Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Emerald Lake
A few words about the crystal blue lakes of the Canadian Rockies : The Canadian Rockies are blessed with numerous glaciers, whose icy waters continuously flow down the mountainsides. As these glaciers melt, they release fine particles known as “rock flour” into the surrounding lakes and rivers. The rock flour consists of finely ground rock sediments, primarily composed of minerals like silt, clay, and glacial till. These minuscule particles remain suspended in the water, scattering sunlight and giving it a unique turquoise blue appearance in Morraine Lake, Lake Louise, Emerald Lake, and other lakes in the area.
Moraine Lake – Pictured on the reverse of the old Canadian twenty dollar bill, Moraine Lake in the Valley of the Ten Peaks is arguably as impressive as Lake Louise, but attracts fewer visitors. The picturesque turquoise-colored water is surrounded by ten peaks, each more than 3,000 meters high, and the Wenkchemna Glacier. The most scenic walk involves a short climb up the Rockpile Trail to the best view of the lake, and the view most often seen on posters and postcards. This takes only about 20 minutes. A hike around Morraine lake is 1.8 miles long. We walked along the lake for about a mile to enjoy the view.
Natural Bridge – It is located just off the road leading to Emerald Lake and the two attractions can be combined. Once on the Emerald Lake Road continue another 2 km’s to the junction for the access road to the Natural Bridge parking lot. A short trail leads to the Kicking Horse River where you can get a great view of the bridge. The Natural Bridge is a limestone rock formation that spans across the Kicking Horse River. Over time the Natural Bridge will erode and collapse, definitely not in our lifetime!
Emerald Lake – Emerald Lake is located in Yoho National Park In British Columbia. It is the largest of Yoho’s lakes and one of the most popular. The lake is enclosed by the mountains of the President Range as well as Mount Burgess and Wapta Mountain. The name of the lake comes from its beautiful green colour. An easy 5 km trail goes completely around the lake. Canoe and boat rentals are available at the boathouse near the parking lot. We rented a couple of Canoes and spent about an hour in the water. Wonderful experience.
Lake Louise – Another glacial lake and chance to see turquoise blue waters. Lake Louise was our last stop on Day 3. There are many hiking trails in Lake Louis. A few of us just went on the leisurely hike around this beautiful lake enjoying the stunning mountain setting. The more energetic ones, took on the hike to the Fairview Lookout, a 1.5-mile hike with an elevation gain of 541 feet. You’ll see excellent views of Lake Louise and the gorgeous Fairmont Chateau. You can rent a Canoe here too.
Of the 3 lakes we visited today, Moraine Lake was my favorite. The 10 peaks encircling the deep blue waters just took my breath away. I could spend hours just staring at this scenery. Spending the day visiting these lakes is a day well spent.