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Welcome to this article about what to see in Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada.

Through our own 21-day travel experience in the Canadian Rockies , we tell you what you can do and see in Canada's Waterton Lakes National Park.

On our trip, this is our sixth national park visit, out of the seven national parks in Canada located in the Canadian Rockies. We visited it after our visit to Kootenay National Park in Canada and before crossing into the United States, where we will explore Glacier National Park in Montana.

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About us

A little history of Waterton Lakes National Park

Located in the province of Alberta, Canada, and close to the United States border , Waterton Lakes National Park is also one of Canada's oldest Rocky Mountain parks, created in 1895.

It is one of the Rocky Mountains National Parks, a UNESCO World Heritage Site , and is part of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park , which symbolically unites Canada and the United States in peace .

Its name comes from Charles Waterton , a 19th-century British naturalist and explorer who was instrumental in establishing this Canadian National Park.

The main attractions to see in Waterton Lakes are Cameron Lake, Cameron Falls, Red Rock Canyon, and Blakiston Falls.

These places make this park, less known and visited in the Canadian Rockies, an impressive place that is well worth a visit. 

If you truly want to see the Rocky Mountains in all their splendor, I recommend heading south to the Canadian Rockies and visiting this National Park, along with Glacier National Park in Montana, USA, just 30 minutes away. It's undoubtedly one of the most majestic places in the Rockies.

Location of Waterton Lakes National Park

In the southern part of Canada's Alberta province, we find the location of Waterton Lakes National Park.

You can see the exact location on Google Maps here

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How to get to Waterton Lakes Canada

On our trip we arrived in Canada at Calgary airport which is the closest to the Canadian Rockies.

Just 3,5 hours from Calgary you'll find Waterton Lakes National Park.

The best way to get there is with your own rental car; there are very few public transport options, if any at all, that are direct and easy. There is no direct transport from Calgary to Waterton Lakes , and it's very difficult to get there without a private vehicle.

Where to stay in Waterton Lakes National Park

You'll definitely want to make Waterton Park your base for visiting Waterton Lakes National Park . It's undoubtedly the best place to start your visit to the park, right in the heart of it and the only town within its boundaries. Plus, it sits on the shores of Upper Waterton Lake and has all the amenities you need, with plenty of charming shops and restaurants.

The downside of Waterton Park is that it only has seven accommodations available and just one public campground. Of these seven, I definitely recommend staying at the legendary and historic Prince of Wales , where we even saw a beautiful piano concert.

This means you have to book well in advance , or like us, you'll have to look for something outside the park, which is also complicated due to the distance from the towns in this area.

Best time to visit Waterton Lakes National Park

The climate in Waterton Lakes is like that of most Rocky Mountain destinations. Generally cold weather and mild summers, with even hot days for swimming in the lakes. 

If you're looking to swim in lakes and do water activities , the ideal time to visit Waterton Lakes National Park is during the summer months of July and August, which are the hottest months with the best weather.

In spring and autumn you can still enjoy hiking, wildlife viewing, and water sports, but with the added challenge of colder weather and the possibility of rain with strong gusts of wind and even snow in this area. We went in early September and, apart from rain and wind, it even snowed on the mountain peaks!

During the winter , snowy landscapes and cross-country skiing are what predominate in Canada's Waterton Lakes National Park.

It depends on your tastes and preferences for activities, you may prefer one time of year or another. Your budget can also affect your preferences. July and August are high season and everything is more expensive and difficult to book, but if you travel in spring or autumn you can find better prices and fewer people.

Ideal 2-day route through Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada

The route I propose is based on the 12 essentials described below and is to help you plan your route through Waterton Lakes National Park.

Day 1 through Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada

On day 1, I would park at the Red Rock Canyon parking lot and from there visit Red Rock Canyon and Blakiston Falls, hiking a 4 km loop trail. Then I would descend to the Waterton Park area, the central population center of the National Park. There, I would first stop to see Linnet Lake and Middle Waterton Lake , then hike to the top of the Bear's Hum Trail for the views, and finally visit the Prince of Wales Hotel, hiking a 2 km loop trail from the Emerald Bay picnic area where I would have a picnic lunch.

From there I would visit the Park Visitor Centre , the shore of Upper Waterton Lake and the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park , to end the day with the short Trail to Cameron Falls.

Day 2 through Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada

On day 2, the first place to visit would be the Bison Paddock , and after seeing the beautiful bison, I would travel along the Akamina Parkway , an iconic road, to Cameron Lake where I would rent a kayak and have a picnic lunch in its picnic area.

