Cultural Heritage, Attractions & Activities
This area holds special appeal for visitors interested in the culture of indigenous peoples. Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park lies just west of the Blood Reserve in Canada and borders the Blackfeet Reservation in the United States. People of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, southwest of the park, also have a close association with the park. While visiting the park, take the time to learn about our neighbors.
- Nearby in Browning, Montana, the Museum of the Plains Indian features fascinating exhibits and Native American handcrafts as sales items.The museum is open seven days a week, from June through September. Also in Browning, North American Indian Days, July 6 through 9, is a large celebration of Native American culture that includes a parade, traditional dress, and dancing. Visitors are always welcome.
- Northeast of Waterton Lakes National Park, early plains culture is dramatically displayed at the Head-Smashed-in Buffalo Jump World Heritage Site. This little known site is open seven days a week throughout the summer and is well worth a visit. Phone 403-553-2731 for further information.
- The People's Center and Native Ed-Ventures, for the preservation of Kootenai and Saiish Culture, are located near Pablo, Montana. The Center provides educational opportunities, full-day and half-day interpretive tours of the Flathead Indian Reservation, a museum collection, and gift shop. Open daily throughout the summer. Call 1-800-883-5344 for further information.
Other Attractions
Cameron Falls, located in the town site, is a picturesque waterfall, created as Cameron Creek Falls from its valley into the deeper Waterton Valley.
Goat Haunt, located in Glacier National Park at the south end of Upper Waterton Lake, is accessible from Waterton by both trail and boat. Goat Haunt features an International Peace Park Pavilion and a U.S. Ranger Station. Visitors staying overnight must report to a Ranger at Coat Haunt.
The Akamina Pass Trail leads from the Akamina Parkway in Alberta to British Columbia's Akamina-Kishinena Provincial Park. Back country campgrounds and a Ranger Station are located near Will Lake. A British Columbia fishing license is required and may be purchased only at the Waterton Visitor Reception Centre. Information is available from B.C. Parks. Phone (604) 422-3212.
Wildlife and Wildflowers are abundant. Fall is probably the best time for wildlife watching. The larger animals come down from their summer ranges and waterfowl are on their migratory routes through the Park. Bears, deer, elk and bighorn sheep can be seen in the prairie portions of the Park. Sheep and deer frequent the town site.
The Park's diversity of habitats is hone to a great variety of birds. The Maskinonge area is particularly rich in bird life. In spring and summer, look for birds around Linnet Lake, Cameron Like and along the Wishbone Trail.
Wildflowers can be seen in the Park at almost any season except winter. In spring and summer, the prairies are particularly blessed with flowers. In the late summer and early fall, wildflowers are blooming at the higher elevations.
Scenic Drives:
- The Entrance Road provides 8 km (5 miles) of magnificent views that beautifully illustrate the Park's theme, "where the Mountains meet the prairie." Colorful prairie flowers and grasses and the glittering blue chain of the Waterton Lakes are set against a mountain backdrop. The sight of the historic Prince of Wiles Hotel, on a knoll above the lakes, indicates you will soon arrive at our lakeside town site.
- The Akamina Parkway begins near the town site and runs for 16 km. along the Cameron Valley. Points of interest include the site of western Canada's first producing oil well, the Oil City site and scenic Cameron Lake.
- The Red Rock Parkway meanders over rolling prairie and through the Blakiston Valley. It ends at the strikingly colored rocks and cascading creeks of Red Rock Canyon, a distance of 15 km. The drive features views of magnificent mountains, including Mt. Blakiston, the Park's highest peak.
- The Chief Mountain Highway is the primary route between Waterton Likes and Glacier National Parks. The highway climbs from the grasslands near Maskinonge Lake to a viewpoint giving a magnificent vista of the Front Range of the Rockies and Waterton Valley. En route from the border crossing, the road traverses fields and forests dotted with wetlands created by Crooked Creek.
- The Bison Paddock, near the north entrance to the Park off Highway 6, features a small herd of plains bison, maintained to commemorate the lager herds that once roamed freely in this area. The bison can be seen while driving a narrow road through the paddock. Please do not leave your vehicles. The road is not suitable for vehicles with trailers.
Recreational Activities:
Waterton offers a variety of hiking trails, for almost anyone's ability and preferences. Boating, scuba diving and board sailing are popular sports in Upper Waterton Lake. You may rent boats at Cameron Lake. Fishing is permitted in most Park waters, with an appropriate license. Ask at the Visitor Reception Centre.
Waterton has an 18-hole golf course, horse riding facilities, public tennis courts, a ball field and two children's playgrounds. In winter, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are popular.
Interpretation Services:
All visitors are invited to participate in personal interpretive programs offered in the Park; ranging from evening theatre programs to in-depth Heritage Education Programs. A cruise boat offers interpretive tours of Upper Waterton Lake, and other private interpretation services are also available.