About
Medicine Lake sits in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada, reached by Maligne Lake Road. It is a lake with an unusual habit: it is known as a disappearing lake, because its water drains away underground through a karst system, a landscape of limestone where water finds its way through cracks and passages below the surface.
What to expect
The lake's water level changes with the seasons, so the lake you see on one visit may look quite different from the one you saw on another. When the water is high, the lake can reflect the surrounding mountains, which is a large part of its appeal. When it is low or gone, the exposed lakebed tells its own story about how the water moves through the ground.
Planning a visit
- Medicine Lake is best approached as a scenic stop rather than a destination for a long day out.
- Because the water level varies, check conditions before you go if seeing the water is important to you.
- Bring weather-appropriate clothing; the mountain setting can be cool even in summer.
Medicine Lake pairs naturally with a wider trip into Jasper National Park, where mountain scenery, forests and other lakes lie along the same roads. Anyone interested in how water behaves in limestone country will find the lake a memorable place to pause.
