That the Canadian Rockies have some of the most beautiful lakes in the world is no secret. In fact some of the lakes are so popular that their car parks are full hours before sunrise - I’m looking at you Moraine Lake!
But there are so many others beyond the few that have made it to worldwide fame, which are almost as beautiful. They also come with the added bonus that you may get them all to yourself.
Here are a few of the most beautiful lakes we visited in The Rockies, all are easily visited from either Banff or Jasper (or the spectacular Icefields Parkway that joins the two).
The most beautiful lakes around Banff
These are the 12 most beautiful lakes in Banff:
1. Lake Louise
Distance from Banff: 57km
Drive up: Yes
Lake Louise is the most famous of all the lakes near Banff and for good reason. This beautiful glacial lake looks stunning in any weather. We visited several times and saw it in bright sunshine and under thick cloud, and whilst the shade of blue changes the beauty certainly doesn’t.
If you can stomach a very early start, the best time of day for both tranquility (although you certainly won’t be alone) and photography, is sunrise.
It’s hard to predict the weather in The Rockies, but if you can visit on a day with a clear forecast, you will get to see more of the glaciers which are the backdrop to the lake.
You can easily spend a whole day, or even days in this area with all that there is to do, from hiking to canoeing to fine dining. Here’s a detailed guide to all our favourite things to do at Lake Louise.
2. Moraine Lake
Distance from Banff: 71km
Drive up: Yes
Update for 2023: You can no longer drive down Moraine Lake Road. Your only access options are now the Parks Canada shuttle, taxis, a tour or cycling. You can still park at Lake Louise and use the shuttle to reach Moraine Lake from there.
Moraine Lake used to be in the shadow of next door neighbour Lake Louise, but in recent years its fame has exploded on social media to the point that it’s a nightmare trying to plan your visit!
When you do get there though it’s easy to see what all the fuss is about. Moraine Lake has an ethereal beauty which is hard to believe even when stood right in front of it.
We’ve visited our fair share of stunning lakes around the world, but we’ve never seen water the colour of Moraine Lake.
Catching a sunrise from here is pretty much de rigueur, but we actually preferred sunset. We’ve listed out all the pros and cons of sunrise vs sunset at Moraine Lake here.
As with Lake Louise there is plenty to keep you busy, with lots of hiking opportunities as well as canoeing and even a dip if you dare. If you’re visiting Banff in the fall, the Larch Valley hike which starts at Moraine Lake is an absolute must.
Read next: The best photography spots near Banff
3. Emerald Lake
Distance from Banff: 93km
Drive up: Yes
Emerald Lake is another spectacular lake near Banff and happily sees less visitors than both Moraine and Lake Louise. The colour of the water is unlike any other lake we saw in The Rockies and shimmers on a clear day.
The lake is particularly photogenic in the late afternoon, although it’s a gorgeous spot to visit at any time of day. If canoeing at either Moraine Lake or Lake Louise appealed to you, but was out your budget, Emerald Lake makes a great alternative.
The cost is a fair bit lower at $70 per hour, and it’s almost as dreamy as the other two spots and also a lot quieter.
If you prefer to get active you can walk around the whole lake on a loop track which is just over 5km and fairly easy. I also felt the water temperature was ever so slightly warmer if you’re keen on taking a bracing dip - it’s still cold though, it's The Rockies after all! However you choose to explore Emerald Lake, it’s a must for your Banff itinerary.
4. Lake Agnes
Distance from Banff: 57km (to trail head)
Drive up: No
Lake Agnes is one of the smaller lakes on this list, but size isn’t everything! This serene spot is actually the most unique in the area because it has a little teahouse perched right beside it which has been running since 1901.
Unlike many others on this list, you can’t drive up to Lake Agnes. You need to put in a little effort which is rewarded at the end with a pot of tea and a view!
The 3.5km hiking trail (one way) is mainly uphill but the terrain is good and the switchbacks ease the climb, you’ll also get a bonus lake along the way (Mirror Lake). We absolutely loved Lake Agnes (it was one of the best hikes in Lake Louise) and the teahouse and have written a detailed blog about the experience here.
5. Vermillion Lakes
Distance from Banff: 2.4km
Drive up: Yes
Vermillion Lakes are pretty by anyone’s standards, but they don’t quite compare with the big hitters on this list for beauty alone. It was, however, right by Banff town itself, and one of the few lakes nearby that we enjoyed to ourselves for most of our visit.
We chose to go at sunset, which was definitely the perfect way to end a day’s exploring in Banff. There is said to be quite good wildlife watching opportunities here, including beaver and moose, but we only spotted birds (no offence birds!).
It’s another spot where you can canoe for a much lower price too - just watch the mossies if you’re visiting at sunrise or sunset, they were very insistent!
6. Lake Minnewanka
Distance from Banff: 15km
Drive up: Yes
Most people visit Lake Minnewanka to go on a boat cruise - and we were no different - but if you don’t want to fork out for the boat, then it is still well worth a visit.
Lake Minnewanka is absolutely ginormous at 21km long, and it’s the only lake around Banff which allows motorised boats on it, which is why it’s known primarily for its boat cruises. It’s another glacial lake, so the colour is magnificent, ranging from emerald to turquoise depending on the light. It’s also another option which is very close to Banff town if you don’t want to drive too far.
As well as swimming, canoeing and cruising you can also go hiking which we had originally intended to do but ran out of time.
7. Celeste Lake
Distance from Banff: 90km (to trail head)
Drive up: No
Celeste Lake is the hardest lake to visit on our list because it does require a fairly lengthy hike. That hike also happens to be one of the very best hikes in Banff (and you can trust us, we did a lot!), so don’t see it as a downside.
