Herbert Lake, AB | Travel Tuesdays

It's the first picnic spot on the Icefields Parkway going north from Lake Louise. It seems like a quaint little mountain lake. And, it is. If you stop there, make sure you have your bathing suit because it is the only lake in the area that is not glacier fed. The water is crystal clear though and you can see quite a ways down...which is fairly typical for this area of the mountains. The real treasure is tucked away in the furthest corner from the picnic spot. There is a diving board jammed into the rocks. Legend has it that it is the old diving board from the outdoor pool at Lake Louise. You know the one--the one that is no longer in use? When they were forced to drain it and shut it down around 20 years ago(that's the number I heard, but I haven't verified) due to the chlorinated water being so close to the glacial lake, the diving board was given to the staff who brought it out here and installed it. It is the favourite spot of locals from Lake Louise to spend a warm summer afternoon. We saw it while swimming off the picnic spot and hopped in our canoe to check it out. The last two shots show us getting back in our canoe and a local diving for us ;)

You don't need a canoe to get to this spot(although canoeing feels super duper Canadian to me). You can just walk to it. Go counterclockwise around the lake.

Thought I'd share this hidden gem in the Canadian rockies. Awesome little spot it is ;)

~ Dana