Visiting two iconic locations in Banff National Park might be a little harder in the future, with visitor restrictions on the table for Moraine Lake and Lake Louise.
Parks Canada says visitation to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake is already limited by road, shuttle and transit capacity; however, the number of people visiting Lake Louise has risen by 31% over the last 10 years and is expected to continue to rise.
Parks Canada outlined a visitor use management plan for the Lake Louise area back in 2022 as part of the Banff National Park Management Plan because, in recent years, conserving places in the Lake Louise area while ensuring access to them has become more complex.
Roadside Parking on Moraine Lake Road – Preclosure (Parks Canada)
Shuttle Lineup at Lake Louise in 2017 (Parks Canada)
Shuttle Lineup at Park and Ride in 2017 (Parks Canada)
The first round of engagement for the management plan, now underway, asks for feedback on draft desired conditions or goals for the Lake Louise area.
To comment during this first phase of public engagement on visitor use management for the Lake Louise area, readers can complete an online survey with the comment period open through July 28, 2024.
Parks Canada says the second round of engagement will begin later this year and will examine strategies and actions for achieving the desired conditions or goals.
Limits for some types of use, in some areas, at certain times, may be necessary to preserve desired conditions.
“No decisions have been made about maximum amounts, types, or locations of visitor use. These will be determined through the planning process and will be subject to public engagement,” Parks Canada added.
The Lake Louise Area Visitor Use Management Plan should be completed in 2025 and will guide visitor use management in the Lake Louise area for the next five to 10 years, with Parks Canada adding that the plans are adaptive and iterative changes may be made over time.
Approximately 70% of Lake Louise visitors arrive between May and October, so planning will focus on access and use during this time. The visitor use management planning process may be extended to other locations and times of year in the future.