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The Banff park's other main centre, Lake Louise , is very different to Banff - less a town than two distinct artificial resorts. The first is a small mall of shops and hotels just off the Trans-Canada known as Lake Louise Village . The second is the lake itself, the self-proclaimed "gem of the Rockies" and - despite its crowds and monster hotel - a sight you have to see. A third area, Moraine Lake , 13km south of the village, has almost equally staggering scenery and several magnificent and easily accessed trails. Lake Louise is 4.5km from the village (and 200m higher) on the winding Lake Louise Drive - or, if you're walking, 2.7km on the uphill Louise Creek Trail, 4.5km via the Tramline Trail. You're better off saving the walking for around the lake, however, and taking a taxi (tel 522-2020; around $10) from the village (if anything, save the two linking trails for coming down from the lake). All three areas are desperately busy in summer as well as in winter, when people pile in for some of Canada's best powder skiing . You may find staying near the lakes appealing but very pricey, though if you do want to splash out, the lodge at Moraine Lake makes a dream treat. Nonetheless, the mountains around offer almost unparalleled hiking country and the park's most popular day-use area. You'll have to weigh awesome scenery against the sheer numbers, for these are some of the most heavily used trails on the continent - 50,000-plus people in summer - though longer backpacking routes lead quickly away to the quieter spots. If you do intend to hike - and the trails are all a little more accessible and manageable than at Banff - then in an ideal world you'd have two or three days here: one to walk the loop around above Lake Louise (Lake Agnes-Big Beehive-Plain of the Six Glaciers-Lake Louise Shoreline) or the more demanding Saddleback (at a push you could do both in a day if you were fit and keen). Then you'd bike, taxi or drive to Moraine Lake (if you're not staying there), where in a day you could easily walk to Consolation Lake, return to Moraine Lake and then tackle the Moraine Lake-Larch Valley-Sentinel Pass or Moraine Lake-Larch Valley-Eiffel Lake trail. A third day could be spent in Paradise Valley between Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. If, on the other hand, you merely want to take in the scenery and enjoy modest strolls in the course of a day, then cruise up to Lake Louise, walk up and down the shore, then drive the twenty minutes or so to Moraine Lake and do the same.
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