Bow Lake (Alberta)

For other uses, see Bow Lake (disambiguation).

Bow Lake is a small lake in western Alberta, Canada. It is located on the Bow River, in the Canadian Rockies, at an altitude of 1920 m.

Bow Lake
Bow Lake, Crowfoot Glacier, et al
Bow Lake
Location	Banff National Park, Alberta
Coordinates	51°39′52″N 116°26′55″W
Lake type	Glacial Lake
Primary inflows	Bow River
Primary outflows	Bow River
Basin countries	Canada
Max. length	3.2 km (2.0 mi)
Max. width	1.2 km (0.75 mi)
Surface area	3.21 km2 (1.24 sq mi)
Surface elevation	1,920 m (6,300 ft)

The lake lies south of the Bow Summit, east of the Waputik Range (views including Wapta Icefield, Bow Glacier, Bow Peak, Mount Thompson, Crowfoot Glacier and Crowfoot Mountain) and west of the Dolomite Pass, Dolomite Peak and Cirque Peak.

Bow Lake is one of the lakes that line the Icefields Parkway in Banff National Park and Jasper National Park, other such lakes being Hector Lake, Lake Louise, Peyto Lake, Mistaya Lake, Waterfowl Lakes, Chephren Lake and Sunwapta Lake.

Historical Simpson's Num-Ti-Jah Lodge is located on the shores of Bow Lake at the foot of Mount Jimmy Simpson.

Bow Lake is the closest lake to the headwaters of Bow River, and has a total area of 3.21 km². Water in the lake is meltwater of the Bow Glacier and its turquoise colouring is due to glacial till.

Image gallery

• 
  Bow Lake panorama in winter
• 
  A view of Bow Lake and Crowfoot Mountain
• 
  Bow Lake at a roadside turnout on Alberta Highway 93
• 
  Bow Lake in late May

See also

• Lakes of Alberta