Home»Photo Galleries»Canadian Northwest»Banff National Park 2019»Moraine Lake

During our stay in the Lake Louise area, we made several trips to Moraine Lake, one of the most scenic, and most popular, lakes in the world. This glacier-fed lake, situated in the Valley of Ten Peaks, is a surreal turquoise-blue color in almost any light. From Moraine Lake there are several wonderful trails, 2 of which we hiked.

We enjoyed the Eiffel Lake Trail on a mostly cloudy day with off-and-on showers. The Ten Peaks were partly obscured by the clouds, but even the partial views were majestic. Wildflowers lined the trail, and curious marmots kept a watchful eye on us while we were sitting above the lake having our lunch. And at the end of the hike, late in the day, just as we reached Moraine Lake, the clouds briefly cleared, giving us a fantastic view of the Ten Peaks. It was a very welcome gift after several days of rain and clouds, although it was a short-lived break from the rain.

On a day when Bliss decided to stay in out of the rain and recover a bit from the strenuous hikes we had taken over the previous several days, I hiked solo on the famous Larch Valley Trail. The rain was unrelenting, so the crowds were sparse, as were the views. But upon reaching the upper lake, which was still frozen and covered with snow, I found myself in the middle of a thunderstorm with bright flashes of lightening all around. There was really nowhere to go for protection, so I just stood and enjoyed the sound of thunder reverberating across the mountainsides of the amphitheater in which I was located. It was truly surreal, almost as if I was standing in the eye of a hurricane, in the center of a still space with violent energy all around the edges. The lightning and thunder show was over fairly quickly, and then I had to stand like a horse with my back to the lashing rain as the storm passed through the valley and moved on. I didn’t take many photos with me from this hike, but I took an experience I am unlikely to have again.

Moraine Lake is very difficult to visit because of its popularity. The parking lot is not large, so they close the road to the lake about 6 AM and don’t open it again until 7 PM, only letting the occasional few cars pass whenever cars leave from the parking lot by the lake. We managed to visit the lake in a number of ways, which including getting up early, going very late in the day, and getting lucky by driving by at a time when they were allowing a few cars to enter the road. We even managed to visit on the day we were leaving Banff, happening to pass the entrance at the right time and allowed to enter the road to the lake. It was a fitting way to end our trip in Banff National Park before driving back to Vancouver over the next two days.

But I digress -- we had some wonderful experiences between that rain-soaked hike in Larch Valley and the drive back. So please visit the Shadow Lake and Helen Lake galleries, where the rain gave way to a wonderful mix of sun and clouds (and a few showers just to remind us of the first week ...).