Moraine Lake

14 kilometers outside of Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada's Moraine Lake is a glacially fed lake in Banff National Park. At a height of roughly 1,884 meters, it is located in the Valley of the Ten Peaks. The lake has a surface area of 50 hectares.

Due to its glacially fed nature, the lake doesn't reach its crest until mid-to-late June. It reflects a particular shade of azure blue when it is full. The distinctive color is caused by light refraction off the rock flour that the lake's surrounding glaciers continuously deposit there.

Moraine Lake was formerly depicted on the reverse of a Canadian $20 bill. It is a smaller lake with sheer rock falls plunging into it. From the parking lot, a number of treks of varying lengths and levels of difficulty offer superb observation points of the lake. The Rockpile trail is among the simplest, aside from the lakeside trail. A short hike takes you to the top of an old rock avalanche that obstructed the lake's natural outlet. One of the nicest views of the lake can be had from this location.

Location: Banff National Park, Alberta