10 Beautiful Canadian Rockies Photo Spots
Thanks to craggy peaks, pristine lakes, and more, the Canadian Rockies is one of the most iconic photography locations in the world. Yoho, Jasper, and Banff National Parks feature Canada’s finest mountain ranges, making these places a bucket list destination for many photographers.
Even after visiting all of these places, the Canadian Rockies remain on my bucket list, and I continue to add new hikes and vistas that I want to experience and photograph to my own list. (Just recently, my friend Bill McIntosh suggested backpacking to Mount Assiniboine, which is arguably one of the most beautiful peaks in all of the world!) As such, this list is far from comprehensive. It’s simply a fun list of the most photogenic mountains, lakes, etc., that I’ve managed to photograph in the Canadian Rockies…so far.
It’s been a couple of years since I visited the Canadian Rockies, but after our recent trip to Alaska and British Columbia, I found myself itching to revisit Canada, and the easiest way to do that was via my photo archives. One thing led to another, and I had spent a couple hours editing photos. I figured I might as well make a blog post out of that late night Photoshop session, so here it is…
Lake Louise
Our first stop in the Canadian Rockies, Lake Louise set a high bar. It also typified many of the experiences we’d have in the Canadian Rockies: driving right up to scenery so perfect and exquisite that it looked like a gem tucked away thousands of miles from humanity. Yet, it was bordered by a parking lot and a luxury hotel.
Lake Louise is known for its turquoise, glacier-fed lake surrounded by towering peaks, and it offers a variety of walking trails around the perimeter that provide ample opportunities for different photography vantages. Don’t be surprised if you walk away from Lake Louise with a memory card filled with unique perspectives.
Vermillion Lakes
This was an attractive option for sunrise while we stayed in downtown Banff because, unlike other alternatives, it didn’t require a two-plus hour drive. At first, it would seem that laziness paid off, as we had a beautiful and serene scene that was shaping up into something special.
Then, a bus showed up, dropping off a large photography workshop, which not only stomped all over our serenity, but on the dock where we were standing, causing it–and our tripods–to wobble. Apparently, the workshop had not yet covered the ‘little’ detail that tripods are ineffective if they move. It was a gorgeous scene, but only a couple of my photos aren’t out of focus.
Spirit Island
This iconic little plot of land populated by just a handful of trees and surrounded by mountains was high on my list of things to photograph in the Canadian Rockies. Unfortunately, Spirit Island is not easily accessible. It requires taking a day-cruise to visit, or multi-day kayaking trip and overnight camping.
The latter was out of the question, but it was a gorgeous sunrise when we visited Maligne Lake, so we decided to make a game-time decision to head out to Spirit Island. Unfortunately, the ring of mountains around Spirit Island pulled all the clouds and dreariness towards them (or something like that–I don’t pretend to be a meteorologist) and we had a totally overcast sky. Even in subpar conditions, it was stunning.
Emerald Lake
We made a couple of visits to Emerald Lake, which is another spot that can be reached quickly from the main road. Here, I ultimately found that the lodge and road leading to it enhanced the scene, punctuating the beautiful scenery with a distinctive manmade element.
I’m all for unspoiled nature, but we were really spoiled with how much of that exists in the Canadian Rockies. It seems like every 20 minutes you can pull off the road for a quick shot of a stunning mountain reflected in a pristine lake. These are shots you’d be willing to hike hours for some places, and there just right there in the Canadian Rockies. As a photographer, it’s like having the cheat codes.
Odaray Grandview
This ended up being my favorite experience in the Canadian Rockies, which I wrote about extensively in my Yoho National Park Trip Report – Part 2. If it wasn’t so terrifying, I might also call it the most photogenic location.
Actually, even setting aside the fear and cold of the hike to get to our sunrise vantage, I wouldn’t say Odaray Grandview was the most photogenic. Since the mountains were so distant, it’s essentially a one and done location, whereas the next spot offered a ton more payoff…
Opabin Prospect
Yoho National Park’s Lake O’Hara is considered the crown jewel of the Canadian Rockies, which is incredibly high praise considering that Canadian Rockies are awash in jewels. While I can’t say definitively weather this Lake O’Hara actually is the crown jewel of the Canadian Rockies, it was for me.
Specifically, the hike along West Opabin Trail to Opabin Prospect and Plateau with beautiful lakes and valleys along the way was one of my most memorable hikes ever. We didn’t allot nearly enough time for this hike, but that might be for the best because with unlimited time, I probably would’ve stopped every 10 feet for another photo. You can read and see more in my Yoho National Park Trip Report – Part 1.
Peyto Lake
Thanks to being a quick diversion from Icefield Parkway, we stopped at Peyto Lake a few times. First, chasing the sunset, and then chasing a beautiful snowy scene. I wrote about the second experience in my Peyto Lake Snow Chase post.
Like so many popular locations in the Canadian Rockies, getting to the Peyto Lake overlook requires little effort and time. It’s a 20-minute walk from the parking area, which is located between Lake Louise and Jasper National Park.
