WATERTON LAKES NATIONAL PARK - Canadian Rockies: Including Banff and Jasper National Parks - page 424

grand mountain resort financed by the railway, except, unlike those in Banff and Jasper, it
had no rail link and has always been U.S.-owned. It was built as part of a chain of first-
class hotels in Glacier National Park and is still owned by the company that controls those
south of the border. Early guests were transported to the hotel by bus from the Great North-
ern Railway in Montana. After extensive restoration inside and out, the hotel has been re-
turned to its former splendor, best appreciated by standing in the lobby area and gazing out
across the lake and up into the exposed timber-frame ceiling. Off the lobby you'll find a
restaurant, lounge, and gift shop. Rates for the smallest (and they're small) value rooms
are $235 s or d; standard rooms start at $290. The opulence and history of this hotel are
unequaled in Waterton, but don't expect the facilities of a similarly priced city hostelry:
Rooms have no television, and value rooms on the upper floors have no elevator access.
CAMPGROUNDS
If you want to enjoy the warm summer nights of southern Alberta, you will find several
options for camping within and around the park.
Park Campgrounds
Waterton Lakes National Park has three campgrounds holding 391 campsites. Reservations
are taken for some sites at the main Townsite Campground through the Parks Canada
Campground Reservation Service (877/737-3783, www.pccamping.ca ) . The three
campgrounds detailed below are open only in summer. The rest of the year, camping is al-
lowed at the Pass Creek day-use area, along the park access road.
The most popular camping spot—thanks to a central location and top-notch amenit-
ies—is the Townsite Campground (mid-Apr.-mid-Oct.), within walking distance of the
lake, trailheads, restaurants, and shops. Many of its more than 238 sites have power, wa-
ter, and sewer hookups. The campground also offers showers and kitchen shelters. Walk-in
tent sites are $23, unserviced sites $28, hookups $39. The quota of unreserved sites fills
quickly each day (especially in July and August), so to ensure a spot, try to time your ar-
rival before check-out time (11am).
The 129 sites at Crandell Campground (mid-May-early Sept., $23 per site), 10 kilo-
meters (6.2 miles) from the town site on Red Rock Canyon Parkway, are sprinkled through
a lightly forested area of the valley bottom. This campground has flush toilets and kitchen
shelters but no hookups. Pleasant Crandell Lake is an easy 2.4-kilometer (1.5-mile) walk
from the southwest corner of the campground.