Bow Lake (Alberta)

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 1,920 metres (6,300 ft).

LocationBanff National Park, Alberta

Coordinates51°39′52″N 116°26′55″W

Lake typeGlacial Lake

Primary inflows

Bow River

Quick facts Location, Coordinates ...

Bow Lake
Bow Lake and Crowfoot Mountain
Bow Lake Location within Alberta
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)

Close

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.^[1]

The historical Simpson's Num-Ti-Jah Lodge, now known as the Lodge at Bow Lake, is located on the shores of Bow Lake at the foot of Mount Jimmy Simpson.^[2]

Bow Lake is the closest lake to the headwaters of Bow River, and has a total area of 3.21 km² (1.24 sq mi). Water in the lake is meltwater of the Bow Glacier and its turquoise colouring is due to glacial till.