Top 10 Lakes in Canada
What is a Canadian dream lake? This is an exploration of the Great Lakes, large and small, most of which are in the Great Lakes Region and part of the Northern Hemisphere. Since the 1950s there has been a real and growing interest in the best places to live, raise a family and settle down. As a result, one of the world’s most beautiful places to live is becoming a lot less remote and a lot more populated. To understand just how popular these Great Lakes are, this issue’s title was inspired by a National Geographic Article that describes Canada as “the Arctic of North America.” These lakes are all very beautiful. They’re also amazing!
Top 10 Lakes in Canada
Let’s start reviewing the 10 Lakes in Canada as below:
Lake Winnipegosis
Lakes Winnipegosis and Lake Manitoba cover 80% of Canada’s land mass. They are joined by the river system of the Nelson River, which is only 34 km (21 miles) long and is only in three sections; one in Manitoba, one in Northwest Territories, and one in Nunavut. If we counted the rivers, it would rank 2nd to Lake Superior, which is a huge water system that lies entirely within the United States. Lake Manitoba is more than 2,200 km (1,370 miles) in length and Lake Winnipegosis is 1,200 km (750 miles) long. They are huge lakes, just to put the size into perspective, you could get from one to the other in about 3 hours on a car and 15 hours on a plane.
Lake Winnipegosis covers a surface of 1,226 km2 (550 sq mi) and Lake Winnipegosis covers 1,256 km2 (570 sq mi) and has a surface area of 2,291 km2 (930 sq mi) and an average depth of 80 m (260 ft). Lake Manitoba, however, covers an area of 2,766 km2 (1,054 sq mi), making it the second-largest lake in Canada. Lake Winnipegosis and Lake Manitoba are almost entirely within Canada, but part of Lake Winnipegosis lies in British Columbia, Ontario, and North Dakota. Lake Winnipegosis has a maximum depth of 162 m (542 ft) and Lake Manitoba has a maximum depth of 127 m (412 ft). The two lakes are connected via the Nelson River and the Nelson and Churchill Rivers. If you want to understand how these lakes fit together you could do worse than read Grosvenor Aitken’s book, Rivers and Rivers.
Lake Huron
Lake Huron covers 3,169 km2 (1,334 sq mi) and it’s divided into two main parts, with the western half extending westwards for nearly 1,500 km (930 mi). It has a maximum depth of 480 m (1,562 ft) and an average depth of 76 m (251 ft). The western portion is attached to the western part of Lake Superior and it has a surface area of 3,347 km2 (1,256 sq mi) and an average depth of 71 m (236 ft). This lake has many islands and is the largest of the Great Lakes.
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the 3rd largest lake in North America and lies entirely within the borders of the United States. It’s the third-longest lake in North America and the largest on the eastern side. It has a maximum depth of 228 m (715 ft) and an average depth of 80 m (262 ft). Lake Erie is connected to Lake Ontario by the Niagara River and it has a surface area of 2,953 km2 (1,113 sq mi), a surface area of 1,451 km2 (514 sq mi), and an average depth of 84 m (276 ft) It is the second largest lake in Canada, behind Lake Winnipegosis.
It is the fifth-largest lake in North America, behind Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario. You could spend a long time reading about Lake Erie here. Lake Erie is linked to Lake Ontario by the Niagara River, the American River, the Welland River, the Canadian River, and the Ogdensburg River. If you are interested in finding out more about the Niagara River you could read about it here.
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is located in the Great Lakes basin and has a surface area of 4,464 km2 (1,819 sq mi). It is the largest of the Great Lakes and has an average depth of 77 m (251 ft). It’s linked to Lake Huron via the Straits of Mackinac. The Straits of Mackinac are a long series of channels between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. If you look at a map of the Great Lakes, you can see that Lake Michigan is the same distance east of the United States’ East Coast as it is south of the United States’ West Coast. It is also the second-largest lake in the United States, after Lake Erie.
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is the sixth largest lake in North America and the eighth largest lake in the world. It has a surface area of 7,437 km2 (2,633 sq mi) and a maximum depth of 260 m (850 ft). It’s connected to Lake Huron by the Welland Canal and it has a surface area of 3,770 km2 (1,473 sq mi) and an average depth of 75 m (246 ft). It is connected to Lake Michigan by the Niagara River and it has a surface area of 3,755 km2 (1,478 sq mi) and an average depth of 77 m (251 ft). This lake is also sometimes referred to as the Great Salt Lake of the North.
