important as the rules changed in 2020 .
On January 24, 2020 beginning at 8:00 a.m. MST all Lake O’Hara camping reservations are now offered on the Parks Canada Reservation Service. It’s a first come, first served basis. Camping is possible from June 19 – October 3, 2020.
To access the reservation service click on this page.
The Parks Canada website says you can also call one of these two numbers. They recommend creating an account beforehand to save time. Reservations are expected to be booked completely on opening day – January 24th!!
- 1-877-RESERVE (1-877-737-3783).
- International: 1-519-826-5391
How to get a seat on the bus to Lake O’Hara (no overnight)
As of 2020 the rules for booking buses have also changed in Yoho National Park.
Fill out an application online between February 1 -29, 2020. It’s a $10 non-refundable fee per application but on each application you can choose 6 different days and up to 6 bus seats. Applications are drawn at random and you’ll have two weeks to confirm.
Click on this website for all the bus details.
Other hikes in Yoho National Park you might enjoy
- Hiking the Yoho Valley Trail to the Stanley Mitchell Hut
- The President Range Hiking Trails in Yoho National Park
- Hiking the Spectacular Iceline Trail near Field, BC
- A Great Hike to Abbott Pass Hut on the BC-AB Border
Click on the photo to bookmark to your Pinterest boards.
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You’ve outdone yourself with the pictures this time Leigh. Beautiful shots of an obviously gorgeous location. Even seems like an easy enough hike for those of us who get tired on the first flight of stairs.
Beautiful! The rewards seem to far outweigh the effort. I’m kicking myself for not exploring Yoho more when I lived in Calgary.
@Laurel You’ll just have to bring that husband of yours back with you and do some Yoho hiking one summer soon.
Sooo pretty! I can’t believe I’m such a bad little Canadian – I’ve never been to BC, despite how gorgeous it is 🙁
There are plenty of people from BC & Alberta that haven’t seen the east yet either. It may not be as glamorous but I do recommend a trip sooner rather than later to explore BC. And it’s so much more than just Victoria and Vancouver.
@Steve You could do this one and love it. Your whole family would enjoy the scenery and lunch by the lake.
We did this hike in August 2018. Lake Oesa is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. We did the loop around the Yukness ledge back down. The altitude is no joke. The gain in altitude was very tiring. Oh and those aren’t obese chipminks, they are golden mantled ground squirrels!
@Trinity Thanks for the update on the chipmunks. Agree -it’s an incredibly beautiful hike.
[…] McAdam’s website Hike Bike Travel has a number of posts on Lake O’Hara, including one on the trail to Lake Oesa. For those who prefer paper or who want more options across Canada, her book Discover Canada: 100 […]
[…] Lake Oesa is breathtaking but it’s popular and busy as there is an easy 3.2 kilometre trail to it from Lake O’Hara. You’ll find slabs of rock, perfect for stretching out on so plan to stop here for lunch. Keep an eye on the aggressive chipmunks as they’ll be in your knapsack or bag of food in seconds. […]