Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada, Alberta

Introduction :
The Waterton Lakes National Park is located in the southwestern corner of Alberta province in Canada. Established in 1895, it is the fourth national park in Canada and measures an area of 505 square km. The Waterton Lakes National Park was also designated as a World Bioshpere reserves as well as World Heritage site in 1979 and 1995 respectively due to its outstanding scenery, rich variety of flora and mammal species as well as its alpine forest and glacial features. The park is famous for its various lake sceneries and also offers scenic trails with the most notable hike the Crypt Lake Trail which was once voted the best hike in Canada.

Scenic view of the national park

The Cameron Falls
Image attribution to outdoorPDK @ Flickr

Crypt Valley scenery during the Crypt Lake Trail
Image attribution to feffef @ Flickr

The Prince of Wales hotel was built in 1927
Image attribution to calamity hane @ Flickr

Summit Lake and Chapman Peak behind the lake
Image attribution to albertascrambler hane @ Flickr

History :
Human history in the Waterton Lakes National Park dates back to nearly 10,000 years ago and the first inhabitants were the ancestors of the later cultures who settled around the region known as the Upper Kutenai comprising of mainly hunters and fisherman and the Blackfoot who were nomadic people highly dependent on bisons. The first European visit to the Waterton Lakes was Lieutenant Thomas Blaskiston of the Palliser Expedition but he named the lake after Sir Charles Waterton to honor him for his scientific achivements.

White Angelica flora species
Image attribution to Jason Sturner 72 @ Flickr

The Blaskiston Falls is named after the first European who set foot on the region
Image attribution to leeco @ Flickr

Moose taking a drink at the Cameron Lake

Unique formation of the Red Rock Canyon

Getting there :
The Lethbridge County Airport (YQL) is the closest airport to the Waterton Lakes National Park and is 138 km away from the destination but only served by flights from Calgary and Edmonton. The nearest international airport is the Calgary International Airport (YYC) and is 274 km away from the national park.