Two Jack Lake
This is another high-profile location in Banff National Park, offering perfectly-framed reflections of Mount Rundle. The waterfront is easily accessible, and wandering around the lake provides myriad different compositions and foreground possibilities.
We reached Two Jack Lake just after the morning golden hour, as we had been slowed down along Minnewanka Loop Road by several elk that were just sitting in a field. Of course, we had to stop and marvel at their majesty…and take photos, of course!
Maligne Lake
Well known as the departure point for Spirit Island boat cruises, I think Maligne Lake is deserving of its own spot on this list, as the boathouse with mountains behind it is a striking scene.
We had an exceptional slow burn sunrise here, with colors gradually shifting from a deep blue at dawn before exploding into a rainbow of color followed by some golden clouds and fans of morning sun rays. What surprised me was the range of composition options available along the shoreline that opened up.
Icefield Parkway
The Canadian Rockies have no shortage of beautiful drives, and Icefield Parkway is the crème de la crème. While I mentioned previously that some of the ‘reflected mountain’ shots were so accessible that it felt like having the cheat codes, Icefield Parkway made that even easier, as it was beautiful view after beautiful view from the car.
I took several photos through the windshield out of our moving vehicle that are better than the very best photos I’ve captured after spending entire weekends in other National Parks. This should really underscore how visiting the Canadian Rockies is like shooting fish in a barrel for photography!
If you’re planning a visit to the Canadian Rockies, I recommend picking up a copy of The Canadian Rockies. It’s by a photographer, so there are a ton of inspirational photos in addition to the normal tips (you’ll also find trail maps and other sound advice).
Your Thoughts
Have you visited the Canadian Rockies? What were your favorite photography spots? Any memorable hikes or roadside vistas you particularly enjoyed? Any thoughts or photo locations of your own to add? Does visiting Canada interest you? Hearing your feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts or questions below in the comments!
Hi Tom, This was great and really helpful to me thank you for sharing! I hope you don’t mind me asking for some advice… I’m planning a trip to BC/Alberta and trying to decide if we visit Jasper or not. I know the drive is incredible but there seems to be so much in Banff alone I’m not sure if it’s worth the extra drive? After leaving Telegraph Cove on Vancouver Island we basically have 6 nights between there and when we catch our flight home from Calgary. We were planning on having two nights on the road then 4 nights in Banff. Would it be silly to not visit Jasper as well or better to explore more in Banff? Sorry for the long comment and thanks in advance for any advice!
I’m not Tom, but Banff itself has sort of a “ski town” vibe IMO which some like and others don’t. A lot of nice scenery in and around Banff, and be sure to visit the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, a sprawling luxury facility where even the staff carry maps.
Whatever you do, plan to at least drive to Lake Louise, about an hour away. There’s a variety of great hikes near the Lake depending upon how much time and energy you have at altitude. There’s several other lakes in the area so you could even take 2 day trips from Banff. If you go to Lake Louise, I’d recommend driving one way on the 1A road for variety, though it adds maybe half an hour to the drive. (Highway 1 is the Transcanada Hwy, the Canadian twist on US Interstates, while 1A is like getting onto a country road with frequent wildlife sightings. Know that there’s little mountain scenery on 1A vs. Hwy 1 so it’s a very different experience.)
As far as driving to Jasper, that takes the better part of a day as there’s so much to see along the way. Snowcoaches are a little south of Jasper and if you’ve never been on a glacier they’re a congested option which takes a while. Jasper itself is less “touristy” than Banff, more like a small town. Mountains aren’t quite as spectacular around Jasper. It would be a very long day to drive to Jasper and back.
I think with just 4 days I’d leave Jasper for another time as you can easily spend 4 days within a radius of a couple of hours of Banff, especially if you like to hike.
I’ve heard similar stories that Lake Louise is beautiful. It is a favorite of some friends. I’ll have to get out there myself.
Gorgeous!
Tom, your pictures are absolutely gorgeous and so inspiring.
Very beautiful photos!
I love all the photography posts, Tom, but this was especially beautiful!
Your photography is amazing, and seeing your shots of my own “back yard” make them even more special!
Oh my goodness, these pictures! Such beautiful photos and now I want to do some traveling!
I had no idea Canada had so many gorgeous lakes! I need to add these to my travel wish list!
Looks beautiful!
So Beautiful! Thank you for your hard work in transporting us to these magical places through your photography and narrative! Job well done!
I’m from Canada and have always wanted to visit the Rockies. I fly over them multiple times a year, but this post might finally motivate me to visit!
This makes me want to visit Canadian Rockies even more!
I think you just made me decide to add the Canadian Rockies to my bucket list – thanks Tom!
Wow!! Mesmerising photographs, truly magical places. This was a great read. Thank you for sharing!
Lake Louise and Peyto Lake are my favorites, but I went on a day-long hike somewhere (I did not label my photos and it has been years and I can’t remember)-that was spectacular. It must have been near Banff or Jasper. Any guesses? I did notice later that I took an alarming number of pictures of mountain goats. I’m not sure why I was so goat-obsessed on this trip.
Ha, there are a lot of day hikes in this area, so without seeing a photo of the landscape, I don’t have any idea. Sorry!