The viewpoint
A short walk.
Ethan Sahagun — CC BY 4.0 · Chensiyuan — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Balon Greyjoy — CC BY-SA 3.0
A glacial lake of intensely bright milky turquoise in a deep valley on the Icefields Parkway north of Lake Louise, famous for its shape, like a wolf's head when seen from the high viewpoint, and one of the loveliest sights in the Rockies. The lake is named after Bill Peyto, one of Banff's first mountain guides in the late nineteenth century. It is fed by a glacier of the Wapta Icefield, which carries in the rock particles that give it its unique summer colour. The lake is seen from a viewing platform near Bow Summit, the highest point on the Icefields Parkway, a short paved walk from the car park, overlooking the whole valley and the surrounding peaks. Longer trails lead from the platform to alpine meadows full of flowers in summer. A Parks Canada daily pass of about C$12.25 per adult is required. The platform is crowded at midday, so early morning is best. It pairs with Bow Lake and the Columbia Icefield on a drive along the parkway.
A short walk.
The lake's shape.
The highest point.
Near Bow Summit on the Icefields Parkway, about 40 km north of Lake Louise
A short paved walk from the car park, about ten minutes.