Day 07 - Waterton Lakes NP

Today was our first full day in Waterton Lakes NP. We had breakfast at Vimy’s, the resort’s restaurant, and finalized our plans for the day. We decided to try to do four different hikes with two scenic drives. Two hikes at the end of the Red Rock Parkway and two additional hikes at the end of the Akamina Parkway. With our early start we could avoid traffic and have cooler temps.

We got on the bike and headed out to ride the Red Rock Parkway. The town was quiet this morning and somewhat empty compared to the evening before. The Parkway was very twisty in the beginning but in very rough shape. Lots of pot holes and frost heaves, it looked like swiss cheese. We kept the speed down to 40kph to keep the Wing from rattling too much.

Once in the parking lot we switched out of our riding clothes and into our hiking shoes. Rob had the good idea to bring our Pak-it Rak bag to store our riding gear while we hiked. Usually we run a cable lock through the sleeves and pant legs, but this was an easier solution. With the gear stowed, the parking lot was still nearly empty so we looked forward to having the trail to ourselves.

Just off the parking lot is this very striking red rock canyon. It was very pretty and the colors vibrant.

After checking out the canyon for a bit, we set out on our first hike to the Blakiston Falls. Michele had her bear bell on to let all the bears know we were coming. The trail afforded us fantastic views of the surround mountain peaks, trees and plant life.

We saw a few hints of the varied wildlife that make this place their home.

We reached the falls. The water was moving quite fast and roaring over the rocks. We came to the main trail area and decided to walk down to the waterline for more views.

Michele was videoing the water and as she turned, this little squirrel wanted to be the star of her movie. He got a bit too close and Michele squealed. The squirrel didn’t seem to mind and hung around for more pictures. We think he was hoping for some Poutine.

We returned to the parking lot to find it full of vehicles and the canyon full of adults, children, and pets playing in the water.

We hiked around the red rock canyon loop and saw this sign. Rob thought it meant that if you jump the fence you can dive into the river below.

After the hike around the canyon, we got back on the bike to head back to town for lunch.

We had a late lunch at a taco bar. All the town restaurants are family owned and have different cuisine. We shared the big burrito with excellent carnitas filling. Delicious!

Next adventure: Akamina Parkway. This scenic drive offered views of other mountain peaks in the Park, and let us get up close and personal to these impressive mountains, some of which had snow pack remaining in shady crevices.

The parking lot wasn’t too full so we went for it. Cameron Lake was gorgeous!

The first of our two hikes was about 2 miles along the shoreline. The scenery speaks for itself.

We had shady cover and the temperatures were cooler up here than in town. This lake has its own unique weather, with moist air coming in from the Pacific and meeting arctic air to create blizzards in the winter, to the tune of about 18 feet over 7 months.

We passed a few other families and couples on the path but had the majority of it to ourselves. Taking a few detours at the water’s edge let us hear nothing—it was completely silent out there. Fantastic!

At the end of the trail, large signs told us to STOP! and not continue onward. Apparently this is Grizzly’s Garden, an area of ideal plant growth that bears love to eat.

We picked up speed to head back to the trailhead since a surprise rain shower appeared. It didn’t last long so we decided to take the half mile walk to Akamina Lake. This trail had a very different feel to it, much shadier and a bit spooky. There were no other people on this trail. We arrived at the lake and it was indeed a pristine sub alpine lake. Stunning!

With our hikes done for the day, we took a quick stop at the Prince of Wales Hotel to see about dinner reservations tomorrow. This hotel was built in the 1920s and is historic. We look forward to spending a few hours there on our final night in Waterton Lakes tomorrow.

Hungry from our miles of hiking today, we went to dinner at Trapper’s Grill, which is “too fancy” as one family called it as they went by. It wasn’t really, but a little out of budget for a family with a lot of little children. We shared a blue cheese burger while dining outside, and got the oreo cake to go.

Today was a great day and we loved being able to explore a few of the park’s lakes and mountains up close. Tomorrow we have a more ambitious hike planned with the promise of a view above the town.