Waterton Lakes National Park is the park that most visitors to the Canadian Rockies never quite make it to, and it is their loss every single time. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Waterton showcases a unique ecosystem where the Rocky Mountains meet the prairies — an ecological diversity that supports a wide array of wildlife and over 1,000 species of wildflowers. Located in the southwest corner of Alberta, sharing borders with the United States to the south and British Columbia to the west, Waterton forms the Canadian half of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park — the world’s first international peace park, shared with Glacier National Park in Montana. The result is a landscape that feels different from anywhere else in the Rockies: wilder, windier, more remote, and completely its own thing. The iconic Prince of Wales Hotel perches on a bluff above Upper Waterton Lake like something out of a fairy tale, and the view from there alone is worth the drive.
Check out the Prince of Wales hotel and the views.
The hiking here is exceptional and surprisingly uncrowded. The Crypt Lake Trail has been named one of the world’s most thrilling hikes — hikers reach the trailhead via a morning boat across the lake, then spend a full day on a trail that involves waterfalls, steep switchbacks, a narrow tunnel you crawl through on hands and knees, and a chain-assisted cliff section before arriving at a stunning alpine lake. It is genuinely one of the most memorable hiking experiences in all of Canada. Bear’s Hump is the quick-hit alternative — a steep but short trail starting right next to the visitor center that climbs 200 meters to a bluff with a panoramic view over the town, the lakes, and the mountains — and it can be done in under an hour. Red Rock Canyon is another highlight, a canyon featuring vibrant red and green bedrock formations carved by mountain streams that look almost impossibly colorful. Cameron Lake at the end of the Akamina Parkway is beautiful, calm, and a world away from the crowds at Moraine Lake. We did Bear Hump and one of the lakes. We also stayed at the Prince of Wales hotel.
Bear Hump was straight up but not very long. Great views, take it slow.
The town was small but cute.
We did the lake Cameron hike. The drive there was also beautiful and we saw a few bears.
