Getting here:
Maligne Lake is located some 20 miles east of Jasper town centre. Since I did not rent a car to get around Jasper, I opted for Maligne Lake Shuttle Service that departs from the town centre at Patricia Street. The shuttle departed around 0830 hrs and the journey took about 45 minutes, passing by Jasper Inn, Jasper Park Lodge, Medicine Lake and Maligne Canyon. Returning options are at either 1400 hrs or 1700 hrs for early summer season (and more scheduled shuttles for peak summer season in June/July/August). Round trip journey cost me about C$30.

Description:
This remarkably blue lake is arguably the most scenic lake in the Canadian Rockies. One cannot describe the lake but to dwell on its superlative quality - this 14-mile-long lake is one of the world's largest glacial-fed lakes. The towering peaks along its shores are nothing short of awe-inspiring.

The water of Maligne Lake is also extremely crystal-clear. I hiked along the right-hand trail for about 30 minutes along its shores and saw even more lofty snow-clad peaks. The water also seemed clean enough for a quick dip, except that it is probably bitterly freezing. Also due to that early morning snow fall, the residual air was substantially cold as well. Not to mention the vast expanse of Maligne Lake did produce some chilly mountain winds.

I was extremely disappointed because the cruise boat to Spirit Island had yet to operate during my visit. While it seemed that the lake was completed devoid of frozen ice, the operator had to take safety precaution to ensure the lake was completely ice-free. That means cruise boats are only making the trips in early June.

If you are coming to Maligne Lake during peak summer season, I strongly recommend the boat trip to Spirit Island. The vantage point is known the world over and has been featured in magazines and calendars for years.

I had the option to return back to Jasper town site on the Maligne Lake Shuttle Service at either 1400 hrs or 1700 hrs. I had to choose the former because the Spirit Island Cruise had yet to commence operation and the wind chill had started to take its toll.