The Icefields Parkway connecting Banff National Park and Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada is my favorite road to take photos. That's saying a lot, as it beats out others that I have been on, including California Highway 1, the Alaskan Highway, Montana's Going to the Sun Road and Arizona's Apache Trail. It is probably the combination of pristine mountain lakes, beautiful glaciers and towering mountains that makes it my favorite. It also doesn't hurt that the scenery doesn't stop for its full length of 166 miles.
I am often asked how far I had to hike to reach some of these lakes and my answer sometimes surprises them -- very little. Of course, there are some lakes that hiking boots and a long hike are required, but many are just a short distance from the highway. The lake in this image, Herbert Lake, is a prime example. I literally had to walk about 20 feet to set up my tripod, wait for sunrise and shoot the shot. I was lucky this morning to have some great clouds and mist rising from the lake's surface.