7 Lakes That Are Just as Blue As Lake Louise (Without the Crowds)

Lake Louise is one of our favorite places in the world. That being said, it’s also many people’s favorite place. It’s a stunning lake and area, so it’s easy to understand why it’s so popular.

However, every year, Lake Louise gets even busier than the previous year. It’s time to spread out the tourism so we can prevent Lake Louise from being loved to death. There are plenty of other bright blue glacial lakes to visit in the Canadian Rockies that see far fewer visitors than the famous Lake Louise. Here are just a few alternatives.

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Why are the lakes in Banff so Blue?

Lake Louise would be beautiful no matter what, but the lake remains so popular because of how blue it is in the summer. So why is Lake Louise and the other glacial lakes so blue?

The brilliant blue color in glacier waters is because they are full of rock flour (fine particles of rock) that refracts the light. Surrounding the lakes are glaciers that grind rocks into tiny particles called rock flour. This rock flour is then carried into the lake by meltwater. The time to witness this brilliant color is between June and October.

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Lake Louise Alternatives

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Waterfowl Lakes

Waterfowl Lakes are two chill lakes in Banff with fewer visitors than Lake Louise or Moraine Lake. They sit along the Icefields Parkway, about a 45-minute drive away from Lake Louise. If driving from Banff to Jasper, you can’t miss them on your left-hand side.

The two glacial lakes, like Lake Louise, are classic blue and reflect on a sunny day. They are easy to enter with a kayak or canoe from the Waterfowl Lakes Campground, which is where you can stop for a day or plan a few night camping trip. If you just want to stop and grab a photo of, there’s a nice pull-off point where you can snap a pic of the lakes glistening under Mount Chephren.

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Chephren Lake

Speaking of Mount Chephren, it’s possible to hike to Chephren Lake, which sits at its base. Getting to Chephren Lake from the Waterfowl Lakes Campground requires a short hike, but this glacial lake is so worth the hike! Since you have to hike 7 km and 80 meters, not many people venture out, meaning it is super quiet, even on a summer day.

Once you arrive at the lake, you’ll be met with yet another picture-perfect glacial lake. Plan to spend at least a 2-hour stop to complete this short hike and actually enjoy Chephren Lake.

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Sherbrooke Lake

Just a bit further from Lake Louise, crossing into Yoho National Park is a lake that few people have heard of. Sherbrooke Lake is a stunner, just over the Alberta/BC border. This is another lake you have to hike to enjoy, and because of this, it sees far fewer visitors than Lake Louise.

The 6km trail has about 150 meters of elevation gain, and moves through the woods for several kilometers until it reaches the lakeshore, and views open up to views of Mount Ogden and Mount Niles.

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Emerald Lake

Emerald Lake is a famous lake in neighboring Yoho National Park. It’s about a 30 minute drive away from Lake Louise, and is a bucket list destination in Canada. Emerald Lake is very special to us because it’s where we got engaged, and we know that if you visit, you will find it special as well.

It’s pretty easy to figure out where Emerald Lake gets its name, as the glacial waters refract light in a vibrant display of color. It’s a bit more “emeraldy” than other glacial lakes on this list, which you can easily see on a vibrant sunny day. The color alone would be enough to move you, but the surrounding landscape leaves you speechless. The President Range mountains surround the lake, forming a natural amphitheatre of the grandest scale with towering peaks and forested banks.

Here, you can walk around the entire lake or rent a canoe from the Emerald Lake Boathouse!

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Bow Lake

Bow Lake is another glacial lake that visitors to Alberta shouldn’t miss. On a summer day in July and August, this lake sparkles just as blue as Lake Louise. I love heading to Bow Lake to enjoy a paddle or just sit by the lake and picnic. As this lake is just off the Icefields Parkway, it does get busy in the summer months, though not nearly as busy as Lake Louise.

Once at the lake, you can enjoy a walk around it, grab a coffee at The Hanging Glacier Cafe, launch a paddleboard, or start hiking to Bow Glacier Falls.

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Peyto Lake

Just past Bow Lake, is the beautiful Peyto Lake. This is another glacier-fed lake in Banff National Park, however it’s the third busiest after Louise and Moraine. Nevertheless, Peyto Lake is right off the Icefields Parkway and is a must-visit while driving along the route.

To reach an amazing view over the lake will require you to hike up for about 10 minutes, but it’s well worth the effort to view this fox/wolf-shaped lake. Visit between June and October, and you’ll witness some of the bluest colors you’ve ever seen in nature. Since Peyto Lake gets busy in the summer, we recommend getting here before 9am.

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Hector Lake

Hector Lake is a glacier-fed lake along the Icefields Parkway that few hikers visit. It’s also staggeringly beautiful, but it does come with a catch. It requires a short muddy hike to reach, which deters most visitors. However the hike is very straightforward and quick at just under 5 km round trip.

The hike down to the river is just over two kilometers and takes around half an hour. The trail can also be a little muddy, but the minor drawbacks are easily outweighed by the serenity of sitting along a scenic glacial lake in solitude. There is an option to cross the Bow River to get to a different section of the lakeshore, but this can easily be avoided by taking the trail to your left to Hector Lake. This is what we recommend.