Best hikes in Waterton Lakes National Park
63 hiking trails in Waterton Lakes National Park, from 14 easy walks to 42 hard days. Every trail on one map with distance, elevation gain and difficulty. Ranked by trail score, which weighs scenery, trail quality and how often each trail is photographed and visited.
How we rank trails Ranked by trail score, highest first.
- Trails
- 63
- Total distance
- 496km
- Easy
- 14
- Moderate
- 7
- Hard
- 40
- Expert
- 2
- Easy 11
- Moderate 7
- Hard 40
- Under 5 km 24
- Kid friendly 10
- Waterfalls 6
- Lakes 23
- Summits 19
- Views 39
- Backpacking 8
Top 25
Sorted by rank- 1Bertha Lake TrailNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkHard · 10.6 km · 592 m gain · 4 h 30 minLake · Waterfall · Views · Passes Upper Waterton Lake and Lower Bertha Falls88score
- 2Blakiston Falls TrailNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkEasy · 2.3 km · 75 m gain · 45 minWaterfall · Views · River or creek87score
- 3Mount Crandell East RouteNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkHard · 7.8 km · 1,090 m gain · 6 h 45 minSummit · Views · Alpine · Passes Mount Crandell83score
- 4Mount Crandell RouteNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkHard · 6.1 km · 883 m gain · 5 h 30 minSummit · Views · Alpine · Passes Mount Crandell81score
- 5Twin Lakes RouteNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkHard · 17.5 km · 493 m gain · 5 h 45 minLake · Waterfall · Views · River or creek79score
- 6Mount Rowe RouteNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkHard · 9.5 km · 1,197 m gain · 7 h 30 minLake · Views · Alpine · Passes Mount Rowe and Upper Rowe Lake74score
- 7Mount Alderson Scramble RouteNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkHard · 4.6 km · 477 m gain · 3 hSummit · Views · Alpine · Passes Mount Alderson74score
- 8Mount Galwey RouteNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkHard · 5.9 km · 898 m gain · 5 h 30 minSummit · Views · Alpine · Passes Mount Galwey73score
- 9Mount Carthew RouteNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkHard · 2.9 km · 290 m gain · 2 hSummit · Views · Alpine · Passes Mount Carthew73score
- 10Bertha Peak RouteNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkHard · 3.3 km · 665 m gain · 4 hLake · Waterfall · Summit · Views · Passes Upper Bertha Falls and Bertha Peak72score
- 11Mount Crandell West RouteNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkHard · 7.9 km · 894 m gain · 5 h 45 minSummit · Views · Alpine · Passes Mount Crandell72score
- 12Newman Peak TrailWaterton Lakes National ParkHard · 14.1 km · 1,035 m gain · 7 h 15 minLake · Summit · Views · Camping · Passes Goat Lake and Avion Ridge71score
- 13Hell Roaring Falls TrailNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkHard · 4.6 km · 243 m gain · 1 h 45 minLake · Waterfall · River or creek · Passes Upper Waterton Lake71score
- 14Lineham Ridge / Upper Rowe Lake TrailNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkEasy · 2.5 km · 81 m gain · 50 minLake · Views · River or creek70score
- 15Crandell Lake TrailNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkHard · 17.5 km · 635 m gain · 6 hLake · Passes Crandell Lake70score
- 16Bertha Peak Main TrailNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkHard · 3.3 km · 564 m gain · 3 h 30 minLake · Summit · Views · Alpine · Passes Bertha Lake69score
- 17Tamarack TrailWaterton Lakes National ParkExpert · 27.8 km · 1,724 m gain · 15 h 45 minLake · Views · Camping · Hut or tea house · Passes Lone Lake and Lone Lake Cabin69score
- 18Bellevue Hill TrailNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkHard · 5.1 km · 724 m gain · 4 h 30 minSummit · Views · Alpine · Passes Bellevue Hill69score
