Upper Waterton Lookout

The Upper Waterton Lookout at Waterton Lakes National Park in Waterton Park, Alberta is an easy 0.3 km loop walk at the Prince of Wales Hotel and leads to a breathtaking view of the lake and its surrounding Rocky Mountains.

Exploring the Lookout

While this walk is just a short jaunt at the Prince of Wales Hotel, it features one of the most accessible and stunning views of Upper Waterton Lake and its surrounding "endless" mountains. Visitors will begin at the parking lot for the hotel where you'll find a paved driveway that connects the parking lot to the front doors of the building, for universal-access if needed. You'll then walk eastward to reach the far-side of the hotel where the views open up to Vimy Peak as it towers over Middle Waterton Lake. A path will present itself on the far side of the drive-able parking area where you can follow this route south to reach the best accessible view of Upper Waterton Lake. From the lookout, you can peer directly into the United States and the northern reaches of Glacier National Park's Rocky Mountains that literally connect at the border with Canada. The views are endless with the towering ramparts of the Rocky Mountains lining either side of the water as the lake stretches into infinity, or so it seems. You'll also find views to the west of the town of Waterton Park with its own towering Canadian Rocky Mountains sitting just behind alongside its turquoise-tinted lake water in between your feet and the town itself.

Parking

Visitors will find a very large parking lot at the Prince of Wales Hotel. The lot is large enough to fit many dozens of vehicles as of September 2024.

Pets

Dogs are allowed only if leashed and must be cleaned up after.