Moraine Lake

This glacial lake sits within Banff National Park, surrounded by ten peaks of the Valley of the Ten Peaks at an elevation of 1884 meters in the Canadian Rockies. The water glows turquoise and is fed by meltwater streams carrying fine rock flour.

A European mountaineer reached the lakeshore in 1899 and reported the unusual color of the water. Between 1969 and 1979, this panorama appeared on the reverse of Canadian twenty-dollar banknotes.

The name comes from an early misunderstanding of the rock deposits, as a landslide rather than a moraine actually formed the natural dam. Visitors today climb the rock pile along the shore to take in the peaks and blue-green water in a single view.

Since 2023, access is allowed only by official shuttle buses, as private vehicles are no longer permitted on the access road. Early morning or late afternoon offers quieter conditions, while midday tends to be the busiest time.

The water reaches its deepest point at 14 meters (46 feet) and shows its strongest blue color in midsummer, when meltwater carries the greatest amount of glacial sediment. On calmer days, the surface can mirror the surrounding peaks and double the mountain panorama in the water.