Waterton - Glacier International Peace Park

Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada

As we rose in Magrath at about 7am, we had a herd of White Tail Deer grazing and playing outside our camp. Sunny and 11C, time to hit the road. Strong coffee in hand and off we went.

Deer outside our campsite

Waterton National Park

Our target for the day was Waterton, in Waterton Lakes National Park also referred to as Waterton -  Glacier International Peace Park or Waterton Biosphere Reserve (more on this in our next blog). A short drive for the day, around 100Km. Almost down to the USA border.


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We drove through some very beautiful country, lots of wind farms, ranch land, and some farm land.

Wind farms in Southern Alberta

...small towns, farms, churches...

The Rock-pile in sight

Once we got closer to the park, one thing was very clear, this is where the Prairie hits the Rocky Mountains, forget the foot hills, they somehow got left out. You drive along and all of a sudden there is this wall of rock called the Rocky Mountains.

We arrived at Waterton International Peace Park

Waterton Lakes National Park

We cruised into the town of Waterton, well we actually stopped for several picture shoots on the way in, this is so spectacular. We also stopped at the Waterton information office (don't think they had a good day, I'm sure they would have charged for a smile) and got the low down about the park. This park is so beautiful, and in our opinion is much nicer then Lake Louise or Jasper.

Waterton National Park

Prince of Wales Lodge, in Waterton National Park

Taking in the sights.

Maps in hand we headed down to the campground right on Waterton Lake in the town site. The GPS Coordinates are,  Latitude: 49.048746, Longitude: -113.909336 , or the street address is 200 Vimy Ave.


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This lake can be pretty windy, so you may want to check the forecast before choosing the campsite. The average daily wind speed is around 30km/hr and gusts of over 100km/hr are not uncommon and gusts of 150km/hr have been recorded in the valley.... Wind surfing anyone???

Waterton Townsite -  Can you spot our trailer down by the water

Waterton Campground looking east...... I know, you found the trailer

Camped at Upper Waterton Lake

If you are parked close to the waterfront the wind could rock you all night (Liz thought we should throw a couple of anchors out) There are 237 sites in the Townsite campsite.

Camped with trailer un-hooked

Upper Waterton Lake

We had a quick lunch and headed out to discover the park. First we headed back up to the Prince of Wales Hotel, which was closed for the season. The Prince of Wales Hotel was constructed between 1926–1927, by the American Great Northern Railway. This was to attract American tourists during the prohibition-era 1920-1933.



The hotel was named after the Prince of Wales who later became King Edward VIII. They named it so to bribe him to stay in the hotel on his 1927 Canadian tour. Unfortunately The Prince of Wales stayed at a nearby ranch instead, that figures.... Lessons learned, bribery does not work on royalty.

Prince of Wales Hotel

Liz at the site of the Prince of Wales and Upper Waterton Lake

Town site of Waterton in the back drop

The hotel was designated a National Historic Site of Canada by the Canadian government in 1995. It is also one of the most photographed hotels in the world. The Prince of Wales Hotel is different looking than most hotels, having soaring roofs, gables, balconies and true craftsmanship. Make a reservation at the National Park Reservations.

Cameron Lake in Waterton National Park

Next on the list was Cameron Lake, 16 km from the town-site of Waterton.

Driving to Cameron Lake

The road is called Akamina Parkway. On the way to Cameron Lake we stopped and had a look at Western Canada's first oil well located in the park.

Western Canad's First Oil well in Waterton National Park

The story has it that in 1889, oil seeps known to the native people in Southern Alberta attracted the attention of many pioneers. Newspaper reports fuelled a flurry of petroleum claims in the Waterton area and within five years, the few attempts to sink wells had ended in failure.

Western Canada's Oil Boom Started Here

Bears are known to roll in the oil seeps to keep bugs away

Almost a decade after the initial exploration, William Aldridge found a use for the the oil he had gathered from local seeps. Skimming it from sluice boxes and selling it locally as lubricant and medicine, he was the first to utilize the seeps commercially.