What to see in Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada

Next, I'm going to give you a full description of the activities in Waterton Lakes National Park and the best places to visit in Waterton Lakes National Park , a park that our whole family fell in love with.

The first thing we recommend you visit, before anything else, is the Waterton Lakes National Park Visitor Center, the first point of interest in Canada's Waterton Lakes National Park where you will be given maps and all the information about safety, bears, the weather and anything else you need to know during your visit.

Also, if you're traveling to Waterton Lakes with children, remember to ask for the Explorer booklet at the Visitor Center. Upon completion, they'll receive a reward: a hanging pin badge, a great souvenir of your family trip.

Seeing bison at the Bison Paddock, a must-see in Waterton Lakes National Park

Inside the Bison Paddock , a large fenced enclosure of about 100 hectares, you can see a large herd of bison as part of a National Park preservation project. There, they are working to recover the native plains bison, a species whose numbers have declined drastically in recent years due to hunting. Now, efforts are underway to preserve and restore this species.

To visit it, you must do so from inside your vehicle , on a dirt road designed for slow driving. Leaving your vehicle is strictly prohibited and we strongly advise against it.

Linnet Lake and photo with the red chairs

Parking in this small parking lot on the shores of Middle Waterton Lake, besides taking a lovely photo on the iconic red chairs found in Canadian National Parks, you can also hike a short, marked circular trail around Linnet Lake . This easy 1 km route includes interpretive panels.

Cameron Lake, a “must” to see in Waterton Lakes National Park 

On the same iconic road as the previous point, we can proceed and park at the Cameron Lake day use area, on the shores of Cameron Lake.

Cameron Lake is one of the iconic lakes of Waterton Lakes National Park. Its waters are crystal clear, and there's a picnic area and a beach, although the water is very cold. Kayaks are available for rent.

Hike to the top of Mount Crandell, Bear's Hump Trail for the best views, Waterton Lakes must-do hike

Very close to the Prince of Wales Hotel, we can park in a small parking lot or at the Waterton Lakes National Park information point and take a route of less than 3 km round trip through the same place called Bear's Hump, which goes to the top of Mount Crandell.

The route begins with a steep climb and wooden stairs , but the reward is a summit with spectacular views across this entire side of the National Park. A must-do route for a bird's-eye view of Waterton Lakes.

Prince of Wales Hotel, one of the attractions in Waterton Lakes and an icon of the National Park

If you never see a single photograph of this National Park, this hotel will surely appear as a prominent feature of the Waterton Lakes landscape. A hotel that looks like it came straight out of Disneyland Paris.

It is a hotel located on a high point of Emerald Bay , very distinctive and beautiful due to its location and construction.

It's worth stopping in the parking lot and taking it all in. The lobby, which houses the hotel's spectacular antique chandelier and a souvenir shop, is open to the public. As a historic Canadian landmark, it has a lot of character, and they often host free summer concerts.

Upper Waterton Lake Emerald Bay Picnic Area

Very close to the previous hotel and in a beautiful location in Emerald Bay you will find a picnic area with 16 great tables, 3 of which are wheelchair accessible, with restrooms and water taps and with a beach in the bay to enjoy a good picnic.

This picnic area is located in the bay of Upper Waterton Lake, the largest lake in the park and the most famous for its crystal-clear waters and surrounding mountain scenery.

From the picnic area, a circular route called the Prince of Wales Trail begins , which runs for 2 km around the iconic hotel with views of Upper and Middle Waterton lakes. It's an easy and very beautiful walk.

Sculpture at the International Peace Park in Waterton Park

In the main inland town of Waterton Park National Park we find the world's first international peace park. This park was created in 1932 to symbolize the friendship between Canada and the United States.

You'll find it right near the Waterton Lakes National Park Visitor Centre, north of Waterton Park on the lake shore.

Cameron Falls

Leaving the vehicle in the Cameron Falls Trail parking lot, we can start a short hiking route and end up seeing these beautiful little emerald waterfalls.

Following the Townsite Trail will take you on a complete 3.5 km loop through various points of interest in the town of Waterton Park, including the waterfalls. This trail is well-marked and features interpretive panels along its entire length.

There are several options for this hike. Here's a track to see the waterfalls.

Red Rock Canyon, a “must” to see in Waterton Lakes National Park

In Waterton Lakes National Park, there's one of those places that stands out from the usual green and blue of the Canadian Rockies. There's a canyon carved by a small river that reveals reddish hues above the other colors of the surrounding water and mountains.

