Fallen in love with Lake O’Hara in British Columbia but don’t have a shuttle bus reservation to get there?
Perhaps you missed the chance to join the lottery in spring or didn’t realise there was a lottery system at all. Either way, this post is for you!
I’ve been fortunate enough to visit this magical area in Yoho National Park twice now, mostly recently in September 2024. It’s truly one of my favourite places in all of Canada – and that’s saying something after 13+ years of living in beautiful BC.
In this guide, I will explain how it is still possible to visit magnificent Lake O’Hara without a shuttle bus reservation made months and months ago.
If you have any questions after reading, head to my BC/Alberta Travel Tips group on FB and we can chat about it!
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Lake O’Hara: Essential details
Most readers finding this post will be familiar with Lake O’Hara, or at least, the spectacular views of it. Here’s a quick overview:
- Lake O’Hara is situated in Yoho National Park in British Columbia, Canada on the traditional lands of the Ktunaxa and Shuswap First Nations as well as the Niitsitapi, Michif Piyii (Métis), Tsuut’ina and Ĩyãħé Nakón mąkóce (Stoney).
- The lake is surrounded by an impressive network of hiking trails, many offering incredible views of mountain peaks, glaciers, turquoise lakes and more.
- One of the most famous trails around Lake O’Hara is the Lake O’Hara Alpine Circuit – an 11km 5-8 hour hike that provides a highlights reel of this spectacular area.
- There is a well-equipped backcountry campground close to the lake, with 30 sites set into the forest.
- The best time to hike Lake O’Hara is mid July to late September – when the trails are usually snow-free
- Following Leave No Trace principles is required when visiting Lake O’Hara – this is a fragile alpine area, one of the most beautiful places in the Canadian Rockies. Please help to keep it that way!
To reach Lake O’Hara’s incredible hiking trails, you must first travel to the shoreline of the lake itself.
An 11km long gated unpaved road travels from the highway adjacent parking lot to Lake O’Hara. As mentioned, this is a sensitive mountain area and access is restricted.
The only vehicles allowed on the Lake O’Hara access road are the Parks Canada shuttle buses and the Lake O’Hara Lodge shuttle bus (limited to guests). Visitors travelling on foot, skis or snowshoes are also permitted.
The Parks Canada shuttle bus runs from late June to early October each year (20th June to 5th October in 2025). It transports both day hikers and campers from the parking lot to the lake. Reservations are required for the inbound journey.
Accessing Lake O’Hara
Here are the six ways to travel to Lake O’Hara from the parking area:
- Visit for the day by bus – Reserve a seat on the Parks Canada Lake O’Hara Day Use Bus. The reservation lottery opens in March each year
- Visit for the day by foot – Hike 11km and then try to secure a return shuttle bus seat or hike 11km back to the parking lot
- Book a guided trip via the Lake O’Hara information office phone line 250-343-6433 (from 1st April onwards)
- Camp for up to three nights – Reserve a tent site at the Lake O’Hara campground, the return shuttle bus ride is included. Reservations open in January each year
- Stay at the Lake O’Hara Lodge – Reserve a cabin or lodge room at this historic lodge situated right on the shores of Lake O’Hara (most expensive option!)
- Stay at the Elizabeth Parker Hut – Reserve a bed at this rustic backcountry hut near Lake O’Hara, the return shuttle bus ride is included. The reservation lottery opens in December each year
Since this post is all about finding a way to visit Lake O’Hara without a reservation, let’s assume you were unlucky (or completely missed) booking a spot on the day use shuttle, campground or hut.
The day use bus lottery, in particular, is very, very competitive. There are only two inbound buses a day, with around 3000 seats available for the entire summer season.
If you do want more details on the lottery or the campground reservation launch, head to our general Lake O’Hara guide. A full explanation is offered there.
Visiting Lake O’Hara without a reservation
Let’s move onto to the remaining avenues for visiting Lake O’Hara if you didn’t manage to secure a advance reservation.
Check for cancellations
People change plans all the time – seriously, it happens a lot more than you may think.
Some of the most common reasons to cancel are things like family events (weddings, reunions), work conflicts and wet/cold weather conditions.
Obviously, flexibility is key when searching for cancellations.
To check for Day Use Bus cancellations:
- Visit the Parks Canada Reservation System website
- Select ‘Day Use’
- Then ‘Lake O’Hara Day Use Bus’
- Choose your dates and party size then click ‘Search’
- Availability will show on the next screen – use the calendar function to browse through all dates
To check for campground cancellations:
- Visit the Parks Canada Reservation System website
- Select ‘Backcountry’
- Then ‘Backcountry Zone’ and ‘Yoho’ (not ‘Banff, Kootenay and Yoho’)
- Choose your dates, party size, tent pads and bus preferences then click ‘Search’
- Availability will show on the next screen – use the calendar function to browse through all dates
Of course, the chances of finding a cancellation when checking manually at random times are pretty slim – but not impossible.
The more efficient method to check cancellations is to use an automated scanner app like CampNab. After setting up a scan, CampNab will automatically check and then notify you by text or email when there is a cancellation.
