Turquoise water
Between the peaks.
jokin.lacalle — CC BY 4.0 · Zeljko Kozomara — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jack Borno — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Eriklizee at English Wikipedia — Public domain · Jack Borno — CC BY-SA 3.0
Lake O'Hara is a lake at 2,020 metres in the alpine area of Yoho National Park, British Columbia, on the western side of the Great Divide, about 13 km from the village of Lake Louise in a straight line. The lake and its valley are reached by a bus run by Parks Canada, or by an 11 km hike along a road climbing about 500 metres. Bus numbers are limited to protect the sensitive alpine environment, so seats are booked ahead and go quickly. The lake is named after Colonel Robert O'Hara from Ireland. Turquoise water shines between towering snowy peaks and pine forest, and trails climb to higher lakes such as Oesa and Opabin, giving views down over the lake from the ridges; the larches turn gold in late September. It is one of the finest hiking areas in the Canadian Rockies, and the higher trails are steep in places, so bring proper shoes and warm layers. In winter skiers come here too.
Between the peaks.
An uphill trail.
Late September.
Yoho National Park, British Columbia, Canada
By booked bus or an 11 km walk.
July to September.