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Summary

This quick 1 km Alberta hike takes you to a turquoise lake with mountains wrapped around it

Short distance, BIG payoff.

Person sitting on a hiking trail. Right: A bright lake in the mountains.

Payto Lake hike. Right: Payto Lake

@martinegazoo | Instagram, Nalidsa Sukprasert | Dreamstime
Editor

This quick hike leads you too a breathing lookout, over a bright turquoise lake surrounded by mountain peaks. Alberta is full of beautiful hikes, but you get some serious bang for you buck with this 1.3-kilometre trip.

Just a two and a half hour drive from Calgary, this little hike is the perfect stop on a road trip through Banff National Park. Peyto Lake is famed for it's stunning scenery, with a viewing platform that's easy to get to and delivers on the iconic Rocky Mountain views people come to expect from the area.

@thesikhabroad

peyto lake is one of those places that doesn’t even look real—it’s like stepping into a postcard. the water is this crazy, bright glacier blue that you have to see to believe. to get there, drive to the bow summit parking lot in banff national park. from there, it’s a quick and easy hike up to the main viewpoint. the trail is well-marked, and it only takes about 15 minutes to reach the top. once you’re there, the view will literally take your breath away. seriously, it’s so worth it, and you’ll feel like you’re standing in the middle of a painting. #solotravel #travel2025 #traveltok #traveltips #travelvlog #trending #banff #canada🇨🇦 #banffnationalpark #travelvlogger

While it's not a very far distance, the hike is rated as "moderate" on AllTrails, since you get mostly uphill on the way up to the viewpoint. While you'll get a bit of a workout, it's worth it for the unbelievable view from the top.

The platform gives you the perfect vantage point to take in the famous Peyto Lake from. The stunning lake is def from a glacier, giving it a bright colour that looks almost surreal. Then you have the jagged mountains wrapping around it and stretching as far as the eye can see.

It's awe-inspiring, and hard to believe only 30 minutes of hiking is involved to see it.

If you're looking for a quick hike in Alberta this summer with a big pay-off, this is the spot to go.

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    • Morgan Leet

      Editor

      Morgan Leet (she/her) is an Editor for Narcity Media Group. After graduating from Carleton University’s School of Journalism and Communication, she jumped into fulfilling her dream as a journalist, merging her passion for travelling with writing. After working in the print media world on Canada’s East Coast, she joined Narcity with a move to B.C., drawn to the beauty of Western Canada. Since then, she's documented her experience moving to Vancouver, covering everything from local events to bucket-list travel destinations across Canada's West Coast.

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