It has been more than a month since I visited Banff, but I remember the sparkling lake between Banff and Jasper National Parks as the most memorable. Here the bubbles are stacked in the ice, layer upon layer, surrounded by the snowy mountains that surround them. At sunset, the golden snow mountain is reflected on the ice, which is beautiful and spectacular. This is a unique beauty in winter, when you see it with your own eyes, you can not help but sigh at the beauty of nature.

📍Abraham Lake

Abraham Lake's ice bubbles are created when the plants and branches at the bottom of the lake begin to decay. Methane gas is released as bubbles in the water. When temperatures get colder in the winter, methane bubbles get trapped in the ice and float below the surface. As the lake continues to freeze, these bubbles stack up in the ice and form what we see.

Abraham Lake is large, and bubbles can be seen in several places. Stopping at Preachers point Staging Area is not recommended because there are fewer and smaller bubbles, lots of snow on the ice, and lots of cracks. Continue to drive to Abraham Lake Bubbles Viewpoint, where there are more and more beautiful bubbles and the lake is wider. The ice forms a slope that can be slid down while sitting. But make sure you wear crampons, or you'll have to climb the slope on the way back. Some people (like me) had a hard time climbing without crampons and bruised their knees.

There are white bubbles under the ice, the number is still quite large, near the shore some relatively flat under the ice, clearly visible bubbles, at this time the sun just hit the snow behind the mountain, by finding some shooting Angle, you can photograph the bubble lake similar to the Internet.


We spent a lot of time there, taking photos with bubbles, breaking off ice cubes to simulate curling, taking classic photos of Professor Chon Song Ido on snow, walking deep into the lake and some very smooth ice to photograph the city of Sky. We didn't get back in the car until about four o 'clock.


According to the local people, this year's warm winter combined with drought, the ice sheet is not thick enough, there are not enough bubbles, not as beautiful as last year's (the local said to send me last year's bubble lake photos as a comparison with this year's photos, but she forgot to send me).

Abraham Lake Bubbles Viewpoint It's really beautiful. Many people lie on the ice to enjoy the snow mountain quietly, some people skate on the lake with skates, some people play on the lake with their dogs, and even some people set up tents in the middle of the lake. In short, make sure you wear crampons and wear them thick (it's really windy).

A few reminders:

If you're driving from Banff to Bubble Lake, there are very few gas stations on the way. Gas stations at the Saskatchewan River Crossing are closed for the winter, making it harder to fill up if you go to Jasper. We suggest we fuel up and head north. If you're really out of gas, there's also a gas station on the highway north of Bubble Lake (keep an eye out for signs, it's not obvious).

There is almost no signal at Bubble Lake and on the way from Bubble Lake to Japser, so be sure to download Google Maps offline. Locate Preachers Point Campground, get off and walk a short distance to the frozen lake.

And wear crampons! Wear crampons! Wear crampons!