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Waterton Lakes National Park

Summer adventures Part 2

By Ashleigh Cropper

November 8^th, 2017

OOOOOOH CANADA!! Sorry, I had to! You just want to say that everywhere you go in that country! My mother-in-law is Canadian and I have known my husband's family since I was in high school! I have heard about Canada and Waterton (the area her family founded, and where they had a cabin) all the time! Ian and I, along with some of his siblings and their families, and my in-laws planned a trip to Waterton Lakes National Park this summer.

The Canadian Rockies are so incredible! It's crazy how the entrance into the park is dry, no-trees, and sprawling meadows. Then suddenly you enter the park and it's full of waterfalls, lakes, and forest. The Prince of Wales hotel sits at the top of the hill looking out onto Waterton Lake. It is by far the windiest place I have ever been, but with the most stunning view if you can handle the crazy wind!

Highlight of the trip was taking the international boat that someone in Ian's family built, across the international line between Canada and the US (into Montana.) We then had to take our passports and cross the boarder while hiking back from Montana into Canada where the boat dropped us off at. Have you ever heard of a hike where you need your passport?! Once in a lifetime for sure! One other highlight was when my niece saw two cubs and a momma bear! We honestly thought she was kidding, until we turned the car around and there they were crossing the road!

Something that I loved with Waterton Lakes National Park compared to our US parks is that there is in actual small village/town inside of the park. The family cabin is within the park along with numerous other homes, as well as shops and restaurants. It was much more convenient after a long, tiring hike, and I can't forget the huckleberry soft serve ice cream we had to get every evening (talk about addicting stuff!).

Waterton Lakes National Park is incredible! It's a really unique experience being on the boarder between the US and Canada. There is so much to explore between Glacier National Park on one side and Waterton Lakes on the other! It's a national park lover's dream!