There are magical places where natural beauty is unlike anywhere else you have seen. Lake Louise in Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada is one of those places. Visiting in mid-October gave us a chance to hike the lakeshore with only 100 hundred people instead of the thousands who visit in here in the summer.
The snow covered peaks surrounded by grey skies made the lake colorless at the beginning near the Chateau Hotel. It was beautiful, but not the turquoise waters you see after the glacial melt in the summer. We started around the lake and had two choices of hiking: one was a relatively flat partially paved path lightly covered with snow and packed ice or up the higher trail with crampons and walking sticks.
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. Isaiah 40:28 NIV
We stayed near the lake and as we moved farther on the path, the crowds cleared and we were greeted by that hidden turquoise color in the deeper lake. The wind calmed and the water became smooth and reflected the surrounding mountains with sheer stunning beauty.
Our 2.2 km hike ended with a frozen waterfall above us, and a few snowmen built on the lakes narrow end. A ray of sunlight on Lake Louise enhanced the view of the hotel in the distance. It was magnificent and everyone who visits is enchanted and encourages people to see Lake Louise for themselves.
What are some of the most beautiful places you have visited? What places exceeded your expectations?