The Color of Peyto Lake

September 17, 2019

Peyto Lake

September 2019 Viewer's ChoicePhotographer: George Seielstad 
Summary Author: George Seielstad 

The stunning color of Peyto Lake in Canada’s Banff National Park, which may be described as emerald, turquoise, or blue, results when sunlight is scattered off of suspended glacial silt (rock flour). This silt is generated when rocks beneath a glacier's surface are ground by the glacier's movement. Color of the water varies by season, time of day, and angle of incidence. However, it seems that July and August are typically the months with the most eye-catching colors. Photo taken on July 22, 2019.