Are picnic areas available?

Yes. There are outdoor areas around the Lake Louise Summer Sightseeing Gondola where visitors can stop, sit, and enjoy the mountain surroundings, although you should not expect a large, traditional picnic ground with numerous dedicated picnic tables and shelters.

The base area around the Lodge of Ten Peaks is the most convenient place for a casual packed lunch. There is outdoor seating and space around the resort facilities, with views toward the surrounding mountains and gondola. Some seating, however, belongs to restaurants and cafes and is intended for their customers, so look for general-use seating rather than using restaurant patios for outside food.

At the upper mountain, there are places to stop and enjoy the scenery, but the area is primarily designed around sightseeing, hiking, wildlife interpretation, and Whitehorn Bistro rather than formal picnicking. If you carry a small lunch or snacks up the gondola, choose an appropriate public area away from restaurant seating and busy pathways.

A picnic can work particularly well if you're combining the gondola with hiking or wildlife viewing. A compact lunch is easier to carry than a large cooler, especially if you're planning to explore beyond the developed areas.

Remember that Whitehorn Mountain is active bear habitat. Keep food with you at all times, never leave backpacks or food unattended, don't feed wildlife, and dispose of all garbage in wildlife-resistant bins. Even small scraps should never be left behind.

For visitors wanting a more traditional picnic experience with tables, plenty of space, and easy vehicle access, it can be better to picnic elsewhere in the Lake Louise area and treat the sightseeing gondola primarily as a mountain sightseeing and hiking experience. Book the Banff Sunshine Village Sightseeing Gondola & Standish ChairliftBooking the Banff Sunshine Village Sightseeing Gondola & Standish Chairlift Admission includes All taxes, fees and handling charges. Banff Gondola Home