Boom Lake is a mountain-surrounded, easy-to-access gem on the edge of Banff National Park.
Boom Lake is a sub-alpine lake dramatically set beneath Boom Mountain, Chimney Peak, and Quadra Mountain in Banff National Park on the Alberta border with British Columbia, Canada. The pristine lake is framed by timber, mountains and a large hanging glacier at the far end.
The trail-head is clearly signed 28 kilometers (17½ miles) west of the Town of Banff on the TransCanada Highway and 6.2 KM (3⅞ miles) south through Vermilion Pass on incredibly scenic Hwy 93, across from 3,161 m (10,370 ft) Storm Mountain.
Storm Mountain
The packed, snowbound trail to Boom Lake is 5.2 KM (3¼ miles) one way with a maximum elevation of 1,893 m (6,210 ft) and 190 m (625 ft) of elevation gain.
The Boom Lake Trail-head at the Alberta, British Columbia border
Boom Mountain at 2,757 m (9,048 ft) is on the far side of the lake, but too close to photograph without a wider lens. The scenery is tightly packed in close quarters around the lake.
Glacier on Mount Quadra at the far end of Boom Lake in Banff National Park
Spectacular mountain views surrounding frozen Boom Lake
Mount Quadra, with its snowbound glacier punctuated by turquoise ice, dominates the far end of Boom Lake.
The glacier on Mount Quadra at the end of Boom Lake
Getting closer to the glacier on Mount Quadra at the end of Boom Lake
This year-round hike, at the west border of Banff National Park and Alberta, is easy and well worth the time.