Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WATERTON LAKES: GLACIER'S CANADIAN SISTER
Just north of Glacier, across the Canadian border in the southwest corner of Alberta,
lies Waterton Lakes National Park. Similar in terrain to Glacier, the park is much
smaller (about 203 square miles compared to Glacier's 1,600) and houses a small
town, Waterton Park, within its borders. Like its neighbor to the south, the stunning
landscape of this park was formed by melting alpine glaciers more than 10,000 years
ago and later shaped by floods, fires, wind, and its natural wildlife and flora.
Before European settlement, various nomadic groups of indigenous people passed
through the area, gathering plants and hunting local wildlife. The most prominent in
the area were the Kootenai, who eventually clashed with the Blackfeet that had fol-
lowed the buffalo into Alberta and taken control of the plains. In 1858 the English
explorer Thomas Blakiston was looking for a railroad pass through the Rockies. He
encountered some members of the local Kootenai tribe, who directed him to a pass
in the south. Traversing this path, he eventually came to an opening that looked on a
chain of three lakes. He named the lakes after fellow British explorer and naturalist
Charles Waterton, known to be quite eccentric. It became a national park in 1895,
and the Great Northern Railway established the Prince of Wales Hotel in 1926, help-
ing put the park on the map for tourists traveling from Glacier to Banff and Jasper in
Alberta.
The star of Waterton's lakes is
Upper Waterton Lake,
situated on the U.S.-
Canada border. It is the deepest lake in the Canadian Rockies and can be explored on
a two-hour cruise that leaves from the Waterton marina and dips down into Montana
before venturing back. If you have the time, you can disembark from the boat to fol-
low the
Crypt Lake Trail,
considered one of the best hikes in Canada. There are
numerous trails around the lake leading past waterfalls, through valleys, and on to
spectacular vistas.
Arguably one of the most photographed hotels in the world for its sublime
setting, the
Prince of Wales Hotel
(406/892-2525 or 403/236-3400 from Canada,
www.glacierparkinc.com
)
is a magnificent Swiss chalet-inspired lodge that over-
looks the lake and the town below. Although pricey, it is a great place to stay to have
the full Waterton experience. If a night's stay is not in your plans, try to stop in for
high tea, which is served daily in the hotel lobby.
