Waterton Lakes is absolutely one of the most beautiful parks we have ever visited. Driving in to…read morethe village, your first view is of the Prince of Wales Hotel which is a very unique building. We continued on through town to the Townsite Campground which was absolutely beautiful with a creek running through the grounds leading out to Waterton Lake. The creek was fed on the other end by a gorgeous waterfall. Waterton Lakes is basically the Canadian side of Glacier National Park. I strongly recommend that you visit!

Magnificent natural beauty. Lakes, streams, and mountains of majesty surrounding a valley. Bike…read moretrails, picnic areas, and scenic turn offs abound. Came through yesterday, and admission was free. Saw there's a golf course as well. Small town of Waterton with a RV campground, stores and restaurants.

Was surprised with how much I loved this little beach. I got a sandwich nearby at Wich Haus (the…read moremost amazing smoked chicken thigh sammy) and decided to come here to enjoy it on the beach. There were picnic tables and a beautiful lake with some mountains in the background. Just overall pristine and beautiful. The water looked so clear and inviting, I went in for a swim. Being mid-September, it was pretty cold, but I had a refreshing swim on the beach. No lifeguards or anyone telling you where you can and can't swim which is my kinda open water swimming. Loved this city beach -- highly recommended!

So fun! We rented a float tube , a SUP, and a beach chair - reasonably priced since we didn't bring…read moreany beach gear. There was some sand and grass with shade trees. We got a spot, had a picnic and went out on the lake! Then we got ice cream sandwiches at the snack bar. Everyone was cool and friendly. There was a big roped off swim area: actually 2: a shallow area for little ones and a big deeper are with a swim platform. Great afternoon to chill out after crowds and traffic in Glacier NP.

Wow! What can I say about the most amazing views you will ever see. On your way in you see Chief…read moreMountain which is totally breathtaking. Take in the beautiful views of the glacier mountains, drive the scenic roads looking at wild life and walk around the Waterton Village for gifts/a bite to eat. You also visit the lodge for High Tea for a relaxing afternoon.

Your day in Waterton, Alberta Canada will be amazing…read more You can rent bike and explore scenic roads and paths, have high tea at the historic Prince of Wales hotel, take a hike to enjoy scenic views of this unique landscape, take a boat ride that brings you across Waterton Lake and into the USA, or enjoy food or drink at one of the charming restaurants in the village of Waterton.

You'd be hard pressed to say anything about GTSR aside from "unmatched views of beautiful meadows,…read moremassive mountains, gorgeous valleys, and the occasional waterfall." The road is only open 3-4 months out of the year in summer once the snow has been cleared and it can become closed again if it snows late in the season (that happened this year in 2025), so bear that in mind when planning your trip. That said, it is absolutely worth at least one trip in everyone's life as far as I'm concerned to make the drive along this famous road. It is absolutely stunning, every lookout point is an incredible photo op, and even the visitor centers are in the most stunning, picturesque locations so even if you can't hike any tough trails, you can see some absolutely incredible parts of this park without even leaving the car (although would strongly recommend getting out for hikes if you are physically able - you miss a lot of other grandeur if you don't ). If very afraid of heights be aware the road is kinda narrow and the drop offs can look kinda steep. But there are barriers all along the road, rest assured about that. Overall - this is without a doubt one of the most beautiful drives and parks I've ever been in, period. STRONGLY rec a visit.

Definitely a highlight of any trip to Glacier National Park. The cool thing is you can do it…read moreseveral times and it will likely yield different views each time. We did it three times over 4 days and saw different things each time. Between 7am to 3pm you must have a timed entry reservation. The parking spots fill up fast so you might need to go several times just so you can head to where you want to go first thing. Then hit less popular areas after. Or don't drive and take the shuttles.

