Exploring Again

When we visited Glacier National Park we learned that the protected land continued across the border in Waterton Lakes National Park; the two parks were designated the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park in 1932. So in planning our route back from eastern Washington, I routed us through Canada to visit the other half of the Peace Park. Fortunately, our detour to Missoula to get a new camper did not interfere with our reservation here.

We started our day by driving up Red Rock Parkway. There were two short trails there, one up Red Rock Canyon and the other to Blakiston Falls. We decided to walk just a few hundred feet down the very pretty canyon to the trail to the falls.

We crossed Bauerman Creek on our way to Blakiston Creek.

I looked down as we crossed and saw the same beautifully colored stones we’d seen in Lake McDonald, reminding me that even though it’s been over a month since we visited Glacier, we’re only about 20 miles from there.

It was a nice trail and there were lovely flowers along the way, but all the trees were burned. I found out that this whole area had burned in 2017 along with 38% of the park. The recovery in just five years is remarkable.

Blakiston Falls are lovely, and the two new viewing platforms to take you for a closer look are very well made.

And everywhere around you…

are the peaks and ridges of the Rockies.

You can get some idea of the scope of the fire damage in this picture of Blakiston Creek flowing down the valley below the falls.

After our hike we came back and drove down Akamina Parkway to its end at Cameron Lake. Here we saw ice areas that are probably large enough to be called glaciers. I tried to find them on the map, but that far mountainside is in the U.S. and not labeled on my map.

Here we got our first glimpse of unburned forest.

Near the center of the park sits The Prince of Wales Hotel,

with commanding views of Upper Waterton Lake, Waterton Townsite…

and the Bosporus Straight to Middle Waterton Lake.

The hotel was built in 1927 and is a World Heritage Site.

Its grand interior compliments…

the incredible beauty out the huge windows of the lobby.

Waterton Townsite is a very unique place.

On the south side the Prince of Wales Hotel overlooks it.

On the north and east are Upper Waterton Lake and Vimy Peak.

To the west are Bear’s Hump…

and Cameron Falls.

Amidst all this beauty are shops, motels,

picturesque lodges,

a very nice campground (no vacancies or we’d be there),

and here and there some ordinary houses. There’s even a school.

Waterton Lakes is another unforgettable place.