How to See the Ice Bubbles at Abraham Lake, Alberta
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The frozen bubbles on Abraham Lake are on every winter adventurers bucket list! If you’ve ever seen photos of the crazy looking ice bubbles, you’ll know that they can make for a pretty cool photo so naturally, I wanted to get my own photo with the bubbles.
After years of wanting to go see them, I finally got my chance and they were everything I’d hoped for and more. However, I was surprised at how much of a mission it was to find them. I thought we would just arrive at the lake and there they would be.
To see the ice bubbles at Abraham Lake, lots of planning has to go into it otherwise you could very easily drive all that way and not see a thing.
I’ve put this guide together to help you plan your trip to see the ice bubbles this winter and have included the best time to see them, how and where to find them, ice safety, photography tips and also the best ice bubbles tour.
Abraham Lake Ice Bubbles at a Glance
Quick Tips for visiting the Ice Bubbles
Location: Clearwater County Alberta
Best time to visit: It’s hard to know when the best time for the ice bubbles will be as it depends on the weather. Usually the peak viewing time for the bubbles is mid January to early February.
Cost: Free unless you take a tour
Time needed: 1 day (travel time from Jasper / Banff + time to find the bubbles)
Equipment required: Micro spikes, warm clothing, ice climbing screw to measure thickness.
Best Ice Bubbles Tour: This one!
Everything You Need to Know About the Ice Bubbles at Abraham Lake
Why does Abraham Lake have Ice Bubbles?
Each year, methane gas is released by decomposing plants and organic matter sitting on the bottom of the lake. This gas floats toward the surface and gets trapped layer by layer as the water freezes over winter.
Not all lakes have methane gas bubbles so Abraham Lake is pretty special!
Best time to see the Ice Bubbles at Abraham Lake
Timing the ice bubbles at Abraham Lake is actually very hard, especially if you want to visit specifically to see the bubbles which is what I did.
The bubbles form when there are deep, stable freezing temperatures, causing the bubbles to be frozen in the ice quickly.
On the other hand, if temperatures increase to above freezing, the first layer of ice could melt, causing the bubbles to appear cloudy and hard to see. This is what happened when I visited the bubbles. It had been a weird winter. Absolutely freezing, then pretty warm and then freezing again so the bubbles got a little messed up. We could still see them but they definitely weren’t as epic as the photos I had seen.
Weather patterns can change from year to year, but usually the best time to see the bubbles is from mid-January to early February.
The best way to time the ice bubbles at Abraham Lake is to monitor the conditions:
Temperature: Look for a sustained cold snap of at least 10 to 14 days with temperatures consistently below -15°C to ensure stable ice thickness (minimum 10 cm required for safe walking).
Wind: Strong winds are necessary to blow the snow off the surface and polish the black ice for clear bubble visibility. This is the hardest part of seeing the bubbles because snow is pretty frequent.
Snow: Later in the winter, there is more likely to be snow on the lake and also trapped and frozen between layers of ice, which can make it much harder to see the bubbles.
Ice Safety
If you pay attention to anything in this guide, let it be this. Just because you see loads of people posting pretty photos on frozen lakes in the Canadian Rockies doesn’t mean there isn’t a heck of a lot going on behind the scenes to keep them safe.
Adventuring during winter can be dangerous and it’s always best to be overprepared.
You should 100% have a pair of micro spikes with you to be able to walk on the ice without slipping. These ones are best for a frozen lake. The casual city spikes will not work very well on ice this slippery.
You should also be dressed well with waterproof pants a winter jacket, thermals, gloves, a beanie, neck warmer and hand warmers. The waterproof clothes will come in handy as you will most likely want to lie down on the ice to get photos with the bubbles. Ski gear works well for this if you already have it with you.
Each time you find a spot on the ice that you want to walk onto, you should be measuring the thickness of the ice in multiple spots to make sure it is safe to walk on.
The best way to do this is to use an ice climbing screw. The ice should be at least 10cm thick to be able to walk on or 13cm thick if you have a group of people.
