Lakes and waterfalls in the Rockies

Lake Louise, known as the jewel of the Rockies,  is a stunning turquoise-coloured lake which sits in a small glacial valley surrounded by the tall snowy peaks that hoist hefty Victoria Glacier up for all to see.  It is a must-see sight.

Lake Moraine, just 14 kms south of Lake Louise, is also beautiful.  The narrow winding road leading to it offers views of the distant Wenkchemna Peaks.  It is more rugged, remote and far less touristy than the more famous Lake Louise.  Its colour is another shade of blue, the blue deepening the further you hike along the lake foreshore.

Lake Moraine further along.  Notice the amazing colour change.  It is the same lake.

Emerald Lake with the wonderful reflection of the peaks behind it.

Peyto Lake has a particularly beautiful colour - another wonderful glacial lake.

Mistaya Lake with the wonderful reflection of the mountain behind it.

And below are the more impressive waterfalls we have seen here in the Rockies.

Takakkaw Falls.  This waterfall is so spectacular that a photo does not capture it.  We had to video it.

Athabasca Falls.

This is the canyon immediately below the Sunwapta Falls.  The canyon is as impressive as the falls.

Jasper Lake is on the side of Highway 16 just out of Jasper.  You can see people wading halfway across.  The lake is so shallow that it amounts to a moving sheet of water.  It happens every year, all summer long.  In winter the water dries up and all there is is bare sand.  Like other glacial effluvium the water is cloudy and milky, full of sand and silt known as rock flour meaning tiny fragments of stone eroded by the glaciers upstream.

We went out of our way to go to Miette Hot Springs, which contain the hottest water in the Rockies. The hot water comes out of a small hillside spring at up to 55C and has to be cooled for the pools.  There are two heated pools and two cold plunge pools at the normal river temperature of about 15C.  It is great soaking in the hot pools and gazing up at the cliffside.