Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada lies just to the north of Glacier National Park. Together, Waterton and Glacier formed the first ever “International Peace Park” in 1932. They are administered separately and have separate entrance fees.
Waterton was established in 1895 as the fourth Canadian national park. It is named for Waterton Lake, which was named after naturalist and conservationist Charles Waterton. It protects nearly 125,000 acres.
Waterton is the deepest lake in the Canadian Rockies. It contains three scenic drives: Red Rock Parkway to Red Rock Canyon, Akamina Parkway to Cameron Lake, and the Chief Mountain Highway. It also has world class hiking available on 120 miles of trails.
If you plan to travel to Waterton Lakes from the United States, you must have an active passport. It is located in Canada so normal rules for international travel apply. The Chief Mountain Border Crossing is located in the park on the Chief Mountain Highway between Babb, Montana and Pincher Creek, Alberta. This is a seasonal border crossing – it closes in the winter.
Approximately 400,000 people visit the Canadian national park connected to Glacier every year. It is about 1.5 hours driving from the Many Glacier area to Waterton Park, about two hours from East Glacier Park Village, and about three hours to drive from West Glacier.
The Prince of Wales Hotel sits overlooking Upper Waterton Lakes, one of the iconic railway hotels across Canada that served railroad passengers. This historic hotel opened in 1927 and was built by Great Northern Railway. The hotel is located in the park and offers lodging in 86 rooms from mid-May to mid-September. In 1992, it was named as a National Historic Site of Canada. Afternoon Tea at the hotel with its spectacular lake views is a Waterton tradition.
