03 — Lake Louise
Victoria Glacier rises beyond Lake Louise, bringing turquoise water, evergreen forest and snow-covered peaks into a single view.
Reivana Relaxation / Pexels ↗
Banff National Park · Alberta, Canada
Best photosofBanff
16 photographs of Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, Peyto Lake and the Canadian Rockies.
BanffCanada
Brendan Chen / Pexels ↗Scroll to explore
About this collection
What you'll seein Banff
These 16 photographs cover Banff National Park's best-known lakes, mountain viewpoints, forest trails and town streets. The collection includes Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, Peyto Lake, Bow Lake, Vermilion Lakes, Johnston Canyon and Banff Avenue in both summer and winter.
Planning your own visit? Read the Banff travel guide.
Photography conditions
When to photograph Banff's lakes
Sunrise
Calm water, clear reflections and warm light across the highest peaks.
Midday
Direct light reveals the strongest turquoise colour in the glacial lakes.
Evening
Long shadows define the shape and texture of the surrounding mountains.
04 — Shoreline trail
At the waterline
The Lake Louise shoreline trail leaves the busy viewpoint behind and follows the water beneath dense spruce forest.
Ali Kazal / Pexels ↗Seasonal comparison
Banff in summer and winter
Compare the saturated lake colour of summer with the quieter, snow-covered landscape of winter.
Summer · Moraine Lake
Glacier blue
Rock flour carried by glacial melt scatters the light, giving Moraine Lake its surreal turquoise colour in summer.
Alberta Studios / Pexels ↗Winter · Banff Avenue
The mountain town
Banff Avenue keeps the wilderness in view. Even at the traffic lights, the mountains occupy the end of the street.
Jared VanderMeer / Pexels ↗Landscape and colour
Why Banff is immediately recognisable
Glacial lakes01
Turquoise water
Fine rock particles carried by glacial meltwater produce the colour seen at Moraine Lake, Lake Louise and Peyto Lake.
Mountain weather02
Changing conditions
Cloud, wind and fast-moving light can change the visible peaks, reflections and depth of a composition within minutes.
Banff town03
Mountain views
Banff Avenue and the Bow River sit directly beneath the surrounding peaks, keeping the mountains visible throughout town.
Save the story behind the photograph
Make a travel book from your Banff trip.
Keep your photos, places, notes and travel companions together in one shared TripBook.
Download TripMemo for iPhone ↗16 photographs · Alberta, Canada
Full Banff photo gallery
Select any photograph to open the full image and read more about the location.
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