I’m no expert on ice safety but this article by Nordegg Adventures has some great tips on how to stay safe on the ice and what to bring with you. There are also some areas of Abraham Lake that they recommend avoiding because they can be more dangerous than other areas.
Where to see the Ice Bubbles at Abraham Lake
Each year, the exact location of the frozen bubbles at Abraham Lake could change because they are formed naturally. Sometimes, you need to go searching in a few different spots around the lake to find them which ends up taking a lot of time because you need to do your ice safety check before venturing out onto the lake.
It took us a couple of hours and 3 different locations to find some good quality bubbles when I went.
This is one of the reasons why joining a tour is helpful for finding the bubbles.
The guides can also tell you whether or not it’s even going to be worth the trip out there because the bubbles are not there all winter long and the lake can sometimes be fully covered in snow.
When I visited Abraham Lake in February and was trying to find the bubbles, a lot of the ice was already starting to become candle ice underneath so even when I found bubbles, they were kind of hard to see.
In saying all this, there are a few places I recommend checking out and you’ll be able to find using the google maps below.
Ice Bubbles Viewpoint: This is the most obvious place to check and the most busiest. There is a designated parking lot and a toilet.
Cline Landing: Best for December, it’s usually less windy here than at other parts of the lake, so visiting this area is better early in the season before the snow covers all of the bubbles. This section of the lake also tends to freeze about 2 weeks earlier than the other parts of the lake.
Preachers Point: This is another popular place to see the ice bubbles on Abraham Lake. The ice here is more of a light blue or even clear in places so it’s perfect for seeing down further through the ice. There is a parking lot here.
The North Saskatchewan River flows into the lake near Preachers Point so you do need to be extra careful as there could be weak spots in the ice.
How to get to Abraham Lake
Abraham Lake is located along the David Thompson Highway (Hwy 11) in Clearwater County, Alberta. To get to there, I recommend either renting a car or joining a tour. If you’re driving, you’ll want to allow extra time in winter for changing road conditions.
From Calgary
Approximately 300 km / 3.5–4 hours.
Take Hwy 1 west towards Banff, then head north on Hwy 93 towards Saskatchewan River Crossing. From there, take Hwy 11 (David Thompson Highway) east towards Abraham Lake.
From Edmonton
Approximately 300 km / 3.5–4 hours.
Take Hwy 2 south towards Red Deer, then follow Hwy 11 west through Rocky Mountain House towards Abraham Lake.
From Banff – best option
Approximately 200 km / 2.5–3 hours.
Take Hwy 1 east towards Saskatchewan River Crossing, then turn onto Hwy 11 (David Thompson Highway) towards Abraham Lake.
If you are coming from Banff, there are lots of scenic stops you could make along the way such as Waterfowl Lakes, Peyto Lake and Bow Lake.
From Jasper
Approximately 230 km / 3 hours.
Take Hwy 93 south through the Icefields Parkway, then turn onto Hwy 11 (David Thompson Highway) at Saskatchewan River Crossing and continue east towards Abraham Lake.
Tip
There isn’t really one single “Abraham Lake” destination to put into your GPS. The lake stretches for quite a distance, so use the specific ice bubble location you’re planning to visit (such as Ice Bubbles Viewpoint, Cline Landing or Preachers Point) when navigating.
Can you walk on Abraham Lake ice?
Yes, it is possible to walk on the ice at Abraham Lake, and this is how you’re able to get out onto the lake to see the famous frozen bubbles up close. However, you should never assume the ice is safe just because you see other people walking on it.
Honestly, I was shocked at how many people were out walking on Abraham Lake without checking the ice thickness when we were there. It looked like they were all just followed the crowds which is extremely dangerous in this scenario! The more people on one section of ice, the weaker it can become.
The thickness and strength of the ice can vary considerably across Abraham Lake, and conditions can change throughout the winter.
Before stepping onto the lake, check the ice thickness yourself using an ice screw or auger, checking in multiple spots as you move further out. As a general guideline, 10 cm of clear, solid ice is considered the minimum for one person on foot, with thicker ice needed for groups. However, thickness alone doesn’t guarantee the ice is safe.
