Advance planning for a trip to Lake O’Hara in Yoho National Park in 2024 is essential. If you want to visit the lake on a day trip, it will require booking seats on the bus via the random draw, while campers will need to take note of the reservation system opening – with details on both below.
Booking the Lake O’Hara bus in 2024
In 2024, seats on the Lake O’Hara bus will be assigned by random draw, with Parks Canada releasing details in early 2024. Although nothing is official, we can assume the process will be similar to 2022, the last year that a lottery system was in place. At that time, lottery entries were accepted through the month of March, with each “entry” costing $5 and allowing you six preferred dates and times. At the end of March, the 3,000 seats on the June to early October buses were assigned randomly from everyone entered into the draw. The reservation website for lottery entries is: https://reservation.pc.gc.ca/
Lake O’Hara bus schedule 2024
The Lake O’Hara bus schedule in 2024 will be the same as previous years. Buses for day visitors depart the parking lot between Lake Louise and Field between mid-June and early October at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., returning at 2:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m., and 6:30 p.m. Reservations are only required for the inbound shuttle; outgoing buses fill on demand.
Booking the Lake O’Hara campground in 2024
The Parks Canada reservation system will open at 8am MST on January 25, 2024 for Lake O’Hara campground bookings. The 2024 Lake O’Hara campground operating season is June 21 to October 5. As always, the number of people wishing to camp at Lake O’Hara in 2024 will far outweigh the number of campsites available, so you will want to be ready to make a reservation the day and hour the reservation system opens. Your campsite reservation at Lake O’Hara includes a seat on the bus, so if you are planning on camping you do not need to make bus reservations separately.
Lake O’Hara Map
It goes without saying that we recommend the Gem Trek Lake O’Hara Map for everyone travelling to Lake O’Hara in 2024. It can be purchased online here: Lake O’Hara Map, as well as at visitor centres throughout the Canadian Rockies and the Le Relais shelter up at the lake.