If you ever find yourself cruising through western Alberta, you’re going to want to check out a lake that was just named one of the prettiest places in Canada.
Travel publication Lonely Planet rounded up the 15 prettiest places in Canada, and Abraham Lake, nestled in western Alberta, made the cut thanks to the ice bubbles that form in the lake each winter.
The ice bubbles that bloom under the hardened surface of the lake west of Nordegg are the result of pockets of methane gas getting trapped in the ice, creating a staggering vision of bubbles scattered across the surface.
Laine Mitchell/Daily Hive
Abraham Lake (Shutterstock)
The artificial lake is Alberta’s largest reservoir and is more than 30 kilometres long.
The lake is sure dazzling in the winter months, but it’s just as gorgeous in the summer months, too.
Laine Mitchell/Daily Hive
The lake is no stranger to the spotlight. It has been named one of the most beautiful places to visit in Canada in the past, the accolades just keep coming!
How to get there
Those driving from Edmonton will need to head south towards Red Deer before hopping onto Highway 11 and heading west for a 3.5-hour drive.
Edmonton to Abraham Lake (Google Maps)
If you are heading out from Calgary, Google Maps suggests zipping through Canmore, Banff, and much of the Rockies via the Trans Canada Highway and Highway 93 before hanging a right at Saskatchewan River Crossing. Follow the David Thompson Highway until Abraham Lake is to your right.
Calgary to Abraham Lake (Google Maps)
The full list of Lonely Planet’s prettiest places in Canada can be found online.