Waterton is a national park in Alberta Canada. If you’ve been to Glacier National Park in the U.S. it’s just North of that, and is so much more beautiful! In my opinion. My parents grew up in Alberta, Canada so we still have lots of family in the area. All growing up we visited Waterton and have so many sweet memories there. Now a bunch of my cousins work up there, and my two younger siblings even did too for a month this summer. Because it’s Canada’s 150th anniversary, and all the National Parks are free, I thought this would be the perfect time to make a city guide about Waterton. I quizzed my cousins and family for all of the best recommendations, so here they are..
Best Hikes:
Bears Hump-if you’re looking for a super quick hike (but still a good workout), this one is fun and the trailhead is right by the visitors center, so you don’t need to go far! (1.7 mi)
Wall Lake-this is one of the easier hikes in Waterton, but the views are stunning. (7mi)
Bertha Lake-a moderate hike that takes you to the beautiful Bertha Lake. You pass some neat falls on the way up too. (7.1 mi)
Crypt Lake-a challenging and adventurous hike, but the scenery is well worth it. It can only be done by taking a ferry across the lake, so plan accordingly. (full-day hike, 10.7 mi)
Akamina Ridge-a hike that follows the British Columbia/Alberta border line! One of the hardest hikes in Waterton, involves scrambling for part of it, and is really high-adventure. (full-day hike, 13.7 mi)
Carthew-Alderson-one of the most popular and scenic hikes in Waterton. You pass five beautiful lakes and have stunning views! (full-day hike, 11.1 mi)
**If you complete Crypt Lake, Akamina Ridge, and Carthew-Alderson you get something called the “Triple Crown,” an award given out by a little cafe in town called, Pearl’s. They are three local favorite hikes!**
Best Restaurants:
49 Degrees North Pizza-yummy pizza and friendly staff
Weiner’s of Waterton-Gourmet hot dogs with tasty sauces, get everything on it!
Lakeside Chophouse-for a finer dining experience, this is a great option. They serve International fare and have *gorgeous* views.
Big Scoop-an ice cream shop thats been around forever. And my family has been going there for years! The scoops are huge–true to its name–and so amazing.
Best non-hiking activities:
Red Rock Canyon-this is one of my all-time favorite places in Waterton. Its a bunch of beautiful red rocks that are natural waterslides. We used to come here every summer growing up. Wear your swimsuit and have fun cooling off.
Horse Back Riding-beautiful views and a fun activity.
Waterton Shoreline Cruise-a quick cruise that takes you through Upper Waterton Lake and to a short hike to Goats Haunt. Beautiful views as well as educational.
Rock climbing-there is some rock climbing, but lots of scrambling to be done here!
Kayaking/Canoeing/Paddle Boarding-across the lakes, there are rentals in the townsite.
Biking-you can rent single bikes, tandem bikes, or you can rent little group bikes with little shade tents over them, called surreys. They seat three people on the main seat, and you can fit two small children up front. We rented them a lot growing up, they are so fun!
Cameron Falls-you can drive right up to the falls. They are beautiful and it makes for a good photo-op.
Now hurry up there before the weather gets too cold!
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