We’ve used CampNab to successfully find camp spots in many popular areas of the Canadian Rockies, including Mount Assiniboine, Egypt Lake, Ball Pass, the Rockwall and more. It works so incredibly well and I am grateful for it!
Reservations for the day use shuttle bus and the Lake O’Hara campground cut off at 3.30pm and 3pm respectively, the day prior. After this time, I believe you can check with the staff at the Yoho National Park Visitor Centre in Field for last minute cancellations.
Hike the Lake O’Hara access road
The other option is to hike the 11km long Lake O’Hara access road. It is a wide, dirt fire road with 430m elevation gain. There are some mountain views. Bikes are not allowed.
Obviously, this isn’t a solution for everyone as you have to be prepared to walk 11km back to the parking lot as well. A 22km return hike, even on a road, shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Not only is 22km a pretty long distance, the road itself runs through mountain terrain. Rain, thunderstorms and even snow are possible. There is very little shade, so it can get hot quickly. Wildlife uses this route too, so I’d recommend bringing bear spray and staying alert.
The first half of the hike is fairly flat, with low rolling hills. The second half climbs steadily to the campground (450m total). There are kilometre markers along the route so you can count down the distance along the way.
Most hikers will take around 2-3 hours to walk the 11km one-way distance. If you don’t hike often, it may take longer. Some people choose to trail run the route and then change into hiking clothing on arrival at the lake.
We hiked the access road in 2020, when we had campground reservations but the shuttle bus was not running. The hike in took us 2 hours and 20 minutes with all of our camping gear.
There is a day use area by the lake called the Le Relais Shelter. It has picnic tables, outhouses, trail signage and a cafe. Cake and other sweet treats are available for purchase (cash only). The famous carrot cake goes on sale twice a day and usually sells out within 30 minutes each time.
Considering hiking in to Lake O’Hara? Keep in mind that while Lake O’Hara itself is stunning, the experience is even better beyond the lakeshore. The 11km (potentially 22km return) journey just to get there will reduce the amount of time and energy you will have to explore further.
Return shuttle bus journey for hikers without reservations
Hikers who have walked to Lake O’Hara along the access road may be able to secure a spot on an outgoing bus service back to the parking lot. This skips the return journey (11km!)
Buses depart the Le Relais Shelter to the parking lot at:
- 9.30am
- 11.30am
- 2.30pm
- 4.30pm
- 6.30pm
Day hikers with shuttle bus reservations and campers always have priority for outgoing bus seats. If there are any seats left, these are offered to day hikers on a first come, first serve basis.
Wait outside the Le Relais Shelter at the appropriate time and the Parks Canada staff will allocate you a bus seat if there is space.
Day hikers with reservations load the bus first. The staff then radio ahead to the campground and confirm how many campers will be departing on the bus. The remaining seats are then counted and assigned.
The cost for the outgoing bus trip is $15/person and must be paid in cash (Canadian dollar).
For the best chance to get a spot on the bus, try for the 4.30pm service. There are two buses departing at this time.
In our experience, day hikers without bus reservations started lining up around 20 minutes prior to the departure time. So try to arrive early if you can!
If you don’t manage to secure a spot on the bus, you will have to walk 11km back to the parking lot. Again, this will take around 2-3 hours.
In case you wondered, there is no standby system for the inbound journey to Lake O’Hara. A reservation is required to ride the bus from the parking lot to the lake.
Other options for hiking near Lake O’Hara
While Lake O’Hara is certainly an incredible place to visit, it’s not the only beautiful place in the Canadian Rockies or even Yoho National Park! Some of my favourite nearby spots are:
- Iceline Trail – Amazing 20.8km loop day hike with glacier and mountain panoramas. Can also be hiked as a 1-2 night backpacking trip with many possible extensions
- Yoho Valley Trail, Twin Falls Trail and Whaleback Trail Loop – Another incredible circuit (20.4km) with waterfalls and glacier views. Again, can be explored as a short backpacking trip
- Walcott Quarry – Guided day hike with Parks Canada to the Burgess Shale, a fossil rich rock formation above Emerald Lake. Interesting and scenic at the same time.
- Emerald Lake – Just as spectacular as Moraine Lake and Lake Louise and as a bonus you can walk all the way around it!
- Wapta Falls – Short hike (4.6km return) to a wide 30m high waterfall, the largest on the Kicking Horse River.
Related posts you may find helpful
Lake O’Hara: Complete Hiking and Camping Guide
2 Week BC Coast and Rockies Road Trip: Detailed Itinerary + Map
17+ of the Best Day Hikes in British Columbia
Canadian Rockies Road Trip Loop: Detailed 9 to 12 Day Itineraries
BC’s Best Backpacking Trips: Our Favourites and 60+ More Suggestions
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One half of the Canadian/British couple behind Off Track Travel, Gemma is happiest when hiking on the trail or planning the next big travel adventure. JR and Gemma are currently based in the beautiful Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada. Consider buying us a coffee if you have find any of our guides helpful!