Incredible Lakes in Canada
Canada is home to a plethora of lakes, especially the five great lakes of North America which are Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, and Lake Erie. Some of the lakes are shared between the USA and Canada. The west of Canada is the place to be if you want to explore the waters of all these lakes.
The serenity and calmness that lakes offer are unsurpassed, the lakeside offers spectacular views in Canada. Canada is estimated to have over 30000 lakes. Most of them allow you to explore their waters through paddling, swimming, and canoeing, and during winters you can also ski on some of the frozen lakes.
Lake Superior
Location – Superior
One of the five Great Lakes of North America and the largest Great Lake. It is 128,000 square kilometres in size. It holds 10% of the world's surface fresh water. It is shared by Ontario, Canada to the north, and states in the United States in other directions. This lake is also the largest freshwater lake in the world. The blue waters and the sandy shores might make you mistake the location for a beach.
There are many parks right near the lake where tourists like to take hikes and explore. The southern part of the lake around Whitefish Point is reputed to be the graveyard of the Great Lakes owing to a large number of shipwrecks in the area.
Lake Ontario
Location – Ontario
The smallest of the great lakes of North America gets its name from the Canadian province. Lighthouses on the shores of this lake. The source of the lake is the Niagara River and it finally meets the Atlantic Ocean. There are small islands along the shore of Lake Ontario. The lake is frequented not just by tourists but also by locals to see the massive skyline of Ontario while appreciating the waters of the lake.
Peyto Lake
Location – Alberta
The lake is found in Banff National Park on the Icefields Parkway. It is yet another glacial lake that is best visited late afternoon or early evening. You can capture a photograph of the highest point in Icefields Parkway of the Bow summit from the lake. The lake is the origin point of the Mistaya River in Canada.
Abraham Lake
Location – Alberta
The lake despite its blue-glacier-like look was created due to the damming of the North Saskatchewan River. It is a man-made lake that was formed because of the construction of the Bighorn Dam. The lake meets the North Saskatchewan River and when the ice of the lake touches the bubbles it creates a magical scene to witness. This is best viewed during the winter months.
Lake Louise
Location – Alberta
Lake Louise, Banff National Park
The Lake is famed as the lake of little fishes. The lake is fed by the Lefroy Glacier. The lake gets its water from glaciers that melt from the mountains of Alberta. The aqua blue color could lead to an illusion of you believing that the lake is tropical but a few seconds in the water is enough for you to know that the lake is freezing year-round. A stellar view of the lake can be seen from Fairview Mountain. The lake despite covering less than 1 square mile of the area is one of the finest in Canada. Rocky mountains make the lake picturesque as they are set against the backdrop of the lake.
Lake Louise is considered a Royalty among the lakes in Canada and was incidentally named for Queen Victoria's daughter.
There are plenty of tracks for hikers, walkers, and bicycling enthusiasts to take on surrounding Lake Louise. If you want to relax and stay right near the lake, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is the place you should head to.
Maligne Lake
Location – Alberta
The lake is situated in Jasper Park, at the base of the Maligne mountains. It is the largest lake in the park and the longest lake in the Canadian Rockies. The lake gives you spectacular views of the glacial mountains that surround it and is a viewpoint for three glaciers near the lake.
The lake has a small island near its coast called Spirit Island to which tourists can paddle or rent a boat to visit.
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In addition to Lake Louise, Peyto Lake, Moraine Lake, Abraham Lake and Maligne Lake discover other Must See Places in Alberta.
Moraine Lake
Location – Alberta
Moraine Lake, another picturesque lake in Banff National Park
The lake is found in the Banff National Park in the Valley of Ten Peaks, very close to the famous Lake Louise. It shares the same pristine and sparkling colour as Lake Louise. The lake has tantalizing blue waters that will make you want to spend all day watching it. Moraine Lake is about 50 feet deep and around 120 acres in size. The picturesque backdrop of mountains and alpine forest adds to the beauty of this lake. The lake is not accessible in the winter as the road is closed due to snow and the lake also remains frozen. Moraine Lake is the most photographed location and appears in Canadian currency as well.
There is a lodge also which lets you stay overnight overlooking the lake which is open seasonally from late May to early November.
Emerald Lake
Location – British Columbia
Emerald Lake
The lake is situated in the Yoho National Park and is the largest of 61 lakes found in the park. Emerald Lake is named after the stone as the extremely fine particles of powdered limestone give the lake its natural green hue. The lake is covered by dense greenery on all sides. It is surrounded by mountains which can be seen through the reflection of the water. This lake is open for tourists to canoe and explore the waters. In the wintertime, the lake is a popular spot for cross-country skiing.
A trail surrounds the lake for hikers to enjoy the view and get some exercise. If you want to relax and grab a quick bite or stay near the lake, the Emerald Lake Lodge is a resort right on the water’s edge.
The emerald colour of the lake shines and is most beautiful in July as the lake is generally frozen until June, making July the best time to visit Emerald Lake.
Garibaldi Lake
Location – British Columbia
Garibaldi Lake is located in Garibaldi Provincial Park. The lake makes you put effort to get to it as you need to hike a 9km trail to reach the lake. This hike takes about 5-6 hours to complete. You will have an uphill climb through forests and meadows filled with flowers during summer. Many tourists opt to camp at Garibaldi overnight as heading back is quite tedious to do in one day. The lake gets its blue shade from glacier melts which are called glacier flour.
But if you are not up to taking a hike then you can sit back and relax on a scenic flight to get a bird’s eye view of the lake.
Spotted Lake
Location – British Columbia
The lake is close to the town of Osoyoos in the Similkameen Valley. Spotted Lake gets its name from the ‘spots’ of green and blue that are visible on the lake. The mineral properties of this lake enable the formation of saline during summer and this causes the spots. The best time to see the spots is during summer.
There are no activities permitted in the lake as it is a protected and ecologically sensitive area. Spotted Lake is a sacred place of the Okanagan Nation.
Okanagan Lake
Location- British Columbia
The lake spans over 135 kilometres through the heart of the Okanagan Valley, this beautiful freshwater lake is known for its crystal-clear waters and surreal surroundings. Okanagan Lake offers an aw-striking experience with its rolling hills, lush vineyards, and orchards. From boating and kayaking to swimming and fishing, the visitors can enjoy various water activities.
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