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Shared itinerary · Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta

Waterton Lakes in 2 days

Two days in Waterton Lakes National Park, where the prairie runs straight into the Rockies: the Prince of Wales Hotel, the Bear’s Hump climb, Cameron Falls and a cruise down Upper Waterton Lake into Montana, then Red Rock Canyon, Blakiston Falls, a paddle on Cameron Lake and the wetland at the gate. 9 stops with times and notes. Waterton is three hours from Calgary and far quieter than Banff, but its one small townsite fills on summer weekends, so book a room early.

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Updated

Distance

62.2 km

Prince of Wales Hotel → Maskinonge Lake

Days

2

Stops

9

Each day of Waterton Lakes in 2 days: route, stops and distance
DayRouteStopsDistance
Day 1Prince of Wales Hotel to Waterton Shoreline Cruise54.4 km
Day 2Red Rock Canyon to Maskinonge Lake457.9 km

Day 1: Prince of Wales Hotel to Waterton Shoreline Cruise

4.4 km

The townsite on foot: the hotel, the climb and the falls, then the lake by boat.

  1. 11:00

    Prince of Wales Hotel

    Sight

    The 1927 railway hotel on the bluff, for the view down Upper Waterton Lake. Tea in the lobby when it is open, June to September.

    976 m · 10m walk to next

  2. 12:00

    Wieners of Waterton

    Food & drink

    Hot dogs and fries in the townsite.

    1.2 km · 15m walk to next

  3. 13:00

    Bear’s Hump

    Activity

    A steep 2.8 km return climb from the visitor centre to the rock over the townsite and the lakes.

    1.2 km · 20m walk to next

  4. 15:00

    Cameron Falls

    Park & nature

    Falls over some of the oldest exposed rock in the Canadian Rockies, a few minutes from town.

    972 m · 10m walk to next

  5. 16:00

    Waterton Shoreline Cruise

    Activity

    Two hours on Upper Waterton Lake, across the border into Montana and back. Book ahead in July and August.

Day 2: Red Rock Canyon to Maskinonge Lake

57.9 km

The two parkways: Red Rock in the morning, Akamina after it. Both close to cars for the winter.

  1. 08:30

    Red Rock Canyon

    Park & nature

    Red and green argillite in a small canyon at the end of the Red Rock Parkway. The loop around it takes 20 minutes.

    2.9 km · 5m walk to next

  2. 09:20

    Blakiston Falls

    Park & nature

    An easy walk from the canyon lot down the valley to falls in a narrow gorge.

    15.1 km · 45m drive to next

  3. 11:30

    Cameron Lake

    Park & nature

    At the end of the Akamina Parkway, under Mount Custer. Rent a canoe or kayak at the dock; the far end of the lake is in Montana.

    23.9 km · 30m drive to next

  4. 14:00

    Maskinonge Lake

    Park & nature

    A wetland at the park gate, for swans, ospreys and a last look back at the mountains.