We stumbled upon this beautiful lake in Canada thanks to a mix of pure luck and a quite fascinating amount of research on a lazy Sunday. This ice bubble lake in Alberta, called Abraham Lake, is not something that’s ranking high when you’re searching for things to do in the area. It only has 17 reviews at this moment on TripAdvisor!
Since we love to explore hidden gems, we decided to give it a shot. And let me tell you, even if it was quite a long drive (well, not for being in Canada I guess) and freezing cold, I don’t regret going for a minute – this ice bubble lake in Alberta is one of the coolest things I’ve seen and it’s definitely worth a visit!
What to see at the ice bubble lake in Alberta
There are so many things here to explore. Of course, there are the ice bubbles, the main attraction at Abraham Lake. However, there’s also so much more to see here! My first reaction was wow – the ice has frozen in such a cool way. It looked like it was frozen in waves! We went sliding down the ice a couple of times – the hard part was getting up again. Have you ever tried walking up a hill completely made of ice? It’s not easy! Other than that, just take a moment to look around you and enjoy the beautiful scenery. The lake is completely surrounded by mountains – it’s stunning.
Facts about Abraham Lake in Alberta
This ice bubble lake in Alberta is a man-made lake. It’s also one of the biggest lakes in the area. I really want to emphasize the importance of being careful when visiting the lake. For us, at the end of January, there was no problem and we could see how thick the ice was. If you’re unsure, don’t take any risks. The ice can be unstable at places, especially where the water flows in and out of the lake.
Why are there ice bubbles in Abraham Lake?
So, why are there frozen bubbles in the ice? This is not my area of expertise but, after having done some research, I can say that it has to do with methane gas being released from the plants at the lake’s bottom. As the lake freezes, the bubbles get stuck under the surface – pretty cool, right?
When you can see this phenomenon at Abraham Lake
You have to plan your visit to the lake pretty carefully. The best time to view the ice bubbles should be from the middle of December until the end of January. If you go earlier, the lake might not be completely frozen yet – which can result in a lack of ice bubbles, and also be dangerous. If you go later, the lake might start to melt instead, which brings the same consequences.
Try to avoid going to Abraham Lake after a heavy snowfall. You don’t want the snow to cover all of your ice bubbles! However, if you don’t have any other option, it might still be worth going since Abraham Lake is known to be a very windy place – the snow might just blow away.
How to get to Abraham Lake
You’ll need a car to get here and there’s only one road going to the lake, so as you see, you don’t have many options. You literally have two:
– Going on the Trans-Canada Highway, past Lake Louise, and the continuing on Highway 93. At Saskatchewan River Crossing, turn right and continue on Highway 11 for about 30 minutes and you’ll be at the beginning of the lake.
– The other option is coming from the opposite way. If you’re coming from Red Deer or from the north, you just have to go on Highway 11 and follow it to the lake.
The best spot for seeing ice bubbles at Abraham Lake
We drove along the lake back and forth, but agreed we found the best spot right away – Preacher’s Point. We could directly tell that the ice was thick. I also felt relieved when I could see the bottom below the ice bubbles – if our judgment would have been wrong at this point of the lake, it would just have been a really, really cold lesson. Not a life-threatening one.
Remember to be careful when exploring the ice bubbles at Abraham Lake!
If you’re coming from Banff, as we did, Preacher’s Point is right at the beginning of the lake.
What to bring to the ice bubble lake
Keep in mind that Abraham Lake is located pretty much in the middle of nowhere. There’s no store and nowhere to refuel your car. You could be out of phone signal and there could be as good as no people around. Be prepared. Bring warm clothes and extra food. Make sure you have at least close to a full tank and tell people where you are going. Always have a plan B – what will you do if your car stops working?
For the ice itself, a good brush can come in handy. Don’t let any snow on the ice stop you from your amazing experience at the ice bubble lake!
Is Abraham Lake a hidden gem in Canada?
