Peyto Lake
A cobalt-blue glacial lake shaped like a wolf's head, seen from Bow Summit, the highest point on the Icefields Parkway. It is one of the most photographed views in the Canadian Rockies.
Peyto Lake sits below Bow Summit (about 2,088 m), the highest point on the Icefields Parkway. Glacial rock flour turns its water an intense cobalt blue, and the lake's shape resembles a wolf's head, with the Peyto Glacier and Caldron Peak rising behind it.
From the parking lot, a paved trail climbs for 10 to 15 minutes to the large viewing platform, which was renovated in 2021. The light is best and the lake color most vivid before 10 a.m.; on overcast days the water looks grayer. In summer the parking lot is often full between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Entry is free, but a Parks Canada pass is required. The lake is about 6 km from Bow Lake and about 40 minutes' drive from Lake Louise, so it is only reachable by car or tour. The pass is windy and cold, so bring a jacket even in summer, and snowshoes are needed on the winter trail.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Bow Lake
- Takakkaw Falls
- Emerald Lake, Yoho National Park
- Spiral Tunnels Viewpoint
- Natural Bridge, Yoho
- Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House
- Lake Agnes Tea House
- Lake O'Hara