This post is part of the Outdoor Family Adventure Series. Join us on our travels through Waterton Lakes National Park and read more about the exciting activities, family-friendly spots to eat and great places to hike as a family in this beautiful park located in Alberta, Canada.
This post is part 3 of the recap of our trip to Waterton Lakes National Park this Summer. You can read more about the family fun we had here: Outdoor Family Adventures in Waterton Part 1 and Part 2.
Our third and final day in Waterton was certainly one to remember! We kicked the day off with a delicious breakfast at Zum’s Eatery.
We then had the pleasure of taking a shoreline boat cruise on Waterton Lake with Waterton Shoreline Cruise Co. In all the years we’ve been to Waterton we’ve never been on the cruise so this was especially fun to experience for the first time as a family!
About Waterton Shoreline Cruise Co:
Step aboard the International and cruise along the shoreline of beautiful Upper Waterton Lake and cross the International border to Goat Haunt, Montana. This 2-hour scenic cruise takes in some of the most spectacular mountain scenery the Rocky Mountains have to offer. The shoreline cruise vessels feature indoor and outdoor seating and is accompanied by an informative and entertaining commentary given by experienced local tour guides. The cruise includes a ½ hour stop at Goat Haunt – the northern gateway to Glacier National Park.
Some of the highlights of the Waterton Lake Shoreline Cruise:
Beautiful views from a unique vantage point on the water. It was really neat to see Waterton from a different view point! The mountain ranges, the townsite, the lake — it all looked so different from aboard the historic International!
We really enjoyed the informative, often times funny, commentary from the tour guide aboard the International. We learned so much about the history of the park as well as local plants, geology and more! The kids were enthralled with all the interesting facts and the fun way they were presented!
Just going for a boat ride on the lake was a thrilling experience! The kids were really excited to be aboard and I appreciated the fact that we were free to get up and move around throughout the 2-hour trip. We had the option to sit on the deck or inside. It did get a little cool with the wind on the deck of the boat so be sure to bring warm coats along, even if it’s a sunny day!
Stopping at the opposite end of Waterton Lake at Goat’s Haunt was a great way to break up the trip and let the kids get out and explore. We walked the paved lakeshore trail, threw some rocks in the water and stopped to use the restroom. It was truly amazing to see the other end of Waterton Lake that I’d never seen before.
After our exciting cruise on the lake we headed to Wieners of Waterton to fuel up for one last hike before leaving the park. My kids loved lunch here. I especially enjoyed the sweet potato fries – definitely worth sampling when you visit Waterton!
We ended off our time in Waterton with one of our favorite hikes — Bear’s Hump! It’s a tradition to hike Bear’s Hump every Summer and as many times as we’ve hiked this trail, the view at the top never disappoints!
Bear’s Hump trailhead is located at the Waterton Lakes Visitor’s Center. It’s a short 1.5 km (0.9 miles) but it’s a steep climb through a series of switchbacks. Our kids are ages 12, 9, 6 and 4 and they all climbed the trail unassisted and they were so proud of themselves, especially our youngest!
Pictured below you can see a view of Bear’s Hump from Waterton Lake when we were on the Lakeshore Cruise. The prominent rock outcropping on the Southwest side of Mt Crandall resembles the hump on a Grizzly bear’s back, which is how it got it’s name.
The view from the top of Bear’s Hump is simply amazing. It’s my favorite place to take photos in the park. I could spend all kinds of time at the top just admiring the view and photographing the beauty!
Hiking Bear’s Hump was the perfect way to cap off our incredible trip to Waterton this Summer! It truly is an amazing place to visit with so many things to see and enjoy as a family!
Outdoor Family Adventures Series:
Post 1: What is the Outdoor Family Adventure Series?
Post 2: Tips for Photographing Your Family in the Great Outdoors
Post 3: Outdoor Family Adventures with Albion Fit
Post 4: Printable Nature Scavenger Hunt for Kids
Post 5: Family Friendly On-the-Go Lunch Ideas for Hiking
Post 6: Outdoor Family Adventures in Waterton Part 1
Post 7: Outdoor Family Adventures in Waterton Part 2
Helpful Waterton Links:
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