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Animal Viewing
Waterton Lakes National Park is the home of a wide variety of animals. The most popular seem to be the bears and the large herbivores such as the elk, deer and buffalo. I would suggest that for most people, the most effective way to view bears is from your vehicle along the roads in the park. I have been hiking in the park for over 50 years and have seen far more bears from my vehicle than from the trails. Deer can be seen in the town site or anywhere else in the park. They are very common, but give them their distance as the front hoofs are extremely sharp and would cause severe injury if they came in contact with you. Elk are usually hanging out by the park gate or across from the golf course on the Red Rock Canyon road. I have had the best luck looking for moose up near Cameron Lake in the early morning before all the people get there. Buffalo are to be found in the buffalo paddock where they maintain a pretty good sized heard of marvelous animals. Mountain Goats are difficult to find in the park, but I have seen them in the Crypt valley as recently as last September. I understand that there are a few of the beautiful animals in the Bertha valley. The bighorn sheep is slowly making a comeback and may be seen along the roadways and in the town of Waterton. Marmots and pica can only be viewed at higher elevations. The only place I have seen a pica is in the rocks near lower Carthew Lake. Birds can be viewed throughout the park. Go to the restaurants in town to look for hummingbirds. These guys frequent the feeders that many of the towns people put out for them. One unique way to view animals is to take a horse on a guided trail ride from the stables across from the road to the golf course. I understand that the variety of wildlife available for viewing is outstanding from the back of your animal and the guides provide for your safety. |