Moraine Lake, Alberta, Canada

5Alex Linken 5:00 PM Sep 10, 2022

The Best View Ever
My family and I decided to visit the infamous Moraine Lake during our stay in Canmore, Alberta, and we had an absolutely amazing time! However, I would highly recommend taking the Roam Transit Bus to the lake, like I did, as it is next to impossible to find a parking spot, as the lot fills up quickly, unless you go very early in the morning, or late at night. The lake itself was picturesque, as the turquoise colour with 10 mountain peaks in the background makes the view feel like a dream! To see the popular view that you see in the all the photos however, you have to take a busy hike up the Rock Piles Trail, which is well worth it, and a must do if possible. However, I would highly recommend doing the Consolation Lakes Trail, as the lakes there are just as pretty, but much less busy, The water is crystal-clear, and the valley at the end is absolutely unreal. The best part is that it's not usually very busy! This trail can be accessed shortly after the trail-head of the Rock Piles Trail that overlooks Moraine Lake, and is about 10 kilometers. In conclusion, Moraine Lake is a stunning and popular place, so to make the most of it, take the Roam Transit Bus, and do the Consolation Lakes Trail so that you can enjoy the scenery, whilst beating some of the crowds!

5Scott G 5:00 PM Jul 27, 2022

As beautiful as it looks in pictures, the Rockpile hike gives you the iconic view
Lake Moraine lived up to all its hype, it's as beautiful as all the pictures of it. To get the iconic shot take the Rockpile hike which starts right from the parking lot, and goes uphill a bit both on a path and stairs. It takes ten minutes or so to get to the viewpoint, which is a bit undefined, it's just a wide open area facing the lake on top of the rock pile. My son and I are late risers so we decided NOT to get up at 4AM! Instead I was able to book the Lake Moraine shuttle (the Canada parks system runs the shuttle) which leaves from the Lake Louise Ski Resort parking lot. I was able to book us for a 1:30PM shuttle straight to Lake Moraine only on a Saturday mid July, and I booked it that same day at about 9AM. Unlike Lake Louise, I didn't want to try and get parking for Moraine, since the lot is way smaller. I did get parking at Lake Louise the day before but didn't want to waste any time at Moraine, so I booked the shuttle. Before we got on the shuttle we saw a mama grizzly and her baby in the distance on the grassy ski slopes of Lake Louise Ski Resort, so be sure to scan the slopes before you get on the bus, that was an awesome bonus! The shuttle takes about 25 minutes to get to Lake Moraine. The lake itself? Beautiful. We did the short Rockpile Hike and then the Lake Shore trail which goes around the edge of the lake to the other side, probably took twenty minutes or so one way. The Lake Shore trail ends at a wooden viewing platform on the other side of the lake, then you walk back the same way you came. Beautiful views abound. We saw Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, and Peyto Lake on our trip, and I can honestly say they are all different and it's really worth it to see them all. Louise is huge and glowing milky blue and has the most activities, and it's fun walking to the end of it where the glacial silt goes into the water. Moraine seemed a bit smaller to me and is equally bright and beautiful, but more green. And Peyto seemed a bit smaller than the other two from above, but amazingly bright in both sun or shade and somewhere between the color of Louise and Moraine I thought. The view you get of it is perfectly composed, like a painting, with amazing mountains all around which fade into the distance in the background. Peyto is also a lot less crowded and an easy hike to the one main observation point. Glacial lakes rule, the world sure can be a beautiful place!