Waterton Lakes National Park

Waterton Lakes National Park is open and ready to welcome visitors. There is a range of recreational activities, special events, volunteer opportunities and interpretation programs available for visitors as they discover and connect with the park. Visitors are encouraged to plan ahead to have the best possible experience. Some areas and facilities remain closed due to the 2017 Kenow Wildfire.

Please see our updated list of open and accessible areas on our website at Waterton

Highlights of this National Park

Please see our updated list of open and accessible areas on our website at Waterton Lakes National Park

Top 10 Things to do in Waterton Park- Summer:

1. Bike, walk or run along the paved Kootenai Brown trail
2. Look for wildflowers along Red Rock Parkway
3. Visit the International Peace Park Plaza
4. Watch for migratory birds at the Maskinonge
5. Stroll around Linnet Lake and look for signs of growth
6. Take part in a volunteer event
7. Take in the scenic views along the Chief Mountain Highway
8. Have a picnic at Pass Creek
9. Hike to Bertha Falls
10. Visit Waterton’s shops, cafes and restaurants

Others: Attend a summer event; Take a picnic lunch into Crandell Lake; Watch the stars on Red Rock Parkway; Take an evening walk to the Peace Park Pavilion and find a seat in the nearby park to view the top of Vimy light up as the sun sets; Take the Waterton Geocaching Challenge; For more hardy folks - hike to the ridge above Lineham Lakes along the Rowe/Tamarack Trail; Kayak on any of the lakes, but especially wildlife watching from a boat on Cameron Lake; Kite-flying on the Prince of Wales hill.

In the community, there are eight hotels, several restaurants and lounges, a variety of church services, one fuel station, camping supplies, groceries, pool and spa facilities, bank machines, gift shops, playgrounds, a post office, launderette and theatre. Interpretive guides, bicycle rentals, golf course, horse stables, boat tours on Upper Waterton Lake and canoe or rowboat rentals at Cameron Lake are also available.

Top 10 Things to do in Waterton Park- Winter:

1. Snowshoe into Crandell Lake and picnic in the shelter.
2. Go for a ski or walk on a full moon night - and hope the coyote's howl!
3. Cross-country ski the Dipper and Cameron trails to Cameron Lake and have a hot chocolate at Little Prairie picnic area.
4. Sit around a fire at the Community Kitchen and watch the big waves hit the beach.
5. Watch the sunrise from Lower Waterton Lake pull-out on the Entrance Parkway.
6. Snowshoe up and over the Akamina Pass and have a picnic on the continental divide.
7. Walk along the river between the Marquis Hole and the Hay Barn (be prepared for muddy or icy conditions).
8. Bring your skates (as once in a while the ice on the lake turns into a spectacular skating rink. Always call the warden office for ice conditions before venturing out).
9. Walk around the community on the Townsite Trail on a squeaky cold, clear and calm day; and watch for dippers below Cameron Falls.
10. Go walking or snowshoeing along the Red Rock Parkway, Marquis Hole or Hay Barn Road and look for animal tracks in the snow.

*These are personal recommendations made by residents of Waterton and Parks Canada staff in Waterton Lakes National Park.

Key Access Points to this National Park

Waterton Lakes National Parks is easily reached in less than a day from anywhere in the Crown. The park is an easy drive from several points along the Crowsnest Pass's main artery, Alberta Provincial Highway 3.

Visitors starting from Montana can access the park via Chief Mountain International Highway 17, which branches from Montana Highway 89 north of St. Mary. This border crossing is open from May 15 to September 30. Other times of the year, access is via the Carway/Peigan border crossing south of Cardston, Alberta, where Montana Highway 89 expires and Alberta Provincial Highway 2 begins.

Driving Directions to Key Access Points

From Calgary follow Provincial Highway 2 south to Fort Macleod, then west on Provincial Highway 3 to Pincher Creek, then south again on Provincial Highway 6. A more scenic and enjoyable route from Calgary is south on Provincial Highway 22, the Cowboy Trail, then west on Provincial Highway 3 to Pincher Creek, and finally south on Provincial Highway 6 to the park.

From Lethbridge, drive south to Cardston on Provincial Highway 2, then west to the park on Provincial Highway 5.

From British Columbia, travel east on Highway 3 to Pincher Creek and then south on Highway 6.

From Glacier National Park, Montana, take the Chief Mountain International Highway in summer or go north through Cardston on Montana Highway 89 to Alberta Highway 2 then west on Highway 5 any time of year.