Avoid cracks, open water, slush, honeycombed (“candle”) ice, pressure ridges and cloudy or deteriorating ice. When I visited in February, some areas were already starting to turn into candle ice underneath (like seen in the photo above), making us extra cautious about where we walked.
If you aren’t experienced with assessing lake ice, consider joining a guided tour with someone who knows the area and current conditions.
And remember: no photo is worth risking your life for. If you’re unsure about the ice, stay on shore.
Abraham Lake Ice Bubbles Tours
Joining a tour takes all of the guess work, checking the conditions and stress out of the equation. A tour is perfect for you if you are feeling unsure about going there and walking on the ice by yourself or if you are short on time and want to see as much as you can in as little time as possible.
It’s also a great option if you don’t have your own micro spikes, as the tours include these.
I recommend this full day tour which takes you to not only Abraham Lake, but also 2 of my other favourite spots along the icefields parkway, Bow Lake and Peyto Lake. The tour also includes the Park Pass fees which would be an extra expense if you were driving to the lake yourself.
Where to stay near Abraham Lake
The closest place to stay to the bubbles is Nordegg, but you can also make the day trip out from Banff or Jasper.
Nordegg has some really beautiful accomodation like The Lodge at Coliseum Mountain Resort.
A trip out to Abraham Lake can also be done very easily from Banff or Canmore which is what I did. If you are planning a winter trip to Banff, I’d definitely consider adding on a day trip to Abraham Lake.
What to pack for visiting Abraham Lake in Winter
- Winter Jacket
- Snow pants
- Proper winter boots
- Gloves
- Beanie
- Neck warmer
- Hand warmers
- ice climbing screw
- A broom or something similar to help sweep any snow away.
- Your camera
- An extra battery for your camera / battery pack to charge your phone as the cold drains the battery much faster than usual.
Photography tips for the Ice Bubbles at Abraham Lake
The ice bubbles can make some seriously cool photos, but I was surprised that getting “the shot” wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. After taking photos of the ice bubbles myself, here are a few things that helped me:
- Get low to the ice and get the bubbles in the foreground and the mountains in the background
- Go when the light is good at sunrise or sunset – I didn’t do this but I really want to next time!
- Look for clear ice – look for bubbles where the ice is clear rather than cloudy – I found this super hard because the conditions weren’t very good when we went.
- Shoot straight down – I love the shots where I lay on the ice and my friend took a photo of my face surrounded by the bubbles from above. Make sure you wear a colourful beanie or jacket for a pop of colour!
- Keep your batteries warm and perhaps bring a spare battery pack – the cold weather can drain your batteries extremely quickly.
- Last but not least, don’t sacrifice safety for a photo!
Can you visit Abraham Lake as a day trip From Banff?
Yes! In fact, this is what I did. You can either drive there yourself or join a day tour from Banff or Lake Louise. It is a lot of driving and finding the ice bubbles can take a lot of time so I recommend leaving bright and early.
frequently asked questions
Final thoughts: Is Abraham Lake worth visiting in winter?
I think Abraham Lake is absolutely worth a visit during winter, however, it is quite far from Banff and / or Jasper.
Personally, I think a tour is the easiest way to visit Abraham Lake to find the ice bubbles, but if you really want to go by yourself, make sure you do lot’s of research beforehand. Make sure you check the conditions before you go to try to make sure that the lake isn’t completely covered in snow and bring lots of warm layers with you and something to be able to check the ice thickness with.
Visiting the Canadian Rockies in the winter? You might also enjoy these guides:
- Things to do in Banff in Winter
- Banff Winter Tours You Need to Check Out
- Amazing Canmore Winter Activities
- Amazing Icefields Parkway Stops You Shouldn’t Miss!
- How to Spend an Epic 3 Days in Golden in Winter
- Is the Banff Gondola Worth it?
- Everything You Need to Know About Johnston Canyon
- How to Spend a Weekend in Banff
- 3 Days in Jasper National Park: The Ultimate Itinerary
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