Lake Minnewanka, Banff Nat Park, Alberta – Take a Gondola ride up to the summit of Banff’s Sulfur Mountain and look to the north past the Banff Springs Hotel and you will see Lake Minnewanka. A summer resort village called Minnewanka Landing (Parks Canada background info) was established here in 1888. Eventually it grew to have four avenues, three streets, hotels, restaurants and cruise boats. In 1941 it was completely flooded by the Calgary Power Co. under the War Measures Act, and now it’s a ‘high altitude’ dive site. The lake is 18 km (11 miles) long, about 30 m (100 ft) deep and at an altitude of 1450 m (4,750 ft). The town, which is one of three dive sites in the lake, is considered the best preserved example of a submerged historic village in Canada.

The site is about 10 km (7 miles) beyond Banff. Boat cruises are available. According to the Town of Banff there are no local operators who provide Scuba tours of the underwater town, training or rentals, but several Calgary dive shops organize trips to Lake Minnewanka.

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