Medicine Lake

Medicine Lake is located in Jasper National Park, Alberta with Coordinates: 52°51′27″N 117°45′35″W

Medicine Lake is located within Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada. It is located approximately 20km(12 mi) southeast of the beautiful townsite of Jasper, Alberta.

Medicine Lake is approximately 7km(4.3 mi) long and is a relatively shallow lake that is part of the Maligne Valley watershed which is mainly glacial fed by the Canadian Rockies.

Medicine Lake Geology

Medicine Lake is a geologic anomaly that it is not actually a lake but rather an area in which the Maligne River (flowing from Maligne Lake into the Athabasca River), backs up and suddenly disappears underground as a losing stream.

During Jasper National Park's Spring/Summer months, meltwater runoff fills Medicine lake to levels which fluctuate over time and with the Mountain runoff events. Much like a bathtub that is filled too fast for it to drain, it becomes a temporary lake until it slowly drains as the water flow reduces.

Medicine Lake's underground system is extensive and during the 1970s researchers used a biodegradable dye to determine Medicine Lake's underground river extent. The dye showed up in many of the surrounding lakes and rivers to the point where it became clear that the underground system was one of the most extensive in the world.

Medicine Lake Fauna

Medicine Lake boasts a healthy population of rainbow and brook trout; a fly fisherman's paradise.

Wildlife is abundant along Medicine's high altitude lake. Grizzly bear, black bear, mule deer, bighorn sheep, wolves and moose are some of the larger mammals that inhabit the medicine lake area during the summer season. Bald eagles, and osprey also raise families at medicine lake, living off of fish populations.

Book the Jasper Maligne Lake Cruise
Booking the Boat tour of Maligne Lake and Spirit Island includes All taxes, fees and handling charges.

More Jasper Maligne Valley and Maligne Lake Cruises

Jasper City Sightseeing Tour & Maligne Lake Cruise | The Maligne Lake Cruise | 5.5 Hour Jasper Wildlife and Waterfalls Tour with Maligne Lake Cruise