Well, it’s not completely unknown, but neither our landlords nor co-workers who live here in Alberta had heard of the lake before! When Fredrik and I visited the ice bubble lake in January, which is one of the best times to visit the lake, there was only one other couple there. We pretty much had the whole lake to ourselves! I’m guessing the lake is not as much of a hidden gem now as it was before the time of social media, but I honestly have no problem sharing this amazing spot with a few others. It’s still such a difference compared to visiting Lake Louise and the other tourist attractions in the area! They’re all lovely spots, but sometimes you just want to go somewhere not as busy.
What also makes Abraham Lake in Alberta quite special, is the location. In that way, you could probably say it’s quite hidden. The only reason you would pass by here by coincidence, would be if you’re going to either Jasper or Banff from the Red Deer-area. Otherwise, the road that goes past the lake is one you usually wouldn’t drive on as a visitor.
What else you should know before you visit the ice bubble lake
There are also other lakes around said to have the same phenomenon, but we decided to go for Abraham Lake. It’s supposed to be the best one since it’s quite windy, so the snow will blow off the ice!
The roads can be quite bad during winter, so remember to have winter tires on your car – or if you’re renting a car just like we did, be sure you ask to rent one with winter tires on! Not only for your safety, but it’s also required by law.
Have fun on the lake, but remember – never walk out on the ice if you’re not 100% sure that it’s safe. If you don’t feel comfortable going out on the ice on your own, you could book a tour and have an experienced guide with you. We visited the lake by ourselves, but I found that Pursuit Adventures seems to be offering a tour to the lake if you would prefer exploring it with a guide.
Do you have more time to spend in this wonderful province? Check out this list of incredible things to do in Alberta.
Do you also love this magical ice bubble lake? Save the pin!
That’s so cool! I didn’t even know ice bubbles were a thing. Adding this to my forever-growing Canada list!
Right, I didn’t either! But I’m so happy I went, it was such a great experience!
I have never heard of this spot, but it looks so cool!! I haven’t been to many frozen waters, but those bubbles add so much character to the lake.
It was truly amazing! I haven’t really been to frozen lakes either, so this was a great first experience!
This looks stunning! I’m starting to gather ideas for a trip to Canada sometime, will definitely bear this spot in mind.
Oh yes, you definitely should! Just be careful and go at the right time!
Oh, wow, that looks so beautiful! I’d love to see it 🙂
Yesh it was amazing, I’m so glad I went! 🙂
This is definitely on my list! It looks so cool, and I have actually never really been on a frozen lake. Thank you for the suggestions for what to take and the best spot to see the bubbles!
I’m glad, it’s definitely worth a visit! It was such a wonderful experience – the bubbles are so cool!
I had never heard of this place before and I just did a roadtrip through the Rockies and Alberta earlier this year. Now I’ll definitely have to go back. It looks amazing
Oh yes you have to, such a cool place! Always good to have reasons to go back!
This is soooo cool!! I’d never heard about it before so thanks for sharing! Added to my Alberta bucket list!
It’s amazing! We’re so glad we found it, such a cool place!
Wow, another spot to add to my travel list! Looks amazing. Thanks for sharing
It’s such a cool place, so glad we found it!
This is so cool!!! Isn’t nature so amazing? This is so unique! I just put this on my list if I’m ever in Alberta in the winter!
It truly is! Great idea, it was such an amazing experience!
That looks very cool! I’m not a big fan of winter/cold weather activities, but this looks like it would be worth doing! I had never heard of this lake before, thanks for sharing!
Haha same here, but this was definitely worth getting a bit cold for!
This is amazing Amanda! One of my bucket list thongs for sure. Walking on frozen lakes still freaks me out after 5 years in Canada but I’d love to do this. Was it slippery?
Thanks Rachael! I’m from Sweden and, to be honest, walking on frozen lakes freaks me out as well haha! I’ve barely ever done it back home but I just had to see this one, such a cool place. No, it wasn’t that slippery!
This is fascinating! What an amazing find! It look stunning!
Hannah | https://getlost.blog/
It was amazing! It’s definitely worth the drive!
That looks so neat! Would love to visit!!
It’s such a cool place, so glad we found it!