Moraine Lake

You’ll find this iconic site in the Valley of the Ten Peaks, accessible from hiking trails. As seen on the Canadian $20 bill, this is one of the most-photographed spots in all of Canada!

The best time to see it in its full display is in the summer months—middle to late June, when glacial silt is at its peak, and the colours reflect most brilliantly.

Lake Louise

Emerald waters reflect off Lake Louise, one of Alberta’s prettiest sights, named after Queen Victoria’s fourth daughter.

Mercifully, there’s nothing else on the pristine lake other than the grand hotel, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, built at the turn of the 20thC in the early days of the tourism boom, making for dramatic photos (or simply a scenic spot for afternoon tea).

Vermilion Lakes

Deep in the Bow River Valley, catch the glassy reflection of the waters and marvel at the crest of Mount Rundle looming over the horizon.

You might capture the fleeting moments of early sunrise, candy-coloured sunsets or even the promise of the Northern Lights in the winter months.

Castle Mountain

Located within Banff National Park, these peaks resemble a majestic castle and owe their appearance to the erosion of different striations of rock layers.

It was once named Mount Eisenhower from 1946-1979 until officials heeded to public pressure. Nearby is an ex-silver mining settlement, as well as a former internment camp where Ukrainian immigrants were held during the First World War as ‘enemy aliens.

Lake Minnewanka

The surface of Minnewanka is indeed beautiful, but it’s under the water where you’ll find some sunken treasures: an old resort village dating from 1888 was submerged with the damming of the lake, a favourite with scuba divers. There’s also an opportunity to capture characteristic Rocky Mountain wildlife on your camera if you look hard enough for elk, deer, mountain sheep, and even bears.

Banff Avenue

The sheer drama of the mountains rising improbably above the cozy town makes a perfect frame for any photo, with eager bystanders often standing in the median for the ultimate ‘I’m in downtown Banff!’ shot. Stroll the historic buildings and the cute main street on Banff Avenue, with all manner of coffee shops, restaurants, bars and shops to explore.

Highway 93

Anywhere along this highway (from Radium to the entrance of Kootenay National Park) holds some of the most sweeping views, but some of the best are by the steep sandstone cliffs around the Radium Hot Springs—they really pop in photos.  As you drop out of the canyon walls and into the broad glacial valley of Kootenay National Park, watch for a viewpoint to your right that is among the most dynamic selfie spots in the Rockies!

The Foothills Highway

Highway 22 from Cochrane south through Black Diamond, also known as the Foothills Highway, is another huge photo destination. With majestic Rockies peaks to your right and rolling ranchland to your left, anywhere along this highway is worthy of a photo op.

Outside of Banff:

Drumheller

Deep in the badlands of Alberta, within the Red Deer River Valley lie some seriously sculpted rocks. Mushroom-shaped hoodoos, canyons, and rock walls will make your photos stand out from the rest. Head to the nearby Royal Tyrrell Museum for its massive collection of over 130,000 dinosaur fossils.

Waterton Lakes National Park

Simply stunning year-round, the wide-open skies of Waterton Lakes combine with soaring mountains and seemingly endless stands of pine trees—along with prairie grasslands. You’ll find the deepest lake in the Rockies here, along with a bison herd. Waterton is also one of Alberta’s windiest places, with winds whipping up to 100 kilometres (62 miles) an hour—it’s also one of the warmest places in the winter, thanks to the mild chinook winds.