Observe Grizzly bears and other wildlife in their natural habitat
The Lake Louise Summer Gondola is famous for being one of the best places in the Canadian Rockies to safely view grizzly bears, black bears, lynx, moose, mountain goats, elk, and deer along with many other fascinating species of wildlife.
See tips for viewing wildlife and our wildlife sightseeing calendar below.
WILDLIFE VIEWING TIPS
Here are some great tips to help you to have the best chance to view wildlife when you visit!
- Visit earlier or later: Many wildlife species are more active during the cooler hours of the day, first thing in the morning or in the late afternoon or evening.
- Keep looking: Don’t just look straight under the gondola but keep a lookout in every direction, looking up and down the slopes.
- They’re on the move: Remember that the animals are free to roam all 6000+ square Km of Banff National Park and beyond, but they choose to spend lots of time here due to the bountiful food sources that are found naturally on our slopes. If you don’t see an animal on your trip up the gondola don’t worry! Some of the bears and other animals are on the move all the time looking for food and you could still see them on your trip back down the gondola!
- Come prepared: To give yourself the best possibility of seeing wildlife, bring your binoculars or a good zoom lens. The animals can travel all over the mountain and can sometimes be seen on some of the slopes above or adjacent to the gondola area.
- Keep them wild: Do not allow your food to be eaten by any animal. This applies to the squirrels and birds as much as the bears or wolves. Even the healthiest human foods can cause severe health complications in wild animals. It can also cause animals to become dependant on human food or even become aggressive towards humans in their search for our calorie-dense food.
- Do not drop anything from the sightseeing lift: Although you may not see anything below you, your trash or other objects may be mistaken by an animal as food which could poison them. Also, keep your zippers fastened and straps on as the squirrels have figured out touch screens and do not always give dropped smartphones back.
- Do not hurt the dirt, crush the brush, or leak in the creek: Meaning, please stay on marked trails, only use designated washrooms, and leave all wild plants in place to grow for the enjoyment of future generations. Soils can take hundreds of years to develop, plants can take decades to grow, and all kinds of waste take a very long time to deteriorate.
WILDLIFE SIGHTSEEING CALENDAR
The calendar below shows the days when large wildlife sightings were reported. Bear paw prints indicate days when grizzly bears or black bears were reported. Hoof prints are shown on days when bears were not reported but cougars, lynx, mountain goats, wolves, elk, mule & whitetail deer, moose, big horn sheep, wolverines or other large animals were reported.
Please help us by reporting your wildlife sightings to a lift attendant or at our summer ticket counter!
