Peyto Lake

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Peyto Lake
Peyto Lake is located in Alberta
Peyto Lake
Peyto Lake
Location within Alberta
LocationBanff National Park, Alberta, Canada
Coordinates51°43′37″N 116°31′19″W / 51.72694°N 116.52194°W / 51.72694; -116.52194
TypeGlacial
Peyto Creek
Mistaya River
Basin countriesCanada
Max. length2.8 km (1.7 mi)
Max. width0.8 km (0.50 mi)
Surface area
1.4 km2 (0.54 mi2)
Surface elevation
1,860 m (6,100 ft)

Peyto Lake (/ˈpiːtoʊ/ PEE-toh) is a glacier-fed lake in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies. It is known for its striking turquoise colour making it a well visited and photographed area of the National Park. The lake is near the Icefields Parkway in Alberta, Canada.

Geography

Peyto lake is formed in a valley of the Waputik Range, located between Caldron Peak, Peyto Peak and Mount Jimmy Simpson, at an elevation of 1,860 m (6,100 ft).[1] It is fed by Peyto Creek, which drains water from Caldron Lake and Peyto Glacier (part of the Wapta Icefield). Peyto Lake is the source of the Mistaya River,[2] which heads northwest from the lake's outflow.

During the summer, significant amounts of glacial rock flour flow into the lake from the Peyto Glacier, and these suspended rock particles are what give the lake a bright, turquoise colour.[3] Because of this, the lake is one of the most frequently photographed location in the Candian Rockies and the area around the lake is a popular sightseeing spot.[4][5] In 2021, Parks Canada completed improvements to the lake viewpoint, trails, and parking areas.[6] The lake is best seen from Bow Summit, the highest point on the Icefields Parkway.[7]

Peyto Lake seen from Bow Summit

History

Peyto Lake was named after an early park warden of Banff National Park by the name of Ebenzer William “Bill” Peyto. Bill was an English-born mountain guide and trapper who came to the Canadian Rockies in the late 19th century.[4] He became well known for guiding explorers through the region. In 1896, Walter Wilcoux, a topographer, explored the area with Bill and named the Peyto Peak and lake after him.[8] It was not until 1911 when the Geographic Board of Canada approved the name of the lake as Peyto Lake and recorded it in their database in 1934.[9]

References

  1. Boles, Glen W.; Laurilla, Roger W.; Putnam, William L. (2006). Canadian Mountain Place Names: the Rockies and Columbia Mountains. Vancouver: Rocky Mountain Books. p. 199. ISBN 978-1-894765-79-4. OCLC 244770225. Retrieved 2026-06-10.
  2. MISTAYA CANYON and PEYTO LAKE: Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada: ALONG THE ICEFIELD PARKWAY
  3. Belyea, Helen R. (1960). The story of the mountains: Banff National Park - Helen R. Belyea. Geological Survey of Canada, Department of Mines and Technical Surveys.
  4. Boles, Glen W. (2006). Canadian mountain place names : the Rockies and Columbia Mountains. Internet Archive. Calgary ; Custer, WA : Rocky Mountain Books. ISBN 978-1-894765-79-4.
  5. Copeland, Kathy (1998). Don't waste your time in the Canadian Rockies : an opinionated hiking guide to help you get the most from this magnificent wilderness. Internet Archive. Riondell, B.C. : Voice in the Wilderness Press. ISBN 978-0-9698016-4-1.
  6. "Improvements at Peyto Lake". Parks Canada. Archived from the original on 29 September 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  7. Peyto Lake, The Canadian Rockies Archived 2008-04-22 at the Wayback Machine
  8. Wilcox, Walter Dwight. "Camping in the Canadian Rockies". www.gutenberg.org. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  9. Government of Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Earth Sciences Sector, Canada Centre for Mapping and Earth Observation. "Place names - Peyto Lake". geonames.nrcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2026-10-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)