Two Jack Lake in Banff National Park is a truly iconic location for photographing the Milky Way, offering a rare combination of accessibility, dark skies, and breathtaking alpine scenery. Nestled at the base of the Rockies, the lake is framed by rugged mountain peaks that create dramatic silhouettes against the star-filled sky. On calm, clear nights, the water’s surface reflects the Milky Way and surrounding peaks, producing mirror-like compositions that are both visually stunning and serene. What makes Two Jack Lake especially iconic is its ability to showcase the Milky Way in its full glory while still being close to Canmore and Banff, giving photographers a perfect balance of convenience and wilderness immersion. The best times to capture the Milky Way here are late spring through early fall, when the galaxy’s dense core rises high enough to align beautifully with the mountains and lake. Blue hour just after sunset is perfect for establishing foreground shapes, while long exposures during true darkness reveal intricate dust lanes, subtle color variations, and countless stars stretching across the sky. Photographers benefit from the quiet of early mornings or late evenings, when the area is undisturbed, allowing full focus on composition and light. The combination of reflective waters, dramatic alpine peaks, and a clear, star-filled sky makes Two Jack Lake an unparalleled location for nightscape photography. It is iconic because it captures the majesty of the Rockies while offering a direct, almost spiritual connection to the infinite expanse of the cosmos.