Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles. You cannot drive yourself to Moraine Lake. To get there, you have a few options:
Parks Canada shuttle: Reserve through the Parks Canada reservation site well in advance, months, not days. Reservations for summer open in spring and sell out fast. One ticket covers access to both Moraine Lake and Lake Louise via the Lake Connector shuttle. This is the most affordable option.
Roam Transit Route 8X Super Pass: Runs from downtown Banff to Lake Louise, with Super Pass access to the Moraine Lake connector shuttle. Good option if you are based in Banff.
Fairview Limo: This is who we used for our sunrise tour and they were excellent, punctual, professional, and genuinely great to work with. They offer private sunrise options that are especially worth it if Parks Canada reservations are sold out or you want a more seamless experience. Sunrise tours with any provider book extremely fast. As soon as you know your travel dates, this should be one of the first things you book. Do not wait.
Moraine Lake Bus Company and others: Also offer flexible private shuttle options from Banff and Canmore.
Bike: You can bike the 12km road from Lake Louise. It is a climb, but the descent back is excellent.
Sunrise at Moraine Lake
Non-negotiable. Do not go to Banff and skip this. The color of that lake — that specific impossible blue-green, at first light with the Ten Peaks behind it is one of the most visually striking things we have ever seen on any trip anywhere.
Book your sunrise tour well in advance. We used Fairview Limo and they were excellent. Hike up the rockpile for the elevated view first, then explore the shoreline. Give yourself time at the lake before the day crowds arrive.
If you want to make a full day of the Moraine Lake area before spending a separate day at Lake Louise, we highly recommend it, you will get significantly more hiking in. The Larch Valley Trail and Eiffel Lake Trail are both exceptional options from Moraine Lake. Larch Valley is one of the best hikes in the park any time of year and is especially stunning during larch season in September.