This lake was such a deep shade of blue we couldn’t actually believe it isn’t famous. We didn’t see another soul there despite hiking in the height of August. It’s an almost otherworldly spot, particularly in the late afternoon when a golden light bathes the lake and surrounding forest.
It’s the kind of spot you could sit for hours and only hear the sounds of nature. We loved it.
Access to Celeste Lake is via the 17km loop walking track, the Iceline Trail. It’s a lengthy hike but as it was one of our favourites in the whole of The Rockies it is well worth it and you won’t be disappointed!
8. Egypt Lake
Distance from Banff: 18.3km (to trail head)
Drive up: No
Along with Celeste Lake, Egypt Lake is another which requires a bit of effort to get to. You can either walk the whole way on the Healy Pass, one of Banff’s quietest trails or you can take the gondola part way and walk the rest. Either way it’s a hike and either way it’s worth it.
The meadows by the lake are covered in wildflowers in summer and backed by huge snow-capped mountains, yet remain blissfully crowd free. We’re not even sure why because it’s so close to Banff town!
The lake itself is a deep blue and at the base of a sheer cliff. You can camp fairly nearby (but not beside) the lake, and there are plenty of hiking opportunities in the area. Make sure whether hiking or camping you follow proper bear protocol as grizzlies love this area as much as we do!
The most beautiful lakes along the Icefields Parkway
9. Peyto Lake
Distance from Banff: 100km
Drive up: No but very short walk
I always go back and forth as to whether Peyto is my very favourite lake in The Rockies. It’s hard to choose when they are all so dramatic but there really is something about Peyto. I don’t know if it’s the milky blue colour or the fact you see it from such a height, but it never failed to make me feel so incredibly grateful to witness it.
The most famous viewing platform is a short (5-10 minute) steep, paved walk from the car park, and this is where most people will stop. However, our favourite view point and one which is much quieter is just a 5-10 minute walk further along. It’s not marked though, and this means it’s not the easiest to find, so we’ve outlined how to get to the secret viewpoint at Peyto Lake here.
We’ve read accounts of people going down to the lake shore itself, but this is from a different area. The main viewpoints all look at Peyto from above.
Sunrise and sunset are particularly beautiful times to visit, with sunrise being the best if you can make a very early start from Banff. We had done so many sunrises at this point, we went for sunset and were still very happy with our choice. Note that you don’t get the milky blue colour at sunset though.
10. Bow Lake
Distance from Banff: 93.6km
Drive up: Yes
Bow Lake is one of the first major lakes you’ll see along the exquisite Icefields Parkway which takes you between Banff and Jasper. The colour absolutely blew our minds every time we saw it despite the fact that 3 of the 4 times were under monsoon conditions!
The striking blue water is crystal clear and you’re unlikely to share it with others. We tried to get a reservation at Num-Ti-Jah Lodge beside the lake, so we could enjoy it for longer, but the lodge was fully booked, something to return for!
There’s a photogenic pier which is a favourite with Instagrammer’s and there are also various hiking opportunities. We hiked the Bow Summit lookout trail and had only marmots and chipmunks for company!
The most beautiful lakes around Jasper
Jasper has many more beautiful lakes than the two on our list but sadly we were time poor in this area. Still we think we saw the best two! : )
11. Edith Cavell Lake
Distance from Jasper: 28 km (to trail head)
Drive up: No but very short walk
Of all the lakes we visited in The Rockies, Edith Cavell Lake was the biggest surprise. Firstly we didn’t actually know it was there, and secondly it was full of icebergs in August!
To say it blew us away would be an understatement. In fact, despite that it was at the very beginning of our hiking trail, we sat there for ages just taking in the view and watching as some additional chunks of ice carved into the water.
It’s a very different colour to the other glacial lakes we saw - more green than blue, but no less beautiful, particularly because of the ice.
There are a couple of options for viewing the lake, the first is to take the short but very steep, paved Path of the Glacier trail and the second is to start on that trail and then take the turn off for the Edith Cavell Meadows trail.
Before you hit the forest you’ll come to a moraine which you can climb up and we think this offered the very best view of the lake and glaciers. It’s only around a five minute detour from the Path of the Glacier trail and climbing the few rocks required is not difficult.
12. Maligne Lake
Distance from Jasper: 48km
Drive up: Yes
Maligne Lake is a major drawcard for visitors to Jasper and we absolutely fell in love. Depending on the light and where you view it from, the water at Maligne Lake can look emerald or deep blue; both are spectacular.
The most common way to experience the lake is from one of incredibly popular day cruises which take in the photogenic Spirit Island.
You can also kayak and stay on one of the islands near Spirit Island, but reserve the campsite well ahead of time. We tried to book two months out for a number of dates and all were full.
If you don’t want to go out on the water you can enjoy the lake from the dock or take the hiking trail around the lake. We also wanted to view it from above so we hiked the Bald Hills trail which was spectacular and ended up being one of our favourite hikes in Jasper.
We followed it up with a paddle in the lake itself which was freeezing but refreshing. Unfortunately there are quite a few mossies around the lake towards the end of the day so bring repellent.
Photography wise, catching the lake at sunrise is best but we also thought it looked beautiful at sunset too. You can also hire canoes on Maligne and whilst still pricey they are a fraction of the cost of many of the lakes around Banff (particularly if you take the boat for the whole day).
Read next: Banff vs Canmore - which is the best base for your trip
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What’s the most beautiful lake you have ever visited? Which lake would you choose from this list? Let us know in the comments below!
