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Waterton Lakes National Park borders Glacier National Park on the north. In fact, north being Canada, with the combined parks making up the Waterton Glacier International Peace Park. I wonder if this park honors the fact that the US-Canadian border is the longest unarmed border in the world? In addition, Waterton is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a biosphere reserve.
Waterton is located in the Canadian province of Alberta. If I am going to start my journey to all of the Canadian provinces, this would mark my third or fourth. It is Canada's fourth national park, formed in 1895, and named after Waterton Lake, which was named for Canadian naturalist and conservationist, Charles Waterton. The park is 195 square miles.
Upper Waterton Lake
Waterton is open year around, but the main tourist season is in July and August. So, are we taking a chance going in September? Snow and rain are more likely. The only facilities in the park are located at Waterton Park townsite. The highest point is Mount Blakiston at 9,547 feet. The park averages just under half a million visitors each year.
Even TV personality, David the Letterman, called Waterton "stunning" on his
TV show, June 24, 2013. Dear friends from Hamilton, Montana, Becky and Larry visited Waterton last year, with the same view point. The main highlight are the Waterton Lakes, deepest in the Rockies, though the park is quite diverse.
It is stunning!
Both Waterton and Glacier were designated as World biosphere reserves in 1979. The habitats protected are: prairie grasslands, freshwater wetlands, aspen grove forests, alpine tundra, high meadows, lower subalpine forests, and deciduous and coniferous trees. It will be interesting to see how similar and contrasting Waterton is to Glacier on our visit. Waterton is a mere three hours south of Calgary. Nearby Red Rock Canyon is a photographer's dream, according to the experts. The first oil well in western Canada is located in Waterton (1902). Waterton sits on the extreme southwestern corner of Alberta, sharing a border with Montana to the south and British Columbia to the west. PS: Glacier is spectacular this time of year. The leaves are turning to gold and the thundering herds have departed. I already had my first buffalo burger in Hungry Horse. So, far, the Canadian border guy and Waterton Parks people are really unfriendly. Why am I spending my
good American dollars here?
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