Banff National Park

Glaciers and lakes in Banff National Park

Glaciers and Glacial Lakes

This collection features iconic turquoise waters and ancient ice formations along the Icefields Parkway in Banff National Park. Glacial lakes like Lake Louise and Moraine Lake are renowned for their vibrant color caused by rock flour suspended in the water. The list includes the Columbia Icefield, the largest ice mass in the North American Rockies, which feeds the Saskatchewan and Peyto Glaciers. Visitors can observe the distinct recession patterns of the Crowfoot Glacier or view the wolf-shaped Peyto Lake from the Bow Summit lookout.

Glaciers and Glacial Lakes — Map

Ovedc / CC BY-SA 4.0

A

Peyto Lake

A glacier-fed lake in Banff National Park known for its bright turquoise color and distinct wolf-head shape when viewed from the Bow Summit lookout.

Edwardwexler / CC BY-SA 4.0

B

Lake Louise

Lake Louise is a glacial lake within Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada.

Chuck Szmurlo / CC BY 3.0

C

Moraine Lake

Moraine Lake is a glacially fed lake in Banff National Park, 14 kilometres outside the village of Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada.

D

Herbert Lake

A small roadside lake at the southern end of the Icefields Parkway, frequently noted for its clear reflections of Mount Temple and the surrounding peaks.

Qyd / CC-BY-SA-3.0

E

Hector Lake

Hector Lake is a small glacial lake in western Alberta, Canada. It is located on the Bow River, in the Waputik Range of the Canadian Rockies.

F

Upper Waterfowl Lake

Situated along the Icefields Parkway, this lake offers views of the pyramid-shaped Mount Chephren and is connected to Lower Waterfowl Lake by the Mistaya River.

G

Crowfoot Glacier

Located on the northeastern flank of Crowfoot Mountain, this glacier originally featured three ice lobes resembling a crow's foot, though the lower toe has significantly receded over the last century.

JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD / CC BY-SA 3.0

H

Peyto Glacier

An outflow glacier from the Wapta Icefield that serves as the primary water source for Peyto Lake. It is a significant site for long-term glaciological research in Canada.

I

Saskatchewan Glacier

The largest outflow glacier of the Columbia Icefield and the primary source of the North Saskatchewan River, extending approximately 13 kilometers in length.

J

Columbia Icefield

The largest ice field in the North American Rocky Mountains, straddling the Continental Divide. It feeds six major glaciers and contributes water to the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic Oceans.

Other Lists

Banff National Park: The Absolute Essentials Majestic Mountain Peaks Scenic Viewpoints Alpine Camps & Huts Majestic Waterfalls