Top 10 Lakes in Canada

List of Top 10 Lakes in Canada: A lake is a large body of water that is surrounded by land. It is not connected to the ocean and are larger, and deeper than ponds. The water in the lake is still or standing and is fed by rivers, springs, or precipitation. There are two types of lakes: natural lakes and artificial lakes. Natural lakes are formed by the melting of glaciers or rivers. Artificial lakes, like ponds or reservoirs, are made by humans for hydroelectric power generation, agriculture use, or domestic water supply.

The top 10 lakes in Canada are Lake Superior, Great Bear Lake, Lake Ontario, Moraine Lake, Lake Minnewanka, Lake Louise, Great Slave Lake, Lake Manitoba, Peyto Lake, and Emerald Lake. Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area (82,103 km²) and the third-largest by volume (12,100 km³). It holds 10% of the world’s freshwater.

In this article, we will look into the List of the Top 10 lakes in Canada. We will also discuss the location, surface area, and characteristics of these lakes.

Lakes in Canada

Lakes can be found on every continent and in every kind of environment. They vary greatly in size and can form in basins, craters, or holes in the ground that look like bowls.  The majority of the lakes are freshwater lakes and most of them are present in the Northern Hemisphere at higher latitudes. 11 major lake types that are divided into 76 subtypes. Canada is known as the “Land of Lakes” because it has more lakes than any other country in the world. Canada has over 2 million lakes, which is more than 62% of the world’s lakes.

List of Top 10 Lakes in Canada

The following table lists the top 10 lakes in Canada:

Lakes	Surface Area
Lake Superior	82,103 km²
Great Bear Lake	31,153 km2
Lake Ontario	18,960 km²
Moraine Lake	50 ha
Lake Minnewanka	22 km²
Lake Louise	0.8 km2
Great Slave Lake	27,200 km²
Lake Manitoba	4,624 km²
Peyto Lake	140 ha
Emerald Lake	91 ha

Most Famous Lake in Canada – Lake Superior

Lake Superior is the largest freshwater in the world by surface area. It holds 10% of the world’s fresh water and covers over 31,700 square miles. The lake is third largest in volume, behind Lake Baikal in Siberia and Lake Tanganyika in East Africa. It’s located near the northernmost and westernmost of the Great Lakes in North America. It is located in the northern most part of North America but it rarely freezes completely.

• It has a maximum length of 560 km and maximum breadth of 257 km. Its average depth is 483 ft with a maximum depth of 1,333 ft.(making it the deepest of the Great Lakes) and contains 12,100 km³ of water.
• The lake is known for its rugged coastline, cliffs, and rocky shores, formed by a combination of tectonic activity and glacial processes during the last Ice Age.
• The Chippewa people named Lake Superior “Gitche Gumee” or “Ojibwe Gichigami”, “The Ojibwe’s Great Sea”.
• Lake Superior is dotted with numerous islands, including Isle Royale, the largest island in the lake. Isle Royale is a national park known for its wilderness and wildlife.
• It is said that the lake contains enough water to cover the entire land mass of North and South America to a depth of 30 cm.
• The lake is connected to Lake Huron at its southeastern end via the Sault Ste. 
• The lake impacts weather, supports commerce, provides sporting and tourism activities.

Second Famous Lake in Canada – Great Bear Lake

Great Bear Lake is a large glacial lake in the Northwest Territories in Canada. It is situated in the boreal forests in Canada. It’s the largest lake entirely within Canada’s borders, the fourth largest in North America, and the eighth largest in the world. The lake has a surface area of 31,153 km² and a volume of 2,234 km³. Its maximum depth is 446 m and average depth 71.7 m. The shoreline is 2,719 km.

• The lake is situated in the Arctic Circle region, about 500 kilometers south of the Arctic Ocean. It is part of the Taiga Cordillera ecozone.
• The lake is situated between the Kazan Uplands portion of the Canadian Shield and the Interior Plains. 
• Great Bear Lake is dotted with numerous islands, the largest of which is Keith Island.
• Great Bear Lake is larger than Belgium and deeper than Lake Superior. 
• It’s covered in ice and snow for most of the year. 
• The lake’s northerly latitude, large volume, and heat budget give it many characteristics of a polar lake. 
• The only way to get to and from the lake is by charter plane.