Several hiking trails start from the Red Rock Canyon parking lot . The easiest is a circular route that's less than a kilometer long and very easy to do.

Bertha Falls

On a 5,2 km round trip route that takes approximately 1,5 or 2 hours depending on how much you linger, you can take a beautiful walk to see Bertha's waterfalls.

A little further on from the Cameron Falls parking lot is the Bertha Falls parking lot , where this route begins.

Blakiston Falls, another must-see in Waterton Lakes National Park

Parking in the same Red Rock Canyon parking lot, there's a 2 km round-trip trail to Blakiston Falls. It's an easy hike that can be done in under an hour and offers beautiful views.

If we want, we can do a 4 km circular route from Red Rock Canyon where we can see both Red Rock Canyon and Blakiston Falls.

Canada's first oil drilling along the Akamina Parkway

As a historic site, we can take the iconic Akamina Parkway in Waterton Lakes National Park and see the first oil well in Western Canada.

You can park by the side of the road and see this historic site with information panels today.

Map of what to see in Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada

Below, I show you the map we made to plan our entire route through Waterton Lakes National Park with all the places to see in Waterton National Park of Canada.

Where to eat in Waterton Lakes National Park

There are many restaurants in Waterton Lakes village, all of them good and with a very welcoming Canadian alpine atmosphere.

Most are located on the same street and the parallel one and close to the Waterton Lakes National Park Visitor Center and near the lake shore.

The best restaurants and souvenir shops in Waterton Lakes are located in Waterton Lakes. Right at the end of this street, I can recommend a restaurant where we had a great meal and a wonderful Canadian mountain atmosphere: Trappers Mountain Grill.

Tips for visiting Waterton Lakes National Park

Aside from the 30 tips for traveling to Canada that you have in this post we wrote, for Waterton Lakes National Park I would give you the following advice:

• Be very careful with the Bears. Always carry bear spray. When we went there were many signs of recent sightings on busy trails.
• When planning your trip to Waterton Lakes, be sure to book your accommodation well in advance. There is very little available and it sells out quickly. Outside the National Park, there are many miles to other towns with more accommodation.

Waterton Lakes National Park with kids: Activities and tips

Traveling to Waterton Lakes with children is ideal. In our case, we traveled with our two children and found many family activities in Waterton Lakes National Park. From canoeing on the lakes and boating to simply enjoying short hikes perfect for them, these are just some of the activities you can do with children in Waterton Lakes National Park.

Finally, if you're traveling with children, don't forget to pick up the Explorer book at the Visitor Center. It's an educational program for children at Waterton National Park that everyone will love. Once you've completed it, take it back to the Visitor Center and they'll give you a really cool souvenir pin.

Waterton Lakes National Park FAQs

Next, I'm going to try to answer some questions you've asked about Waterton Lakes and some doubts you've had about traveling to Waterton Lakes National Park . I hope they're helpful:

• How much does it cost to enter Waterton Lakes National Park? When entering the Park you must pay the park pass or show the Discovery Pass Annual if you have one, which is valid all year round and in all 48 national parks in Canada. Without a doubt, at €100 it is the most worthwhile, especially if you are going to visit more than one national park. Otherwise, passes for just one park can be annual or day passes and the price varies.
• Is it safe to camp at Waterton Lakes with bears? It is safe to always do it in a Parks Canada public campground and always keep food in one of the bear-proof boxes or inside the motorhome, camper or vehicle. Parks Canada has a lot of control over the bear population and euthanizes aggressive bears.
• What are the best hiking trails in Waterton Lakes? The most iconic and must-do hiking trail is to the summit of Mount Crandell, from the Bear's Hump Trail, a short but quite steep route where you'll find the best views of Waterton Lakes National Park.
• Can you visit Waterton Lakes in winter? Waterton is generally covered in snow in winter. It is best to bring Nordic or mountain skis and you can visit almost the entire park with them.

Conclusions from our visit to Waterton Lakes National Park Canada

Despite spending a day and a half of the 3 we were there with heavy rain and wind, visiting Waterton Lakes National Park was a great success on our route through the Rocky Mountains. 

It was one of our favorite national parks in Canada . Firstly, because of the few people we encountered and the tranquility that permeated the air.

Secondly, because its landscapes are unlike those of other national parks in northern Canada. Reddish hues , blue lakes with cooler temperatures, pastures, and fertile lands dotted with ranches and cattle...

The entire landscape of Waterton Lakes National Park is pure harmony, peace, and beauty.

If you have any doubts about coming, don't do it, go. When you arrive, enjoy it and remember our recommendations.

Good route friends!