Camping & Hiking · Scenic Views · Water Sports · Alberta
A national park in southwest Alberta where prairie meets mountains, with a walkable lakeside townsite, waterfalls, Cameron Lake, Red Rock Canyon, lake cruises and abundant wildlife.
Waterton Lakes National Park is where the prairie runs straight into the mountains, and visitors run out of superlatives for the scenery. The small townsite sits beside the lake below the historic Prince of Wales Hotel, which many reviewers call a must-see, whether for the view or for afternoon tea.
The town has shops, cafés and restaurants, and visitors stayed in cottages and motels in town as a base. Several reviewers name favourite breakfast and dinner spots. Wildlife is everywhere, including deer and bears, sometimes right at the edge of town.
There is plenty to do. Visitors recommend Cameron Falls in town, Cameron Lake with its lakeside path and reasonably priced kayak rentals, Red Rock Canyon, the Bison Paddock and the walk to Lower and Upper Bertha Falls, which one hiker said was not too difficult. A lake cruise crosses to Goat Haunt in Glacier National Park in Montana. Canoeing on the main lake is popular too.
The 2017 wildfire left its mark across the park, which some visitors found striking rather than off-putting. Give bears and other wildlife plenty of space, and expect the town and main sights to be busy on sunny summer days.
Summarised from visitor reviews on Google Maps. Based on 5,623 Google reviews. Details change — confirm hours, prices and bookings with Waterton Lakes National Park of Canada directly.