Third Famous Lake in Canada – Lake Ontario

Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes in North America. It’s the smallest of the Great Lakes by surface area and the most easterly. The lake is 18,960 square kilometers (10,000 square kilometers in Canada) in surface area. It’s 311 kilometers long and 85 kilometers wide, with a mean depth of 86 meters and a maximum depth of 244 meters.

• Lake Ontario is bordered by the Canadian province of Ontario to the north, west, and southwest, and the U.S. state of New York to the south and east. 
• The Canada–United States border runs through the middle of the lake.
• It is the 13^th largest lake in the world.
• Four major cities are located on Lake Ontario: Toronto, Rochester, Hamilton, and Mississauga. 
• The lake has eight main fish species, including walleye, chinook salmon, and lake trout.
• Lake Ontario is connected to Lake Erie by the Niagara River and Niagara Falls. The water then flows from Lake Ontario into the Saint Lawrence River, finally drain into the Atlantic Ocean.

Fourth Famous Lake in Canada – Moraine Lake

Moraine Lake has a surface area of 50 hectares. It’s located in the Valley of the Ten Peaks, about 14 kilometers outside of Lake Louise. It is a glacially fed lake in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. The lake is known for its turquoise waters which is result of the presence of rock flour in the glacial meltwater feeding the lake.

• Moraine Lake has a surface elevation of 1,884 meters.
• The lake is surrounded by ten main peaks, including Mount Fay, Mount Babel, and Wenkchemna Peak.
• Moraine Lake is home to five main fish species, including rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout.
• The Rockpile Trail, also known as the Moraine Lake Viewpoint Trail, is a short hike to a series of elevated viewpoints.
• Moraine Lake is located within Banff National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Fifth Famous Lake in Canada – Lake Minnewanka

Lake Minnewanka is a glacial lake located in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. Lake Minnewanka means “Water of the Spirits” in Nakoda( Stoney language). The lake is 21 km long and 142 m deep and is the largest lake in Banff National Park. It is the 2^nd longest lake in the Canadian Rockies.

• The lake is fed by the Cascade River, flowing east of Cascade Mountain.
• The lake was formed by glacial processes during the last Ice Age.
• The lake was historically used for hydroelectric power generation.
• It offers various activities including finishing, boating, and swimming and the stunning mountain scenery.

Sixth Famous Lake in Canada – Lake Louise

Lake Louise is a glacial lake located in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta. It is named after the Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria. The lake is surrounded by snow-capped mountains, including Mount Temple, Mount Whyte, and Mount Niblock. It is present at an elevation of 1600 m.

• It is also known as Lake of Little Fishes.
• It is situated in the Valley of the Ten Peaks.
• Lake Louise is freezing cold all year round.
• Lake is located 11 km east of the border with British Columbia and 5 km west of the hamlet of Lake Louise and the Trans-Canada Highway.
• The color of the water is turquoise is a result of the sunlight reflecting off the fine particles from rock flour carried into the lake by melt-water from the glaciers that overlook the lake.
• The lake drains into river Bow.
• On the eastern shore of the lake Fairmont’s Chateau Lake Louise, one in Canada’s grand railway hotels, is located.

Seventh Famous Lake in Canada – Great Slave Lake

Great Slave Lake is the second-largest lake in Canada. It is the deepest lake in North America and tenth-largest lake in the world by area. It is situated in the Northwest Territories in Canada. Great Slave Lake is 469 kilometers long and 20 to 203 kilometers wide. It has a surface elevation of 156 meters and eight inflow sources, including the Slave River, Hay River, and Yellowknife River.

• The lake is named after the Slave Indians and is located near the Alberta border.
• Great Slave Lake was formed by glacial activity during the last Ice Age.
• The chief tributaries are Hay, Slave, Lockhart, and Taltson Rivers. It is drained by the Mackenzie River. 
• The shoreline of the lake is very irregular.
• The lake consists of numerous islands, the largest of which is the Deline island situated on the eastern shore of the lake

Eighth Famous Lake in Canada – Lake Manitoba

Lake Manitoba is the 14th largest lake in Canada and the 33rd largest lake in the world. It is a large and shallow lake located in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It has a surface area of 4,624 square kilometers.

