Waterton Lakes National Park

Visit Waterton – Getting There

In order to visit Waterton Lakes National Park, you will need a vehicle. The park is just over 3 hours south of Calgary, Alberta and 3.5 hours from Great Falls, Montana. Some visitors start in Glacier National Park in the States and then drive an hour north from St Mary over the Canadian Border to the town of Waterton. Alberta Highway #5 ends at Waterton. The highway is maintained year round, but the town closes almost completely in the off season. In the summer months, there is also access to Cameron Lake in the park on a paved road known as the Akamina Parkway and to Red Rock Canyon on the Red Rock Parkway.

Prince of Wales Hotel, Waterton Lakes National Park

Visit Waterton – Prince of Wales Hotel

Prince of Wales Hotel – This hotel is rustic, but you don’t have to stay overnight to enjoy the hotel. When you visit Waterton Lakes National Park, try the Prince of Wales pub or the restaurant and enjoy the lovely lake and mountain views. Indulge in afternoon tea in the lobby or the main restaurant, but be prepared for warm conditions, as the hotel is not air conditioned and the large windows overheat the lobby on sunny days. The view from the Prince of Wales Hotel is amazing. The hotel overlooks the town of Waterton too.

Visit Waterton – Cameron Lake

Drive the Akamina Parkway to Cameron Lake. Look for bears and wildlife along the route. Canoes, kayaks, paddle boards and peddle boats are available for rent at Cameron Lake during the height of the tourist season. Unfortunately, the 2017 Kenow Wildfire burned many of the trees at Cameron Lake. The undergrowth is recovering very slowly and will take decades.

Fireweed, 9 years after Kenow Fire

Red Rock Canyon

Drive the Red Rock Parkway for 25 minutes from Waterton and then get wet hiking in the creek that runs through Red Rock Canyon. This area has become extremely popular with tourists. The road to Red Rock Canyon is lots of fun with its sharp twists and turns. One of the small hills on the route is steep enough that it feels like the beginning of a roller coaster ride. This road is too narrow for camper trailers.

Don’t worry if the main parking area is full when you get to the canyon. From the nearby overflow parking there is a foot bridge with the option to walk up either side of Red Rock Creek. When you reach the main parking, you will find another footbridge. You can continue up pathways either side of Red Rock Canyon, but most visitors choose this location for the easiest descent into the creek. If you continue up the paths on either side of the creek, you will find a third footbridge, which offers great views into what has suddenly become a deep gorge with people clambering up the creek far below you.

Visit Waterton – Lake Cruise

You have lots of options for Lake cruises on Upper Waterton Lake during the height of the tourist season. All the cruises start in Waterton. In the early morning you can cruise all the way to the end of the lake to reach Goat Haunt in Montana. Some hikers will ride one way and then hike through Glacier National Park after clearing US Customs. Other cruise options include a visit the Goat Haunt Ranger Station and the Peace Pavilion marking the international border, but you don’t need a passport for this option.

Prince of Wales & Sunset Cruise

You can also take a boat between Waterton and Crypt Landing. From there, many tourists hike to Crypt Lake. The hike includes climbing a vertical ladder on a steep section and wedging your way through a narrow tunnel to reach Crypt Lake. In the evening a sunset one hour cruise is offered too. Check the schedule carefully, as it changes throughout the summer season.

Waterton Lakes Bison Paddock

Check the National Parks website to see if the Waterton Lakes Bison Paddock is open. If it is, head out on a 15 minute drive from Waterton on highways 5 & 6 to the Waterton Lakes National Park Bison Paddock. You will find an open gate with a cattle guard crossing that keeps the bison inside the fenced area. You won’t find anyone monitoring the entrance.

The bison paddock is rolling prairie with no trees. The gravel road through the paddock is a one way loop for just over 2 miles (4 km). If you are lucky, the bison will be near the gravel road. If not, you will still see them in the distance. The bison herd can seem very tame, but don’t get out of your vehicle. They may even cross the road so close that they almost brush up against your car.

Why Isn’t Waterton More Popular?

Geography is the reason that Waterton isn’t over run by tourists the way that Banff and Jasper are. You can reach Banff in half the time it takes to get to Waterton from Calgary. When you are in Waterton Lakes National Park there are only two roads. You can take a 35 minute drive to Cameron Lake or a 25 minute drive to Red Rock Canyon. In comparison, Banff & Jasper offer many more tourist attractions such as Lake Louise, Maligne Lake, Spirit Island, the Athabasca Glacier and the fabulous Icefields Parkway. From Waterton you do have the option to travel about an hour by car to reach St Mary in Glacier Park in Montana and continue enjoying the Rockies.

Another factor that reduces the popularity of Waterton is that it’s difficult to find accommodation in the summer. Meanwhile in the winter, Waterton becomes a ghost town, because all the hotels in Waterton close for the off season.

Bear’s Hump Trail

Restaurants in Waterton

For such a small village, Waterton has great restaurants. In 2026 the Lakeside Chophouse is our top recommendation. The outside seating along the waterfront promenade is shaded at dinner time, making it extremely pleasant. The service is efficient and the meals are great. The braised short ribs are very popular. The seafood linguine has been on the menu for 15 years.

Lakeside Chophouse, Waterton

Another great choice is Kilmorey Lodge with their seating on the deck. You can enjoy glimpses of the lake through the trees plus an unobstructed view of the Bear’s Hump at this quiet location. Try the Saskatoon Berry Pie with vanilla ice cream!

Wieners of Waterton creates large line ups simply because the delicious smells waft through the air and pull in the customers.

In short, you can’t go wrong in Waterton. It’s a great place to enjoy a meal.

Hikes in Waterton National Park

Bear’s Hump – From Highway #5 at the parking lot opposite the entrance to the Prince of Wales Hotel, take a steep hike on a well marked trail for a half hour. You might need extra time though, as this short hike rises over 700 feet. At the top enjoy views down to Upper Waterton Lake, the Prince of Wales Hotel and the village of Waterton. Be careful at the viewpoint edge, as there are no guardrails.

Crypt Lake – Catch the shuttle boat from Waterton to Crypt Landing. Then hike about 6 hours return, including a vertical ladder climb and a narrow tunnel traverse.

Cameron Lake to Waterton – Take a shuttle to Cameron Lake and then hike 12 miles on the Carthew-Alderson trail back to Waterton. If you only want to do part of the hike, drive to Lake Cameron and hike to Carthew Lakes. Then retrace your path to your vehicle at Cameron Lake.

Visit Waterton – Accommodation

One of the reasons Waterton isn’t as popular as Banff or Jasper relates to its limited accommodation. There are less than 10 hotels within the park boundaries and camping spots are limited too. You can find accommodation outside the park in Pincher Creek or Cardston, but you are looking at a 45 minute one way commute to these small towns. Your AirBnB options are also a similar distance from the park.

• Prince of Wales Hotel – historic Great Northern Railway building with rustic furnishings.
• Waterton National Park Camping – make your reservations well in advance
• Bayshore Inn Resort and Kilmorey Lodge are both located along the lake shore, but trees block much of the views.
• Other hotels in the village include Waterton Glacier Suites, Waterton Lakes Lodge, Aspen Village, Crandell Mountain Lodge and Bear Mountain Motel.