Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
often likened to a lighted torch. Above the tree line is the alpine zone, where harsh winds
and short summer seasons make trees a rarity. Only lichens and alpine wildflowers flour-
ish at these high altitudes. Crypt Lake is a good place for viewing this zone.
FAUNA
Wildlife viewing in the park requires patience and a little know-how, but the rewards are
ample, as good as anywhere in the Canadian Rockies. Elk inhabit the park year-round. A
large herd gathers by Entrance Road in late fall, wintering on the lowlands. By early fall,
many mule deer are wandering around town. Bighorn sheep are often seen on the north
side of Blakiston Valley or on the slopes above the Waterton Visitor Centre; occasionally
they end up in town. White-tailed deer are best viewed along Red Rock Canyon Park-
way. The park has a small population of moose, occasionally seen in low-lying wetlands.
Mountain goats rarely leave the high peaks of the backcountry, but from Goat, Crypt, or
Bertha Lake you might catch a glimpse of one high above you.
The most common predators in the park are the coyotes, which spend their summer
days chasing ground squirrels around the prairie and parkland areas. For its size, Waterton
has a healthy population of cougars, but these shy, solitary animals are rarely seen. About
50 black bears live in the park. They spend most of the summer in the heavily fores-
ted montane regions. During August and September, scan the slopes of Blakiston Valley,
where the bears can often be seen feasting on saskatoon berries before going into winter
hibernation. Much larger than black bears are grizzlies, which roam the entire backcoun-
try but are rarely encountered. Larger even still are bison. Although these prairie dwellers
never lived in the mountains, they would have grazed around the eastern outskirts of what
is now the park. A small herd is contained in the Bison Paddock, just before the park gate.
Golden-mantled ground squirrels live on the Bear's Hump and around Cameron
Falls. Columbian ground squirrels are just about everywhere. Chipmunks scamper
about on Bertha Lake Trail. The best time for viewing beavers is at dawn and dusk along
the Belly River. Muskrats can be seen on the edges of Maskinonge Lake eating bulrushes.
Mink also live at the lake but are seen only by those with patience.
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