Lake O'Hara a lake

Lake

A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...

 at an elevation of 2,115 m in the alpine area of Yoho National Park

Yoho National Park

Yoho National Park is located in the Canadian Rocky Mountains along the western slope of the Continental Divide in southeastern British Columbia. Yoho NP is bordered by Kootenay National Park on the southern side and Banff National Park on the eastern side...

, in the province of British Columbia

British Columbia

British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...

, on the western side of the Great Divide

Continental Divide

The Continental Divide of the Americas, or merely the Continental Gulf of Division or Great Divide, is the name given to the principal, and largely mountainous, hydrological divide of the Americas that separates the watersheds that drain into the Pacific Ocean from those river systems that drain...

 with the province of Alberta

Alberta

Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...

 and Banff National Park

Banff National Park

Banff National Park is Canada's oldest national park, established in 1885 in the Rocky Mountains. The park, located 110–180 kilometres west of Calgary in the province of Alberta, encompasses of mountainous terrain, with numerous glaciers and ice fields, dense coniferous forest, and alpine...

 to the east. The lake and the valley are accessible through a bus service that is run by Parks Canada or by a 11 km hike along a road with an elevation gain of approximately 500m. Reservations for the bus can be made up to three months in advance through the Lake O'Hara reservation line. It is strongly recommended that visitors do make reservations as all spots on the bus will book up long in advance.

The area is known for its scenery as well as its alpine hiking. The number of people who access the area by bus has been limited in order to preserve the sensitive alpine environment.

The area is named after Colonel Robert O'Hara, an Irishman from Derryhoyle, Galway

County Galway

County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...

 who heard about the area from J.J. McArthur, a government surveyor.

The Elizabeth Parker Alpine Club Hut

Elizabeth Parker hut

The Elizabeth Parker hut is an alpine hut located in Yoho National Park in British Columbia at an altitude of 2040 metres in a small subalpine meadow about 500 metres west of Lake O'Hara. It is surrounded by some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the Canadian Rockies. The hut actually...

is in the Meadows about a 15 minute walk from the Lodge. It is a ski destination in the winter, with many skiers doing it as a day trip.