How To Visit Lake O'Hara

Lake O'Hara

Lake O'Hara located in Yoho National Park is a stunning blue lake nestled in the Canadian Rockies and is one of the most impressive alpine areas in the world.

The road to O'Hara is only open from June to Early October!

Lake O'hara is only Accessible by the Park Canada shuttle you can't drive here!!! Let me explain your options!

O'Hara Lake Transportation Options

The shuttle to Lake O'Hara works on a lottery system through parks Canada. You can apply for this lottery March 3 - March 28 https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/bc/yoho/activ/randonnee-hike/ohara/visit. To be honest your chances of winning the shuttle is quite unlikely.

If you manage to book a camping spot which is equally as difficult, it will include a spot on the shuttle.

Travel Hack: Free Option

You can hike the 11km road to Lake O'Hara for free! This is obviously a super long day but O'Hara really is incredible.

Travel Hack: Parks Canada Shuttles

What no one tells you about the shuttle.Because so many people have to book way in advance and not everyone camps for the same amount of days there is sometimes last minute room on the shuttle. If you show up at the bottom of the Lake O'Hara road and wait 30 minutes before departures sometimes you can get lucky and catch a ride. Make sure you bring change as the driver won't have any, it its $10 per person each way. There is free parking at the Lake O'Hara parking lot.

Lake O’Hara Bus Times

Parking Lot to Lake O’Hara

8:30am, 10:30am, (3:30pm 5:30pm campers only)

Lake O’Hara to Parking Lot

9:30am 11:30am 2:30pm 2:30pm 4:30pm 6:30pm

We walked the 11km road up in the morning and got lucky with a ride back. You are far more likely to get a ride down than a ride up!

What to do at Lake O'Hara

We did the Opabin plateau loop with the add on to Lake Oesa (The Alpine Loop Trail) and it was one of the most scenic hikes we have ever seen. This greater loop is about 9km and 500m elevation and worth every step.

Not such a hard hike by itself the numbers really start to add up if you have to do the 22km of road so plan accordingly.

There is also the mellower Shoreline trail which is just as pretty and has some great swimming spots.

Your other options are Lake Macarthur, or Linda Lake. To be honest Opabin Prospect is the famous view you are thinking of and the one you should choose.