About Waterton Lakes National Park

Waterton Lakes National Park, located on the Canadian side of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, boasts a terrain that transitions from prairie grasslands to rugged peaks of over 9,000 ft. There are forests, alpine meadows, glacial lakes, waterfalls, and a rich variety of plants and wildlife. You may see black and grizzly bears, elk, antelope, deer, goats, cougars, coyotes, and bighorn sheep.

The highlight of Waterton’s sparkling chain of lakes is the international Upper Waterton Lake, the deepest lake in the Canadian Rockies. Take a sightseeing cruise the entire length of the lake to Goat Haunt, Montana. For those who don’t want to do a lot of hiking, this is the best way to experience the mountains, wildlife, and lakes of the area. For those who do want to lace up their hiking boots, take a shuttle across Upper Waterton Lake to access one of the most popular hikes in Canada, the 11-mile round trip Crypt Lake Trail. The trail will take you on an adventurous hike that involves a narrow natural tunnel in the rock, a ladder, and a section with cables to support you when negotiating the narrow mountainside trail. Visit several waterfalls along the way, then enjoy lunch by the shores of Crypt Lake while looking for mountain goats on the surrounding cliffs.

Drive the Red Rock Parkway or the Akamina Parkway for hikes to glacial lakes, scenic pull-offs, wildlife viewing, and interpretive displays. Visit Waterton Townsite for mountain bike rentals, fishing opportunities, restaurants, and stores for gifts or stocking up the RV. The brave can even go for a dip in very chilly Upper Waterton Lake!

Interesting Facts About Waterton Lakes National Park

• The rarest plant in the park is a minuscule fern called the Waterton moonwort which grows nowhere else in the world.
• Linnet Lake was mistakenly named for a finch that does not live in Canada when explorers mistook native birds in the area for the linnet.
• Mount Bertha is the only mountain in Waterton named after a woman, though her identity is uncertain. Some claimed her to be an early resident of the park, others a bootlegger and counterfeiter during prohibition.