Akamina Parkway....a major attraction and spot to explore in Waterton Lakes National Park...just…read morewasn't fulfilling enough for me. Granted the circumstances...I was disappointed. Alright....getting straight to the gist....when I visited Waterton Lakes this past summer.....I was excited to drive this 9.4 mile road along scenic surroundings and amongst the beautiful Canadian/American countryside. It all came to a halt when I discovered that there was a major fire in the area that caused Akamina Parkway to be closed down until improvements could be made to the road. What a disappointment! Yet....let me clarify....the road was only closed to vehicles. But....if you wanted to hike it....which sounded outrageous considering round trip it would be almost 20 miles, or........(which I did) you could rent a bicycle in town at Pat's of Waterton and spend a few hours traversing the path on 2 wheels. I was genuinely excited to explore Akamina Parkway (since I had plenty of time) and I had no issues with renting a bike. Here's where the problem came to be.....I went to Pat's, it was all good. I rented a mountain bike which was $60 - American dollars for the entire day (or after the exchange rate on my credit card) - only $47 Canadian. Great.....I rented the bike and went on my way..... Good thing about the location of Akamina Parkway - the start of it was situated right on the outskirts of the town of Waterton. Biking from Pat's to the start of the parkway was simple. Well....here's where conditions (at least for me) became difficult. Trekking upon the parkway, wow....it was entirely uphill. (I thought I was athletic and in good shape) I was huffing and puffing away! Countless times I had to get off my bike and walk it uphill. It was strenuous to say the least, ugh. Funny.....I had multiple people pass me by. How??? I thought??? Because those folks were smart. They were riding E-BIKES! E-BIKES (I thought to myself...what is an E-Bike???) It's a motorized bicycle that assists you limiting the amount of pedaling. Wow...who woulda thought? I'm 40 years old and totally out of touch with modern technologies these days! So yeah I made a mistake. I needed an E-Bike! Even though I never realized renting an E-Bike was an option....it can be done at Pat's - though it's only offered at an hourly rate (around $20ish per hour, I believe)...not for one flat fee for the entire day. Regardless of how I navigated this 9.4 mile Akamina Parkway.....I was expecting grand and glorious images of the panoramic landscape of Waterton......unfortunately along my intense pedaling....the views were mediocre. I had also read at the end of this roadway.....the 2 mile round trip hike along Cameron Lakeshore was superb. Ultimately, I never made it. I couldn't even finish the bicycling journey after 2 suffering hours. So...I don't know if Cameron Lake and the surrounding trail was picturesque. But by the photos I saw online....it did look special. In the end...I actually pedaled about 3/4's of the way on Akamina Parkway. And...not only was this mostly uphill....but the treacherous WATERTON WINDS were blowing against me intensifying the whole ordeal. One other note....my bike seat so was uncomfortable that my undercarriage was in quite some pain, lol. I don't know why...but in that moment I decided to quit - "no mas"....I had enough. Ironically and typically, I was quite excited to turn around and bicycle back to the start which as you'd expect if you've come this far....took a quick downhill cruise with the wind of - 20 minutes! Hehehe Hopefully for those who are reading this and for the future....Akamina Parkway will be reopened to passenger vehicles enabling a smooth and easy exploration of the area. Regardless, I wasn't too impressed with the scenery along the way. It was sort of a letdown. I found visiting Prince of Wales Hotel, Bertha Lake Trail, Cameron Falls, taking a boat tour on the "International" and walking around Waterton Township made for much more worthwhile activities and sights upon my visit to Waterton Lakes NP.

A very gorgeous lake that was a short trek to see and pretty populated. The peaks are in the…read morebackground make it very picturesque. It was a great first stop heading into Glacier National Park for us!

SO BEAUTIFUL! I visited in June and stayed at the cabins right next to Lake McDonald. I made sure…read moreto walk out to Lake McDonald first thing every morning and spent about an hour out there each night before going to bed. The water is perfectly clear and the colored rocks are so unique and cool to look at. I had the opportunity to Kayak on Lake McDonald and it was one of the highlights of my trip!

Super nice and helpful!! Very easy to choose from their large selection of watercraft, and Cameron…read moreLake is where it's at! The manager of the Boat Rental place is very kind -- he went all over the dock asking people if they had lost a phone and then their other employees helped me find him, and now I have my phone back!! Highly recommend :)

Great opportunity to explore Cameron Lake from the water and see so much more of its beauty without…read moredisturbing the terrain. Be prepared for changeable weather and don't go out alone. That was my first mistake, as was going out in gloomy weather. Wear a watch so you know your time too. I went around the lake having understood I could "do that in an hour". I'm NOT an experienced kayaker and stated that. I was told it could get gusty out there. Glorious peaceful time heading up. Ran into stiff winds and some rain on the way back and it took alot of cursing, gritting my teeth and girding my old loins to push home. Needless to say I was well over the hour but we called it even. Only reason this isn't a 5 star is because I was surprised they didn't come out given the weather shift and me being the ONLY boat on the lake.Oddly I didn't have a "time out" on my sheet, but hubby figured I was out there for over 2 hours. He asked the staff about it as he was starting to get worried, but they said they were tracking me the entire time. I made it back but it was a little scary at times. I stayed close to shore though. Remember, I'm nearly 60, young folks would probably eat this up and find it exhilarating! So....Despite my over ambitious excursion you have GOT to try it!! If you're in relatively good shape you can do this!! The scenery and serenity was breathtaking. Good little kayak! There are canoes, paddle boats, SUP. Just don't be stubborn like me! People like me are the reason they have waivers and overcharges.

Trail of the Cedars is a really short and beautiful hike and is wheelchair accessible. There are…read moresigns for Avalanche trail which starts around the midpoint of the Cedars trail. I Highly recommend the Avalanche trail. Its approx 5 miles round trip and takes about 2 hours but that was including picture taking that we did. We completed this ending of May and views of the Lake were gorgeous. The path was easy to follow and the elevation wasnt that tough to hike. We saw deer along the way which was cute! Breath taking views of the lake at the end so worth it and relatively easy hike. There ia even a restroom along the hike about a mile in. Both hikes recommended!

Our group ranged in age from 7-69 and everyone enjoyed this gentle loop which included a gorgeous…read morewaterfall and plenty of picture-worthy scenes. The youngest one among us enjoyed clambering up boulders and throwing walks into the river. If you're looking for a family-friendly hike in Glacier, this is it!

