Peyto Lake

Peyto Lake (pea-toe) is a glacier-fed lake located in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies. The lake itself is easily accessed from the Icefields Parkway. It was named for Bill Peyto, an early trail guide and trapper in the Banff area. The lake is formed in a valley of the Waputik Range, between Caldron Peak, Peyto Peak and Mount Jimmy Simpson, at an elevation of 1,860 m (6,100 ft). During the summer, significant amounts of glacial rock flour flow into the lake, and these suspended rock particles give the lake a bright, turquoise color. Because of its bright color, photos of the lake often appear in illustrated books, and area around the lake is a popular sightseeing spot for tourists in the park. The lake is best seen from Bow Summit, the highest point on the Icefield Parkway. The lake is fed by the Peyto Creek, which drains water from the Caldron Lake and Peyto Glacier (part of the Wapta Icefield), and flows into the Mistaya River. "Peyto Lake really is that blue? Yes it is! Those amazing postcard pictures you see are not enhanced. In fact, it could be said that this is one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. Peyto Lake is located in Banff National Park approximately 40km’s northwest of Lake Louise. It can be best viewed from the Bow Summit along the Columbia Icefields Parkway. The lake gets it’s colour from the large amounts of glacier rock flour that flow into it during the summer months. The colour varies depending on the season and even with the time of day. The views from the Peyto Lake Lookout in Winter are just as stunning. Due to the abundance of snow in the winter season, the Bow Summit area makes for the perfect place to snowshoe and cross country ski." -http://banffandbeyond.com/is-peyto-lake-really-that-blue/