Waterton Lakes National Park is known for its rugged peaks that meet the flat prairies and Waterton Lake, the mountain lake that the park is named after.
The park is located in the southwest corner of Alberta, Canada, and borders Glacier National Park in Montana, United States (See Glacier National Park for more information about that park). The union of the two parks is called the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. The parks were both declared Biosphere Reserves by UNESCO and their union as a World Heritage Site.
When you enter the park on Route 5 in Alberta, one of the first things you see when entering the park is the golf course and then an old hotel sitting by itself on a bluff overlooking Waterton Lakes. This is the Prince of Wales Hotel built in 1927 and a must-stop for afternoon high tea, inspired by British tradition.
Tea is served in the lobby of the hotel with a variety of sandwich squares and pastries and great views of Waterton Lakes through the tall picture windows,
Camping – We would recommend the Townsite Campground because you you are literally at the south end of the town and the edge of Upper Waterton Lake. The lake and all restaurants and shops are a fairly short walk. Our campsite was along Waterton Ave. with views across the road to Upper Waterton Lake. This was a nice site with some trees and we were able to hang our hammock up, also with views of the Upper Waterton Lake and the mountains. There were a couple of sites on either side of us that were near street lights, so be aware if you are sensitive to light for sleeping to pick a different site.
It is nice to walk along the Lake into town and grab a bite to eat. We did find the prices for dinner a bit steep, and after a while looking for a place we found Zum’s Eatery & Mercantile. They serve lunch until 5:00 PM! And the lunch prices are about half of the dinner prices! So if you want to save money for dinner, go to Zum’s just before 5:00 and have lunch. Do not forget the ice cream next door afterward at the Big Scoop Ice Cream Parlor.
Other Activities – Take a boat tour, there are five Lakes in Waterton-Glacier to choose from. There are also three golf courses in the area. The one in town is Waterton Lakes Golf Course. Lee Creek Golf Course and Pincher Creek Golf Club are nearby. There is also plenty of great hiking and we are hoping to get back to Waterton Lakes National Park to experience more of that activity.
Waterfalls – Waterton Lakes National Park has a couple of main waterfalls, Cameron Falls and Blakiston Falls. Cameron Falls is located right in town and just a few steps from the road.