Oscar was an absolutely outstanding rafting guide and made our day unforgettable. From start to…read morefinish, he brought the perfect mix of confidence, warmth, humor, and calm leadership. Our whole family felt safe, engaged, and completely swept up in the adventure. The scenery was spectacular, the camaraderie on the raft was a blast, and Oscar made every stretch of the river feel memorable. The highlight of the day was seeing a baby black bear, which felt like something out of a movie and instantly became a family story we'll be telling for years. Oscar clearly knows the river, loves what he does, and has a gift for making people feel both comfortable and excited. We could not have asked for a better guide. Glorious day, incredible adventure, and huge thanks to Oscar for making it so special.

We had a great time with our guide, Devin. We felt completely safe and relaxed while getting to see…read morethe scenery of the Flathead River in Glacier National Park . Rapids were mostly 1/2 with a couple segments of class 3 that were totally doable for the 4 of us. Highly recommended!

For me, Grinnell Lake gets 4.5 stars. The ONLY REASON why I didn't give it 5 stars is because when…read moreI visited in the afternoon, the magnificent backdrop was set against the sun....and admiring this setting against the sun prevented me from capturing the perfect photos. This was quite frustrating! I had read and heard wonderful reviews about this place...the lake and the hike to get here in general. Unfortunately, when I arrived about 3pm, you could pretty much say the sun was a huge obstacle and quite a hindrance on my memories from here. Ultimately, I had to wait for clouds and or move myself to different spots to avoid the sun's beams. Regardless.....everything about this hike was pretty good. Grinnell Lake is located in the more secluded section of the Many Glacier area of Glacier National Park. When I visited last month, I had to wait in a line of cars just to gain access to Many Glacier. Because this popular part of Glacier NP is quite small in circumference....park rangers were only permitting a limited amount of visitors. Wow, that was quite annoying. Fortunately for me, since I planned my itinerary ahead of time, I was spending the evening here in Many Glacier and told the park ranger that I was sleeping the night at the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn, (which was the actual truth)...so he allowed me to pass. The trail for Grinnell Lake starts right next door on the grounds of Many Glacier Hotel. You can park wherever...on the side of the streets or in the parking lot. If you have a free moment, absolutely venture inside Many Glacier Hotel and along the grounds as the hotel exudes a rustic/European style - Swiss chalet - certainly lending itself to the heart of this outdoorsy - natural - setting along Josephine Lake. For Grinnell Lake, look for signs for the Swiftcurrent Lake Loop Trail. Here is where you want to go. It's situated towards the rear of Many Glacier Hotel. Ask someone inside the lodge if you need assistance finding the trailhead. From the Swiftcurrent Foot Trail, Grinnell Lake is 3.4 miles EACH WAY! Yes...that's almost 7 miles round trip! And, you could venture further towards Grinnell Glacier....another fantastically recommended trail, but....to Grinnell Glacier, it's 5.9 miles EACH WAY, - and for me....this was too far and took too much time out of the day. Also, it's mentioned in your park's map guide that Grinnell Glacier is a STRENUOUS TRAIL....where - as just hiking to Grinnell Lake is a moderately navigated passageway. Upon trekking beside Josephine Lake making my way towards Grinnell Lake, there were plenty of photo opportunities as the lake was quite picturesque, especially when the sun was at my back. Past Josephine Lake, the surroundings were just alright. Please understand though, this trail is great for those looking to get away and immerse themselves in the back country woods. You can find an easier way to arrive at Grinnell Lake by taking a boat towards the other end of Josephine Lake, getting out and then trekking the remaining distance on. For me, I was okay simply hiking as I didn't want to pay a fee and then wait for a boat to launch. Finally coming upon Grinnell Lake, yes...the hike was worth it. The calm waters here were immaculate. Absolutely perfect....colorful blue/green and turquoise. Along with the majestic and scenic background....you're confronted with a lush green mountain carved away with a running waterfall centered in the heart of it all. This spot and panoramic view was worth it all! All the time spent hiking and traversing my way, coming here made for witnessing this grand view. I was totally impressed! Yeah...leisurely, unobtrusively sitting down and appreciating this landscape is the reason why you come here. I spent a good 45 minutes just relaxing, taking photos and reflecting on how beautiful this place was. And like I mentioned earlier, had it not been for the sun in my way, Grinnell Lake absolutely would have been 5 stars. Lol....so when all is said and done....I HAVE TO RECOMMEND TO ANYONE WHO READS THIS....HIKE TO GRINNELL LAKE IN THE MORNING!!! And although from here, it's only a couple more miles along towards Grinnell Glacier (which was highly recommended), I was satisfied that I had explored enough and ventured back towards the Many Glacier Lodge. In all, I spent about 4 - 5 hours hiking over to Grinnell Lake. If you're spending time in this Many Glacier section of Glacier National Park, Grinnell Lake is quite the highlight and should not be missed.