Waterton Lakes National Park, Canada: A Short Travel Guide

Waterton Lakes National Park is located in the southwestern corner of Alberta and straddles the US border with Montana's Glacier National Park. Nestled in the heart of the majestic Canadian Rocky Mountains, visiting this park is an extraordinary experience. Spanning an area of over 500 square kilometers, Waterton Lakes National Park is a diverse blend of picturesque valleys, breathtaking peaks, and glistening turquoise lakes. In this travel guide, we share the best things to do in Waterton Lakes National Park as well as great places to stay, eat, and drink.

Bear's Hump Hike

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Check out our video about Waterton Lakes National Park to see the best things to do through our camera!

Best Things To Do In Waterton Lakes National Park

• Hike To The Scenic Crypt Lake (Check boat schedule here)

• Get A View From Bear’s Hump

• Hike The Carthew-Alderson Trail (Book shuttle bus to Cameron Lake)

• Drive The Red Rock Parkway To Red Rock Canyon

• Visit The Quaint Waterton Townsite

• See The Cameron Falls

• Go To Cameron Lake

• Visit The Historic Prince Of Wales Hotel (Book afternoon tea)

• Enjoy Upper Waterton Lake (SUP, kayak, swim, sunbathe)

Download our Google Map with all the places to go, eat, drink, and stay here.

Crypt Lake

Places To Stay In Waterton Lakes National Park

• Waterton Townsite Campground ($): Beautiful campground in the heart of town with clean showers, toilets, and washing station. Book in advance via the Parks Canada Reservation System

• Aspen Village Hotel ($$): We stayed in this hotel for a few nights and loved the comfy beds, clean bathroom, and spacious room

Places To Eat And Drink In Waterton Lakes National Park

• BeaverTails Waterton: popular Canadian chain that serves fried dough pastries called BeaverTails, which are topped with a variety of sweet and savory toppings

• Big Scoop Ice Cream Parlor: family-owned ice cream shop that serves huge ice creams and has a variety of flavours

• Pearls Café: small coffee and tea shop with WiFi that serves a variety of coffees, teas, and pastries

• Pizza of Waterton: casual pizzeria that serves a variety of pizzas, as well as other Italian dishes. Also hosts some entertainment in the evenings (like karaoke)

• Prince of Wales Hotel: come for the afternoon tea

• Thirsty Bear Waterton: casual restaurant and bar that serves a variety of pub food, as well as a selection of beers and cocktails. Also has live music in the evening.

• Waffleton: breakfast and lunch café that serves a variety of waffles and other items

• Zum’s Eatery & Mercantile: casual restaurant that serves a variety of traditional breakfast dishes, burgers, and fried chicken.

Carthew-Alderson Trail

Map Waterton Lakes National Park

Find all the places to go, eat, drink, and stay in Waterton Lakes National Park on Google Maps. To follow and save the list, do the following:

1. Tap on the link to open it (click button below)

2. Tap Follow. This list will now be added to the group of lists you follow.

3. Optional: To unfollow a list someone shared with you, tap the list Saved.

If you follow the list we made, all our saved places of Waterton Lakes National Park will show up in Your Places. The places will also appear as suggested locations in Google Maps.

Save Google Maps Places

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Use These Websites To Save Money On Your Trip To Waterton Lakes National Park

• Booking.com for places to stay

• Skyscanner for cheap flights

• GetYourGuide for local tours

• Rentalcars.com for affordable car rentals

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Are you having a hard time planning your trip to Waterton Lakes National Park? Get our Interactive Travel Planner to keep it all organized.

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Need more travel inspiration? Check out our other destinations and articles about Canada:

• 20 Best Hikes in Canmore & Banff

• Berg Lake Trail Hiking & Camping Guide

• Hiking Mount Assiniboine: Sunshine Village to Mt. Shark Trailhead