Moraine Lake will leave you breathless! It provides a scenic vista of the stunning beauty of the Valley of the Ten Peaks. Also of the pristine splendor of the turquoise-coloured lake.
This definitely is one of the most photographed locations in all of Canada!
This iconic image was on the back of Canadian twenty dollar bills from 1969 – 1979
The Ten Peaks are: Fay, Little, Bowlen, Tonsa, Perren, Allen, Tuzo, Deltaform, Neptuak and Wenkchemna
The spectacular turquoise blue or green colour of the lake is given by the sunlight that reflects off the rock flour from the glaciers, suspended in the water. That’s why the lake is brightest during the day when the sun is directly overhead.
Some of the things that can be visited in Banff National Park :
Beautiful places nearby:
The Icefields Parkway (Highway 93 North) Definitely one of the most scenic highways in the world! Admire the mountains with broad sweeping valleys, pristine lakes, waterfalls and glaciers flowing down.
Things to see: The lakes Herbert, Bow and Peyto, the Crowfoot Glacier, the Mistaya Canyon, Weeping Wall, the Big Bend, Parker Ridge, Wilcox Pass, Columbia Icefield, Glacier Discovery Centre and Skywalk, the Falls Sunwapta and Athabasca
Just remember that there is no cell coverage on the Icefields Parkway
At Moraine Lake are a variety of great day hikes trails around the lake, ranging from the easier to the more difficult ones
First: The Rock Pile, 5 miles / 8 km. Straight ahead to the location pictured on the old Canadian Twenty Dollar Bill.
Second: Lake-shore Trail 1.8 miles / 2.9 km. Definitely an easy walk. Certainly beautiful views of the famous alpine lake
Third: Consolation Lakes 3.7 miles / 6 km. Above all, a moderate round trip into the mountains
Fourth: Larch Valley, 5.4 miles / 8.6 km. Although a moderate / difficult trail, is very popular during Fall. In particular for the golden colour that it turns to.
Fifth: Sentinel Pass. 7.2 miles / 11.6 km trail. Surely difficult. At the same time, amazing views over the Larch Valleys and Paradise Valley and Ten Peaks.
Sixth: Eiffel Lake. 7 mile, 11.2 km. Also an moderate/difficult trail that crossing the scree slope above Eiffel Lake. Amazing scenery
Seventh: Wenkchemna Pass, 12 mile / 19.4 km. Even though a difficult trail, has at the top excellent viewpoints! Admire the Valley of Ten Peaks and the hidden Wenkchemna Glacier
For example can go kayaking and canoeing. It’s one of the best manner to visit and experience everything the lake has to offer.
But, also you can keep in mind that it is one of the most tranquil places on Earth. So, one can just spend several hours soaking up the views and snapping pictures.
In the area of Moraine Lake also are:
Noteworthy, fishing and swimming are not permitted at Moraine Lake.
Still, keep in mind that in the winter the road To Moraine Lake is closed for vehicles traffic. Although, it but becomes a popular spot for cross country skiing. The tracks ends at the viewpoint for the Consolation Valley and the Ten Peaks.
May through September. This is the period when Lake Louise and Moraine Lake are extremely busy.
The 13 km road to Moraine Lake opens in mid-May
From late June to August the weather is warmer, with averages high temperatures of 72 °F / 22 °C and averages low temperatures of 45 °F / 7 °C.
Also you’ve got the best chance to see the beautiful colours of the water.
The to Moraine Lake closes in mid-October
During winter months, temperatures are moderated. In January averages temperatures are between 5 °F / −15 °C and 23 °F / −5 °C.
From November through April the road to Moraine is trackset for skiing, but the the lake is inaccessible due to avalanche hazard.
In this season Lake Louise is a winter wonderland!
Lake Moraine is located at 3.1 miles / 5 km west of the Hamlet of Lake Louise and the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) at 55 km west of Banff, Alberta.
More exactly, in the Valley of the Ten Peaks, in Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada, on Alberta’s western border with British Columbia, at 8,7 miles / 14 km outside the Village of Lake Louise.
The Banff National Park is the oldest national park in Canada and has a surface of 2564 sq miles / 6,641 sq km. Located in the Rocky Mountains, has numerous glaciers and ice-fields, alpine landscapes and dense coniferous forest.
From the Lake Louise Village follow Lake Louise drive and turn on the left hand side for Moraine Lake Road. Lake Louise is at 8.7 miles / 14 km road to Lake Moraine
From Banff drive west for about 1 hour.
The best viewing platform is at 980 ft / 300 m from the parking lot
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Also, you can take a look at other Journeys.