One of the most popular areas, especially with photographers
The Belly of Abraham and the Abraham Slabs area are often the busiest places on the lake first thing in the morning with photographers looking to catch the sunrise.
This has long been one of the most popular areas on Abraham Lake for the ice bubbles given the short and easy access to the lake. It offers great views of Mount Michener and Elliott’s Peak along with deeper stacks of bubbles in the turquoise ice.
In 2021 Alberta Environment built a new parking lot at the random camping area known as Abraham Slabs. Many visitors still choose to park along the highway instead of using the parking lot, be careful if you choose this option with traffic moving fast as they come around the corner.
It does get busy but with most visitors staying in the bay at Belly, there is plenty of room to spread out and enjoy the moment if you’re willing to walk a little further.
At a Glance
- Activities: Ice walks, photography, sightseeing
- Time needed: Plan on at least 60 minutes
- Family-friendly: Yes
- Season: Late December to March
- Congestion: Moderate to Busy
- Management: Kiska / Wilson PLUZ
Getting there: From Nordegg, the Abraham Slabs parking lot is approximately 40 km away travelling west on Highway 11. Coming from Saskatchewan Crossing it is approximately 50 km east on Highway 11. Parking and dry toilets are available.
Book Your Adventure
- Events
- Guided Activities
- Lodging
- Gear Rentals
Head Out On Your Own
Sometimes you just want to head out on your own to explore the area. We get it. That’s why we share guides like these. Keep in mind that these aren’t the only options to see the ice bubbles but they are the most popular and easily accessible ones.
You’ll find our guides to other ice bubble locations on Abraham Lake here.
Accessing the Ice
There are a few options to access the lake in this area. A popular option is to park along the highway at Belly but we recommend using the new Abraham Slabs parking lot. From the parking lot, walk down through the random camping area to the lake.
Most winters you can drive down and park in the random camping area but make sure that your vehicle will make it back out before you venture down the road.
Ice Bubbles and Ice Features
This area is similar to the nearby Ice Bubbles Parking Lot and Hoodoo creek area with interesting features along the shoreline and amazing backdrops. We always find some great options from this access, especially if we walk a little further and spend some time exploring.
Safety Considerations
From a safety perspective, the access from the Abraham Slabs is one of the easiest in terms of mitigating risks. The slope is gentle with a gradual transition from shore to lake combined with no creek or rivers entering the lake.
The access from Belly is more challenging and we often see visitors take unnecessary risks in this area. The shoreline has a few gullies where the ice can easily break, increasing the risks of falls causing injuries. Once on the ice, the water source entering the bay from the west causes weak ice combined with an often hidden canyon with steep shores.
This gully became famous on social media a few years ago. The danger is easy to mitigate by simply walking around it.
Abraham Lake Ice Safety
We’ve put together a guide with a few things to consider when you plan your Abraham Lake ice walk to make it a safe adventure.
CONDITIONS AND UPDATES
We share updates on ice conditions to help you plan your adventure. Keep in mind that conditions change quickly and that weather forecasts are often unreliable in the Abraham Lake area.