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the best lake for hiking lovers. It is the second-largest lake in North America (after Lake Huron), and the ninth-largest in the world. It’s the sixth-largest in North America and it has an average depth of 47 m (157 ft). It’s 3,212 km2 (1,218 sq mi) in surface area, but its average depth of 68 m (220 ft) makes it the fifth deepest lake in the United States. It’s connected to Lake Michigan by the St. Marys River, the Caspian Sea, and the St. Marys River (Ottawa River). It is connected to Lake Huron by the St. Clair River. If you want to read more about Lake Superior you can read about it here.
Maligne Lake, Alberta
The Maligne River flows south out of Jasper National Park into Maligne Lake and the Mistaya River, which in turn flows out into Lake Athabasca. The land is fairly arid in this region and agriculture is limited to small parcels of land that grow cereal crops such as barley, oats, and wheat. Many communities are centered around the Maligne and Mistaya rivers and the lakes are very popular for recreation.
The Narrows and Handyside Rapids are popular for rafting, canoeing, fishing and kayaking, and hiking. The lake is 1,655 km (930 miles) in length and is approximately 25 km (15 miles) wide. Maligne Lake was named after the indigenous people who were on the west side of the river and the people on the east side were known as the Malinchenes.
Moraine Lake, Alberta
The Moraine River is a tributary of the Athabasca River, which flows into the Bow River in Alberta. The river was named after the large boulders that it deposited along its course. The town of Drumheller is located on the banks of the river, named after the town of Drumheller in Scotland. Moraine Lake is 12 km (7.5 miles) wide and 44 km (27 miles) long.
Moraine Lake is almost completely in Canada, with only 12 km (7.5 miles) of land border with the United States. Moraine Lake is a pretty small lake, with a surface area of 160 km2 (61 sq mi). You can drive or walk up to its southern end, which is the border with the United States. The lake is connected to Lac Deschênes and Lac La Biche, which are both within Alberta. Lac Deschênes has a maximum depth of 43 m (141 ft) and Lac La Biche has a maximum depth of 43 m (141 ft). You can drive or walk down to Lac Deschênes from Moraine Lake but there is no road connecting it to the other lake.
Crowfoot Lake, Alberta
The Bow River is the most famous in Alberta, being so popular with canoeists, kayakers, fishermen, and rafters. The river originates in Jasper National Park and flows past the town of Canmore, crossing the Continental Divide through the Bow Valley. Once the river has passed through the town of Canmore, the valley widens. It becomes the Bow Valley at the foot of the Belly River and the valley continues to widen as it flows through the town of Calgary. The river continues through the city of Calgary and then is known as the Elbow River until it reaches the border with British Columbia and becomes the Fraser River.
Kananaskis Lake, Alberta
Kananaskis Lake is a large alkaline lake in the Canadian Rockies, approximately 250 km (155 miles) north of Calgary. It is the first lake in Alberta on the Trans-Canada Highway and is the third-largest in Alberta. The lake is 12 km (7.5 miles) in diameter and is approximately 250 km (155 miles) in length. It is fed by the Spray River, and the South Saskatchewan River, and is connected to Waterton Lakes National Park by the Spray River Gorge. At the northern end of the lake, there is a large camping area. The scenic valley along Kananaskis Lake is also a popular summer destination for campers. The North Kananaskis River is a tributary of Kananaskis Lake and joins it at the south end. Kananaskis Lake was named after the region in which it is located: Kananaskis Country.
Our Recommendation – Cold Lake, Alberta
Cold Lake is the second largest lake in Alberta and is much bigger than the third largest. It has a surface area of 243 km2 (94 sq mi). Cold Lake is about 45 km (28 miles) long and 25 km (15 miles) wide. It is located in the Northwest corner of Alberta, just under 100 km (62 miles) north of Calgary. Cold Lake gets its name from its very cold climate. The lake is fed by the Athabasca River. Cold Lake has a shoreline of 185 km (115 miles) and a maximum depth of 42 m (137 ft). As well as the National Science Centre, there are other notable lakes in the area, such as Fish Lake, Healy Lake, Sherwood Lake, and the Peavine River.
Conclusion
The Canadian Rockies are well known in the world for their beautiful scenery, extensive hiking trails, lakes, and wildlife. If you haven’t visited the Rockies yet, there’s no time like the present. Canadian lakes and rivers are some of the most beautiful lakes in the world. These are the 10 best lakes in Canada. We hope you liked the article. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to leave us a comment below.