How to get to Lake O'Hara in 2027: the March bus random draw ($10 per application), the campground launch, the 3:30pm day-before cancellation rule, and the 11 km walk in.
Last checked: October 2026. Parks Canada had not announced 2027 dates when we wrote this. Every 2027 date below is expected, based on 2026.
Lake O'Hara, in Yoho National Park, is one of the most restricted places in the Rockies. The 11 km access road is closed to private vehicles, bikes aren't allowed on it, and Parks Canada runs a limited bus. There are four ways in: a bus seat, a campground reservation, a stay at the Elizabeth Parker Hut or Lake O'Hara Lodge, or your own legs.
The four ways in
| Way in | How you get it | 2026 timing | Expected 2027 |
|---|
| Day-use bus | Random draw, $10 non-refundable per application | Applications Mar 2 to Mar 23, 2026 | early to late March 2027 |
| Campground (30 sites, bus included) | Parks Canada reservation launch | Tue Feb 10, 2026, 8am MT (originally Jan 22) | late Jan to mid-Feb 2027 |
| Elizabeth Parker Hut | Alpine Club of Canada application draw | ACC lists Oct 1 to Nov 30 for applications | open now, if that holds |
| Lake O'Hara Lodge | Book directly with the lodge | — | — |
| Walk the road | No booking | Any day | Any day |
Sources: Plan a trip to Lake O'Hara, Parks Canada reservation launch table, Parks Canada reservation policies, ACC Elizabeth Parker Hut.
The day-use bus random draw
In 2026 the shuttle ran June 19 to October 4. Seats were allocated by random draw, not first come, first served.
From Parks Canada's reservation policies:
- Applications: 8am March 2 to 11:59pm March 23 (MDT), online only.
- Fee: $10 per application, non-refundable. You can list up to six bus choices (date and time).
- Party: up to six people per reservation.
- The draw: draws run daily. If your first choice is full, the system tries your next choice, in order.
- If you win: you get a temporary reservation and 14 days to claim it by paying the reservation and bus fees. Unclaimed offers expire.
- If you change your mind: you can decline with no cancellation fee, but the $10 isn't refunded.
- What happens to the leftovers: unclaimed, expired and declined seats go back into the draw, and seats still left after the draw go to standard reservations.
That last point is the opening for everyone who lost. After the draw, any remaining seats and every later cancellation show up on Parks Canada's reservation site like a normal booking.
The campground
Lake O'Hara Campground has 30 sites for overnight guests only. Rules from Parks Canada's trip-planning page:
- Maximum 3 consecutive nights.
- Maximum two reservations per transaction, and two campground reservations per household per season.
- Your campground reservation includes your bus seat. Miss the bus without telling anyone and you're a no-show: the campground reservation is "released back into the inventory".
In 2026 the campground launch was set for January 22 and moved to Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at 8am MT, with a queue. It sells out on launch morning.
The 3:30pm rule
This is the detail that matters most once everything is sold out. For both the campground and the bus, changes and cancellations close at 3:30pm the day before. The bus can also be booked up until 3:30pm the day before the trip.
Combine that with the backcountry refund rule: cancel three or more days before arrival and you get your money back minus the reservation and cancellation fees; inside three days, you also lose the first night's fee. So people who can't go have a reason to cancel before the three-day mark, and a last chance to cancel before 3:30pm the day before.
We'd expect two clusters of reappearing seats and sites: around three days out, and on the afternoon before each day until 3:30pm. That's our reading of the rules, not measured data yet.
Getting in without a bus seat
You can walk the road. Parks Canada describes it as a 22 km round trip (about 11 km each way; the ACC gives 12 km to the hut). Bikes are not allowed. Parks Canada's advice: bring food, water, bear spray, proper clothing and footwear.
A few things to know:
- Start early. Walking in and out leaves less time for the lakes and trails up top, which are the reason to go.
- Check whether you can ride down. Parks Canada's trip-planning page sets out what's available to people who walk in; read it before you count on a seat out.
- Licensed guides can reserve from April 1 through the Lake O'Hara information line (1-250-343-6433).
The Elizabeth Parker Hut and the lodge
The Elizabeth Parker Hut belongs to the Alpine Club of Canada. Summer stays are allocated by an application draw. The ACC's hut page lists applications from October 1 to November 30, with booking order assigned randomly after the window closes. Selected applicants then book and pay at standard rates; being picked doesn't guarantee particular dates. The application fee is non-refundable. Older ACC pages give other windows (December 2024 to January 2025, and until January 30 for summer 2026), so check the hut page for the current cycle. More in our ACC hut booking guide.
Lake O'Hara Lodge opens mid-June to early October, and late January to early April for winter. You book directly with the lodge.
Catching a bus seat or campsite after it sells out
Canada Camp Alerts watches both:
- Lake O'Hara Bus: judged day by day. A day counts as open when a bus seat is reservable on it.
- Lake O'Hara Campground: judged night by night. A night counts as open when any of the 30 sites is free.
Set a watch on the facility page for your dates. When one turns from booked out to open, we send you the Parks Canada link. Check the departure time and the number of seats or the site there, because we don't match party size or check that one site is free for consecutive nights. You book on Parks Canada's site yourself.
- Free: one watch for one night or day, email, sent 15 minutes after pass holders.
- Season pass: C$25 once, 12 months, no auto-renew. Up to 10 watches, date ranges, instant email, Telegram and browser push. With a 3:30pm cutoff the day before, the delay matters.
We don't enter the random draw for you, and we don't send reminders for it. Put March in your calendar.
FAQ
When is the Lake O'Hara lottery for 2027?
Not announced as of October 2026. In 2026 applications ran March 2 to 23, so early to late March 2027 is expected.
How much does the draw cost?
$10 per application in 2026, non-refundable, plus the reservation and bus fees if you win.
Can I enter more than once?
The policies limit each application to six choices. Check Parks Canada's random-draw policies for the current rule on multiple applications before you try.
Can I drive or bike to Lake O'Hara?
No. The road is closed to private vehicles and cycling is prohibited. Walk, take the bus, or stay overnight.
When does the campground open for bookings?
In 2026 it launched on Tuesday, February 10 at 8am MT. Expect late January to mid-February 2027.
When do cancellations happen?
Changes and cancellations close at 3:30pm the day before. The days just before that, and the three-day refund mark, are the likeliest times.
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