Maligne Lake

Back near the end of August my family and I visited Alberta, Canada for my sister's wedding. Previously we'd stopped in Banff but this time around we chose to go through Jasper, and make a few stops, to show the kids a new place on the way to the wedding. Our first stop was Maligne Lake which took our breath away. We timed it so well with gorgeous weather both when starting out and at the stopping point... and then true Alberta weather came and gave us hail on the way back before clearing up again so none of us got wet. I want to share the whole experience with all of you whether you're debating doing the same thing or are just looking for some epic views.

Good to Know

Pass

Maligne Lake is part of Jasper National Park and you will need to get an entrance pass to go through. You can pay as you enter through the park, we stopped while heading into Jasper, or book online ahead of time. In addition, if you want to go on the same boat cruise as us you will need to book ahead of time as can book up early.

Getting There

If coming from Jasper, Alberta it takes about an hour and a half and they recommend aiming to arrive an hour before your cruise time. Just a heads up there is a rebooking fee if you miss your time slot.

Facilities

Parking was free and busy but doable when we were there. We stopped at the vaulted toilet by the parking lot but quickly realized, once we neared the lake and saw the lakehouse, that there were much better facilities there. That said, we didn't take time to check it out but did see on the FAQs that there's both washrooms and three food/drink options to choose from.

The Tour

When we went they had a boat taking off every quarter hour so you couldn't line up too early and had to wait until your time slot was closer. The boat itself is mainly covered with a back open area you can check out after the safety talk is done. Most of the time we sat in benches next to big windows so we could see out while groups of us, after the safety talk was done, went out (max 6 at a time) for a better view outside.

Just be aware there are no bathrooms on the tour so be sure to go first especially with young kids... plus at the end of the tour there's an optional request for tips.

More Time

If we had more time, and maybe no kids with us, I would've loved to pack a picnic and check out one of the many trails around the lake or even go for a paddle.

More Information

As mentioned above you'll need both an entrance pass (Parks Canada Pass) to get into Jasper and, if using the boat tour, you'll need to buy a pass there too. In case you'll looking into this for yourself here are some more helpful links:

• Maligne Lake - Parks Canada
• Maligne Lake - Travel Alberta
• Maligne Lake, Spirit Island, and More - Banff Blog

The Cruise

Starting Out

The weather was great and we were on our way. We sat near the back but had no issues hearing the guide... and he explained why we may slow down ahead of time (passing near kayaks) while also counting down (anticipation) when crossing the other cruise boats' wakes.

Spirit Island

We thought the lake was gorgeous before but as we approached Spirit Island the vista opened up and it was simply sublime. As we approached the dock we were told that Spirit Island holds significance to the Stoney Nakoda First Nations and although we docked to see it and take photos we shouldn't walk out onto it (it's only sometimes an island and other times is connected to the mainland).

As we arrived the previous tour was leaving and we only got to explore for fifteen minutes before we needed to be back on the boat with the next boat arriving with yet another group. That said, according to the Banff Blog, the last cruise of the day (Premium Cruise and books up even faster) offers an additional fifteen minutes while docked. Plus then, further down, mentions a 60-minute stay with the Through the Lens photography focused cruise.

Heading Back

Until this point the weather was gorgeous but on the way back, as the guide was talking, the weather turned quickly and it started to hail. The guide recognized we were distracted and went silent so we could listen and enjoy the view.

This made me really appreciate our cruise timing and I loved the true Albertan experience of turning to my kid sitting with me and whispering see... if you don't like the weather wait 5 minutes.

Moose Sighting

If that wasn't exciting enough after the hail stopped we noticed a moose and her baby along the shoreline. Mindy, the guide told us her name, was eating the weeds along the bottom of the lake while her baby continued off on its own and finally laid down in some trees.

And Back

And then we were back and we hopped out of the boat not once getting wet. At this point we could've checked out the lakehouse... but there was a hotel we needed to check into so we got back into our car and were on our way.

The photos by Spirit Island were so gorgeous that I needed to share them with all of you. With Simply Customize It I love how simple it is to put a custom sleep screen image on my reMarkable... as such, I've created two photo packs that each work on the reMarkable 1, 2, Paper Pro, Paper Pro Move, and Paper Pure.

The landscape pack comes with six images all already turned sideways so you can easily upload them to your reMarkable, in whichever way works for you, without any additional work. It's available on Etsy or Gumroad.

The portrait pack comes with one additional image for seven in all. It's also available on Etsy or Gumroad.

I'm linking my current Gumroad or Etsy digital products in case you prefer browsing. And please... if you want me to make sleep screen packs from any other image I've shared previously on my blog or on social media please let me know... or if you'd like to see these images used in a different way, let me know and I'll see what's possible.

Either way I hope these photos found you well and you're having a great day!