Waterton Lakes National Park is a magical natural area just 2.5 hours from Calgary, Alberta located in the Foothills of Alberta. The park is home to natural lakes, waterfalls, hikes for all skillsets, scrambles and quintessential Canadian activities like canoeing, kayaking and paddle boating (as well as rides in surreys... more on that later).
My friend Hayley and I decided that an annual girls trip was necessary and we kicked our inaugural adventure off with 48 hours in this stunning park (that is so wildly close to where we call home!), but yet, neither of us had really spent time here!
Turns out, Waterton is home to many peaks, walks, hikes and scrambles and has something for everyone. Knowing we wanted a slow but moderately challenging meander up a stunning trail, we chose Bertha Lake as our hike du jour after arriving in town around 9:00am.
Here's my personal account of the trail:
*Stats from the AllTrails app and Apple Health
Who this hike is good for: all-skill levels, even beginner (choose your own adventure to the falls or lake), kids, dogs (leashed) and those looking to scramble a mountain after a leisurely hike.
Length: roughly 11.6kms return
Elevation: 527 m gain
Time to complete: between 2-2.5 hours (not including a solid break at the falls or lake)
Trail conditions in August 2024: dry, muggy and well-tread
Unique things about this trail: pay attention to the enormous about of stunning new growth as well as the wildflowers that are in abundance on this trail - if you like a cold dip, both the falls and the lake are a nice way to cool off.
The trail kicks off just past the stunning Cameron Falls at a well-marked trailhead.
Cameron Falls
Trailhead
The trail starts off easy and curves around one of the park's main lakes as you wind your way up into a valley.
From here, it's a short jaunt to the first (lower) falls, which are a stunning spot to stop and dip your feet or reflect over a snack (remember to remove your waste and keep it packed out).
Lower Falls
Continuing up into the valley, you will reach Bertha Falls proper and hit a larger waterfall.
Bertha Falls Proper
If you're interested in a short hike, this is a good place to stop. But if you want to see the lake, keep heading up to the left (trail is well marked) and you will find a series of moderately sweat inducing switchbacks that will quickly take you to the lake.
On your way up, we saw another incredible (but slightly inaccessible waterfall) that consists of the falls stemming from the lake - perhaps this is the real Bertha Falls? We weren't clear :)
Just after this, we made it!
Bertha Lake!
The lake is a wonderful spot to stop and have lunch, go for a swim or even keep hiking!
Options from here include:
A 4km walk around the lake
A peak that you can scramble near the back of the left side of the lake (4.5km return according to AllTrails).
All in I would highly recommend this trail for a fun half-day adventure or to add onto other smaller hikes you might want to do in the area!
Happy trails, Dakota
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