- 19Great Divide TrailNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkModerate · 10.1 km · 454 m gain · 3 h 45 minLake · Views · Historic site · Camping · Passes Upper Waterton Lake68score
- 20Buchanan Ridge East Peak RouteNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkHard · 11.5 km · 1,830 m gain · 11 h 15 minSummit · Views · Alpine68score
- 21Cameron Lake TrailNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkEasy · 3.3 km · 77 m gain · 1 hLake · Passes Cameron Lake67score
- 22Buchanan Scramble RouteNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkHard · 2.7 km · 448 m gain · 2 h 45 minSummit · Views · Alpine · Passes Buchanan Ridge66score
- 23Wishbone TrailNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkHard · 26.3 km · 551 m gain · 8 hLake · Passes Middle Waterton Lake and Upper Waterton Lake66score
- 24Bear's Hump TrailNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkEasy · 2.4 km · 218 m gain · 1 h 30 minViews65score
- 25Lineham Creek TrailNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkHard · 9.6 km · 573 m gain · 4 h 15 minWaterfall · River or creek · Passes Lineham Falls63score
More trails
- Cameron Lake to Sage Pass TrailEasy · 2.7 km · 157 m gain
- Ruby Ridge RouteHard · 9.7 km · 1,627 m gain
- Vimy Peak RouteHard · 13.0 km · 1,098 m gain
- Upper Rowe Lake TrailHard · 2.3 km · 190 m gain
- Avion Ridge RouteHard · 12.0 km · 703 m gain
- Mount Alderson Alt RouteModerate · 1.2 km · 232 m gain
- Crypt Lake TrailHard · 17.7 km · 856 m gain
- Snowshoe TrailHard · 16.7 km · 365 m gain
- Carthew to Buchanan RouteHard · 6.2 km · 842 m gain
- Mount Richards RouteHard · 3.9 km · 709 m gain
- Akamina Lake TrailEasy · 1.1 km · 20 m gain
- Sofa Mountain RouteHard · 7.5 km · 824 m gain
- Linnet Lake TrailEasy · 1.0 km · 25 m gain
- Akamina Pass TrailModerate · 5.0 km · 165 m gain
- Dunwey RouteHard · 5.8 km · 705 m gain
- Twin Lakes TrailModerate · 6.5 km · 243 m gain
- Townsite LoopEasy · 3.4 km · 11 m gain
- Anderson Peak RouteHard · 4.8 km · 838 m gain
- Hawkins Horseshoe RouteHard · 17.4 km · 2,143 m gain
- Lineham Ridge TrailExpert · 7.6 km · 617 m gain
- Rowe LakesEasy · 1.1 km · 31 m gain
- Bear's BacksideHard · 1.8 km · 280 m gain
- BellevueModerate · 7.5 km · 98 m gain
- Vimy Ridge RouteHard · 9.5 km · 835 m gain
- Mount Richards Alt RouteHard · 3.2 km · 870 m gain
- Lost Lake RouteEasy · 2.2 km · 89 m gain
- Mount Glendowan RouteHard · 12.8 km · 1,735 m gain
- Rowe Creek TrailModerate · 7.4 km · 340 m gain
- Lakeview TrailHard · 20.1 km · 1,293 m gain
- Lakeview Ridge RouteHard · 8.4 km · 499 m gain
- Sage Pass to Castle Mtn Ski Resort TrailHard · 20.1 km · 1,028 m gain
- South Kootenay Pass trailEasy · 3.5 km · 195 m gain
- Galwey to Bellevue RouteModerate · 5.3 km · 294 m gain
Plus 5 shorter or connecting trails on the map.
Questions
- What is the best hike in Waterton Lakes National Park?
- Bertha Lake Trail ranks first: a 10.6 km out and back trail with 592 m of elevation gain, rated hard.
- What is the best easy hike in Waterton Lakes National Park?
- Blakiston Falls Trail, 2.3 km with 75 m of climbing.
- What is the best waterfall hike in Waterton Lakes National Park?
- Bertha Lake Trail, 10.6 km with 592 m of climbing.
- What is the best lake hike in Waterton Lakes National Park?
- Bertha Lake Trail, 10.6 km with 592 m of climbing.
- What is the hardest hike in Waterton Lakes National Park?
- By elevation gain, Hawkins Horseshoe Route: 2,143 m over 17.4 km.
- How many hiking trails are in Waterton Lakes National Park?
- Hike Alberta maps 58 hiking trails in Waterton Lakes National Park.