Moraine Lake - Banff National Park
At a Glance
· 📍 Location: Banff National Park
· 🏔 Elevation: 6,181 ft (1,885 m)
· 💎 Water Color: Deep Blue-Green
· 🥾 Best For: Iconic Scenery • Shoreline Walks • Photography
· ⏰ Time Needed: Half Day
· ❤️ Why We Love It: It feels both wild and peaceful at the same time.
· 💡 Our Tip: Give Moraine Lake its own day if you can.
History
Hidden beneath the spectacular Valley of the Ten Peaks, Moraine Lake wasn’t easily accessible to early visitors. It wasn’t until the late 1800s that explorers and members of the Canadian Pacific Railway began introducing the area to the outside world.
One of those explorers, Walter Wilcox, climbed what is now known as the Rockpile Trail in 1899. Standing above the lake, he famously described it as “the finest view in the Canadian Rockies.”
After visiting Moraine Lake… he may be right.
What Makes Moraine Lake Unique?
Although smaller than nearby Lake Louise, Moraine Lake has an entirely different personality.
Sitting at an elevation of nearly 6,200 feet (1,885 m)—about 500 feet higher than Lake Louise—the lake often holds onto snow and ice well into early summer.
Unlike the bright turquoise of Lake Louise or the brilliant sapphire blue of Peyto Lake, Moraine Lake has its own unique blend of deep blue and emerald green.
Surrounded by towering peaks, glaciers, and rugged rock walls, the lake somehow feels both wild and peaceful at the same time.
Our Experience
Moraine Lake lives up to the hype.
The first time we saw it was right after seeing Lake Louise—and Lake Louise was so beautiful we honestly thought it might be a waste of time to see Moraine Lake. We were so wrong. It’s not that Moraine Lake is more beautiful than Lake Louise—it’s that it’s beautiful in a completely different way. Seeing them one right after the other is almost overload. It sounds strange, but it’s true: it can be hard to take that much beauty in all at once.
We’ve been fortunate enough to visit Moraine Lake once before, and at that time we joined the steady stream of tourists heading toward the famous Rockpile Trail. The climb is short but steep enough to get your attention, and on our visit it was extremely crowded. This time, we took one look at the single-file line of people (which seemed to cover almost the entire Rockpile Trail), shuddered… and turned away.
The view really is spectacular, and we’ve done it before—so once was enough for us. But I’ll say this: if you haven’t seen the view from up there, it’s worth suffering the crowds at least once.
As with all of our lake visits so far, almost any hiking trail will get you away from the worst of the crowds. Moraine Lake had a few trails we considered, but there had been rock slides and some huge boulders to climb over—so we passed on those. We ended up choosing the Moraine Lake Shore Trail, which was perfect for the day: just under 3 miles and over 500 feet of elevation gain, offering great views of the lake—and the crowds dwindled dramatically once we got moving.
Sometimes all you need is a little distance from the crowd to experience why a place became famous in the first place.
Getting There
Private vehicles are no longer permitted on Moraine Lake Road during the main visitor season.
Visitors must use Parks Canada shuttles, Roam Transit, or an approved commercial transportation provider.
Since we were staying in Lake Louise Village, we chose Fairmont Limousine. The service was excellent—and something we would happily recommend.
Tips
Many visitors combine Lake Louise and Moraine Lake into a single day.
If that’s all your schedule allows, it makes perfect sense.
But if you have the luxury of time, I’d strongly recommend giving each lake its own day.
They don’t compete with one another.
They complement one another.
Each has its own personality.
Each deserves time.
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