• The lake is 200 kilometers long and relatively shallow, with a maximum depth of about 23 feet. It has a number of bays and is connected to Lake Winnipeg.
• The lake is fed by Lake Winnipegosis and drains into Lake Winnipeg through the Fairford River to Lake St. Martin and then to the Dauphin River.
• The lake is irregular in shape and is smallest of the three large group of lakes, Lake Winnipeg (the largest) and Lake Winnipegosis.
• The cities of St. Laurent and Steep Rock are located on the lake.
• Lake Manitoba is home to five main fish species, including sauger, common carp, and walleye.

Ninth Famous Lake in Canada – Peyto Lake

Peyto Lake is named after Bill Peyto, a trapper and early trail guide in the area. It is a glacier-fed lake located in Banff National Park, in the Canadian Rockies. The lake is 2.8 kilometers long and is fed by Peyto Creek.

• Mistaya river originate form the Peyto lake.
• Peyto Lake is known for its turquoise blue waters. Particles of glacial rock flour enter the lake in meltwater running off nearby glaciers, and refracted light creates the vivid blue color.
• The lake is situated in a valley of the Waputik Range, between Caldron Peak, Peyto Peak and Mount Jimmy Simpson, at an elevation of 1,860 m.
• Peyto Lake is located on the Icefields Parkway, around 40 km (25 mi) north of Lake Louise.
• The lake can be best viewed from Bow Summit, the highest point on the Icefields Parkway.

Tenth Famous Lake in Canada – Emerald Lake

Emerald Lake is a freshwater lake situated in Yoho National Park, British Columbia, Canada. It’s the largest lake in the park and one of the most stunning lakes in British Columbia. The lake covers an area of about 13 acres (5 hectares) and reaches a maximum depth of approximately 44 meters (144 feet).

• The lake was discovered by Thomas “Tom” Wilson, a Canadian.
• The glacial slit causes lake’s greenish-blue color. The color is most intense in early summer when there is a high amount of glacial silt flowing from the surrounding mountains.
• Emerald Lake is enclosed by mountains of the President Range.
• Emerald Lake is close to Lake Louise, Banff, and Canmore in Alberta and Golden, BC.

Summary – Top 10 Lakes in Canada

Canada is renowned for its abundance of lakes, earning it the title “Land of Lakes.” With over 2 million lakes, accounting for more than 62% of the world’s total, the country boasts an impressive array of freshwater bodies. Among them, the top 10 lakes in Canada include Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake globally, Great Bear Lake, Lake Ontario, Moraine Lake, Lake Minnewanka, Lake Louise, Great Slave Lake, Lake Manitoba, Peyto Lake, and Emerald Lake. Each of these lakes holds unique characteristics, from vast surface areas to stunning turquoise waters. Canada’s lakes contribute to its breathtaking natural landscapes, attracting tourists and offering diverse recreational opportunities.

FAQs on Top 10 Lakes in Canada

1. Which is the biggest lake in Canada?

Lake Superior is the largest lake in Canada with surface area of 82,362 square kilometers. It is the largest freshwater lake in the world and the third-largest by volume. It holds 10% of the world’s freshwater.

2. Why is Canada known for lakes?

Canada has more has 62% of the world’s lakes. With 563 lakes larger than 100 square kilometers, it has more lake area than any other country in the world. Some of the lake’s water appear blue in color against lush forests and rugged mountains that create a striking landscape.

3. What is Canada’s deepest lake?

Great Slave lake is the Canada’s deepest lake at 2,015 feet. It’s also the deepest lake in North America and is located in the Northwest Territories, near the Alberta border. 

4. How many Great Lakes are in Canada?

There are five great lake in Canada and and the United States. Ontario, Erie, Huron, and Superior, these four lakes are located on the Canada-US border. The fifth lake, Michigan, is entirely in the United States. 

5. Why are lakes in Canada blue?

Some of the lakes in the Canada are blue as the glacial meltwater carries sediments and creates a suspension in the water. Due to the refraction and scattering of light the water appears blue.