Lake Minnewanka (water of the spirits of Nakoda) is a stunning glacial lake in the eastern area of Banff National Park in Canada. It is the second-longest lake in the mountain parks of the Canadian Rockies, about 21 km long and 142 m deep, and is one of the places to visit in Alberta.

The lake can be very busy during the summer time, a lot of tourists are seen hiking, canoeing, or even setting up a picnic. This summer, my friends and I packed our bags, rented a car in Edmonton, and set out on a road trip to Banff National Park. We have compiled a complete breakdown of our trip in this blog post.

The History of Lake Minnewanka

Lake Minnewanka has so much history; for many centuries, people have camped and hunted along its shores. The name Minn-waki (Lake of the Spirits) was originally given by the Indigenous Stoney Nakoda First Nations people because of their respect and fear for the resident spirits.

Historically, the Lake served as a summer escape for Calgarians who came to stay at Minnewanka landing. The development of the town dates back to 1886 when the wood log hotel named the Beach House was built, which encouraged the development of a resort town, which further expanded to four avenues, hotels, a lot of cottages, restaurants, and the potential for tourism.

In the 20th century, there was so much demand for power, and due to this demand, a dam was built in 1912 by the Calgary Power Co., which flooded most parts of the resort town, but this did not put out the resort, as it lasted until 1941. As the power demand surged and was also influenced by WWII, a new dam was built, which raised the level of the lake by 96 feet and flooded the resort entirely, and forever altered the landscape around the lake.

The glacial nature of the water has since then preserved much of the resort town and has made the location an ideal tourist zone. Lake Minnewanka attracts more than 8,000 divers annually who come to tour the submerged resort.

Visiting Lake Minnewanka with Friends

There is no better time to visit Lake Minnewanka. Some people prefer to go in the summer, and some prefer the winter; however, based on experience, to enjoy the lake to the fullest, it’s best to visit during the summer months from June to October.

It is easier to get to Lake Minnewanka if you live or lodge around Calgary. In our case, we started our trip from Edmonton. After we had settled on the date and time that worked best, we mapped out going to Calgary from Edmonton, lodging there, and visiting the lake the next day.

A day before the agreed day of the trip, we searched for some of the best neighbourhoods in Calgary and secured an accommodation using the Airbnb app. We also rented a car from Enterprise Car Rental, one of the best car rental companies in the city.

The drive from Edmonton to Banff takes around 4.5–5 hours, depending on traffic and stops. We made a quick stop in Red Deer before heading to Calgary for the night.

If you’re traveling with a group of friends, splitting the drive like this makes the trip less tiring and gives you more time to enjoy each city and also bond together.

We reached our accommodation later in Calgary, rested, and spent more time together. The next morning, we will be on our way to the lake.

Getting to Lake Minnewanka by Car

Going to the lake together was fun; my friends and I are all Nigerians, and we had a playlist of some of our favorite artists and some local jams. We also spent time discussing and just enjoying the ride. Altogether, we spent about 1.5 hours travelling from Calgary to Banff.

Leaving Calgary, you would only need to get off on the exit “Banff/Lake Minnewanka Loop.” This is right off Highway 1 after you pass the park gates. The turn will be on your right-hand side if coming from Canmore.

As you keep going, you will see the traffic sign for Cascade Pond/Two Jack Lake. Once you get onto the Lake Minnewanka Scenic Route Drive, keep driving until you reach Lake Minnewanka. Keep in mind that you will have to pass a turn-off for Johnson Lake on the way, as well as Two Jack Lake Campground and Two Jack Lake.

Getting to Lake Minnewanka by Bus

During the summer time, Roam Transit operates 7 days a week and runs a bus service that departs at 8 AM each morning to the lake. You can catch a bus approximately every 30 minutes if you take Route 6, which leaves downtown Banff and arrives at the lake in about 25 minutes.

The cost is approximately $2 for adults, while seniors and youths are allowed to pay about $1. If you have a pet or a stroller, you can also bring it on board; the bus has features for people with disabilities or those using wheelchairs.

Fun things to do in Banff

When we got to Banff, we didn’t go to the lake immediately; we spent time checking out the streets of Banff. From Banff to the lake is just about 10 minutes, so we had the time to do other things. We toured the resort towns, shops, and cottages, and had lunch at one of the top restaurants in Banff.

There are many fun things to do in Banff with your friends, such as having a picnic together with the stunning mountain backdrops, hiking, learning about the history, checking out the cycling routes, or just walking around the town and enjoying the view.

If you are coming during the summer time, it is recommended to bring comfortable shoes, snacks, a bottle of water and of course a camera. If you are driving, take notice of the parking as it can fill up quickly.

Is Lake Minnewanka Free to Visit?

You will need to purchase a National Park Pass at any park gate, which is mostly at the entrance to Banff National Park. You can opt to buy it online to save you a bit of time.

The pass rates vary: Adults can pay up to $11.00; Seniors can pay up to $9.50; Youths (up to 17) can go in free; if you have a family or a group of friends up to 7 persons, you all can pay about $22.00.

Boating on Lake Minnewanka

If you are looking to experience canoeing, this is a great place to start. You don’t have to rent a boat or canoe/kayak, and you have a wide range of boating options to choose from.

Crusing on Lake Minnewanka

Cruising on Lake Minnewanka gives you a better view of the mountains and the still waters. Other fun things to do here include fishing, sipping beer on the Beer Voyage Cruise, hiking, and camping.

Some of the hikes around Lake Minnewanka include the Stewart Canyon Trail, the Lake Minnewanka Trail, the C Level Cirque, and the Alymer Lookout Trail.

It’s a wrap

Our trip to Lake Minnewanka comes to an end. We had fun exploring one of the historical lakes in Alberta.