Forty-five minutes from Banff, just off Highway 93 South in British Columbia's Kootenay National Park, sits a glacial lake that somehow stays under the radar: Floe Lake. Tucked beneath the roughly 10,000-foot Floe Peak, it's the standout highlight of the Rockwall Trail — one of the Canadian Rockies' most respected multi-day routes — yet most travellers have never heard of it.

You don't need to commit to the full 34-mile Rockwall traverse to see it. A there-and-back hike from the Floe Lake trailhead covers 12.6 miles, with over 3,600 feet of elevation gain packed into the inward leg. Expect three to four hours of steady climbing, then the payoff: an impossibly turquoise alpine lake mirroring the sky, with the reassurance that the return trip is mostly downhill.

The trail itself has character. It's narrow enough that larger groups need to walk single file, it crosses a bridge and a couple of shallow creeks, and it passes through terrain scorched by a 2003 wildfire — blackened dead trunks poking up through vivid green regrowth. The Kootenay River, joined later by its tributary the Vermilion, runs alongside much of the route. Late July through October is the window to go: wildflowers peak in summer, and the larches turn gold in fall, both framing that deep blue-green water.

Part of Floe Lake's appeal is what's missing. There's no cell service and no watersports — swimming included — so the lakeshore stays serene. If you want more than a day trip, there's a backcountry campground at the lake, but reservations open each January and go quickly. Keep checking for cancellations if it's booked out. Day-hiking works fine too; just start early, because the small parking lot at the signed trailhead fills fast in summer. Legally you can park on the shoulder of Highway 93S, but it's a busy road and not worth the risk.

A few essentials before you go: wear hiking shoes you don't mind getting wet at the creek crossings, make sure your Parks Canada Discovery Pass is displayed on the dashboard, and carry bear spray — this is genuine grizzly country.

Who is this for? Anyone who loves Banff's famous blue lakes but craves quieter trails. Floe Lake delivers the same striking glacial colour with a fraction of the crowds, plus a proper workout. Pair it with a day in Banff National Park or a visit to Moraine Lake nearby, and you've got a Rockies itinerary that skips the shuttle queues without skipping the scenery.