Canada, with its vast aquatic heritage, contains an almost infinite number of lakes in its territory.
There are so many freshwater basins spread across its territory that it is impossible to make a precise estimate.
Canada’s lakes
I certainly can’t give you a detailed list of all the lakes in Canada, because I will probably still be here next week writing, but I can tell you a little more about the most beautiful and important lakes in this vast and complex territory.
Let’s start with the Great Lakes region. Located on the border with the United States, it is so called because it includes five of the largest lakes in Canada and the United States and in the entire world: Lake Superior, Lake Erie, Lake Michigan (which is all in the United States), Lake Huron and the Lake Ontario, from which the region of the same name took its name.
Lakes in Alberta
Among the most famous lakes in Alberta, we find Lake Athabasca, which bears the same name as the famous waterfalls, and Lake Claire.
Lakes in Manitoba
In the province of Manitoba, we highlight Lake Winnipeg and Lake Manitoba.
Lakes in Newfoundland
In Newfoundland and Labrador, some of the most important lakes are Smallwood Reservoir and Lake Melville.
Lakes in the Northwest Territory
The list of lakes in a province bordering Alaska, the Northwest Territory, includes two very famous lakes, Great Bear Lake and Great Slave Lake.
And then there’s Lake Bras d’Or in Nova Scotia, Caniapiscau Reservoir in Quèbec, and Lake Reindeer in Saskatchewan.
Curiosities about the lakes of Canada
What is the largest lake in Canada?
The answer to this question is not so obvious. Surely the largest freshwater lake, not only in Canada but in the world, is Lake Superior, which is part of the Great Lakes system.
Its surface, which covers 82,100 square kilometers, however, is not only part of the state of Canada but partly borders US territory.
The largest lake in Canada by area, included entirely in the state’s territory, is Great Bear Lake, in the Northwest Territory, with an area of 31,328 square kilometers.
What is the deepest lake?
The record as the deepest lake in Canada is held by Great Slave Lake, which is also located in the Northwest Territory: at 614 meters deep, this lake is the deepest not only in Canada but in all of North America.
The lake in the highest position
In a land like Canada, rich in mountains and glaciers, lakes are not only distributed in low elevations; some are located in places that exceed 500 meters above sea level.
This is the case of Kluane Lake, in the Yukon, which with its 781 meters of altitude is the “highest” lake in the vast Canadian territory.
Did you want to discover more about the beautiful lakes that dot this untamed and wild land? Well, here’s more news about some of Canada’s top lakes.
The “Great Lakes” of Canada
Let’s start with the lakes located in the Great Lakes region. It is thus defined by the presence, within its territory, of 5 freshwater lakes, all connected: Lake Superior, Lake Erie, Lake Huron, and Ontario are located partly in Canada, in the province of Ontario, and partly in the United States.
Great Lakes Tour
With this tour, I want to take you to discover the Great Lakes region of Canada.
We will leave Toronto, on the shores of Lake Ontario, to reach Thunder Bay, on Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world.
Lake Ontario Toronto and Niagara Falls
The first stop on our tour begins in Toronto, where we will visit some of the city’s symbols, such as the CN Tower and Casa Loma. Let’s discover Toronto’s history at Fort York, do some shopping inside the Eaton Center and PATH, the underground walkway, and get your fill of art and culture at the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Royal Ontario Museum.
From Toronto, we moved to Niagara on the Lake, a city in Ontario famous for its vineyards, and then to Niagara Falls. Are you ready to climb the Skylon Tower and enter the galleries of Journey Behind the Falls?
Lake Erie Fort Erie, Chatham – Kent and Detroit
Let’s leave Lake Ontario and Niagara Falls behind to move on to the Lake Erie area.
The first place we encounter along the way is the Fort Erie Historic Site, which like Fort York, was a stronghold of the War of 1812.
Among its main attractions are the Old Fort, where you have the opportunity to discover what life was like during the war, the Niagara Safari, a park that is home to more than 100 animal species, and several museums, such as the Fort Erie Historical Museum and the Fort Erie Railroad Museum.
Leaving Fort Erie and advancing towards the city of Chatham–Kent. Along the way, we will find Long Point, a place that houses a beautiful lighthouse.
Chatham – Kent is a city full of interesting things to do and see: through the Underground Railroad route, you can discover some of its most interesting points, such as the Buxton National Historic Site and Museum, and the Chatham Black Historical Society –Kent.
Also in the Chatham–Kent territory is Rondeau Park, located right on the shores of the lake and characterized by white sand beaches and a very varied flora and fauna.
We leave Lake Erie behind and head towards Lake Huron, briefly crossing into the United States and taking a brief tour of Detroit, the heart of the country’s automotive industry.