Back when the first well was drilled, see the "Canadian Pole" in the center

Liz at the site of the first well

Anders reminiscing about the 10 years he spent drilling for oil, also in Western Canada

In 1897, a pioneer called John Lineham established a mineral claim beside Oil Creek. He formed the Rocky Mountain Development Company and set off to find and drill for oil. The company hauled heavy equipment on a narrow horse trail over the prairie and through the mountains. Workers erected what is referred to as a "Canadian Pole" rig, made entirely of wood.

Story about the oil well

This contraption was powered by a 35 horse-power steam engine. No speed records were set in those days, drilling progressed very slowly, mainly due to equipment problems, inexperience and accidents. In 1902, the Lineham Discovery Well No. 1 struck oil at 311 m (1,020 ft), and the story has it that the well produced 300 barrels a day.

Small Creek by the road to Cameron Lake in Waterton National Park

Cameron Lake is nestled between the majestic mountain peaks of the Akamina Ridge, and is a sub-alpine lake which is one of many serene bodies of water that makes up Waterton Lakes National Park.

Cameron Lake Facts

Anders at Cameron Lake

The reasons why

Why it rains and snows at Cameron Lake.... 152cm or 60 inches per year of precipitation.

Liz at Cameron Lake

Cameron lake is a spectacular place, a great place to rent a canoe and go for a paddle or hike one of the many trails.... Make sure to have the bear bells and pepper spray along, grizzlies are often seen on the far slopes of the lake. The lake receives an average of 152cm or 60 inches or precipitation per year.

Road back to Upper Waterton Lake

Looks like we will have a rain shower, it is time to head back to town and plan for the Buffalo Paddock and the Red Rock Canyon.... more to follow in the next blog.  Lots of pictures in our Picasa Album "From Magrath, AB to Waterton National Park" or click on the picture below. Make sure to click on "Slide show" in the top left area to view the album as a slide show.

From Magrath ,AB to Waterton National Park

Cheers,

Anders and Liz

Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park to Magrath, Alberta

Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park on the Saskatchewan - Alberta border to Magrath, Alberta

Exploring Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park

On the 7th of October 2010, we got an early morning start

Sun is coming up early morning

 and left the Saskatchewan side of Cypress Hills Interprovincial park on Gap Road connecting the east and west block of the the park.

View From our campground to Fort Walsh in a larger map
This road is not for the faint at heart, and it is only passable when it is dry (I had to go through the truck wash in Maple Creek and left 45 pounds of mud behind).

Gap Road on a good day

Don't even think of bringing a trailer or motor-home down this cow trail. Needless to say we did not go the same way back.

White Tale Deer in Cypress Hills Park in Early Morning Light

This White Tail Buck, just stood there and looked at us.

Good part of Gap road.

However it is very beautiful and full of wild life. Lots of White tale and Mule Deer like the one in the above pictures.

We also saw and heard one doe (female deer) that came out of the bush, she stomped her hoofs and said, "That's the last time I do that for two bucks"..... sorry, Liz made me do it.

The land between the two blocks are privately owned so please stay on the trail.

Cattle on privately owned land

Once in the west block which is both in Saskatchewan and Alberta there is lots to do and lot of land to cover. The Cypress Hills area spans over 125 kilometers from east to west through some wonderful country full of rare fescue grasses, lodge pole pine and white spruce.

Road to Fort Walsh in the West Block of Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park

It is also home to ranching families, charming resorts, welcoming towns and of course Canada's only interprovincial park. Further, you can also find Saskatchewan first and only Winery, "Cyperss Hills Vineyard and Winery where you can enjoy complimentary wine tasting, self guided vineyard tours, unique gift shop and home made Saskatoon berry pie.

The park is home to Fort Walsh and the Cypress Hills Massacre.

Fort Walsh, Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park

 Fort Walsh was established as an RCMP post to get peace between the whisky traders and the Assiniboine Natives that were the people involved in the massacre. The story has it, that on the 1st of June 1873 a group of whiskey traders attacked the Assiniboine camp. In doing so they killed several women, children and braves in retaliation for the alleged theft of their horses by natives. Many Assiniboine Natives had already died from the fatal whisky, which was laced with ink and strychnine.

The park has so much more to offer and if you travel through southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, you must stop and camp (or book in to a lodge) here. The campgrounds are plentiful with or without services.

Fort Walsh, Cypress Hills

Liz at Fort Walsh, Cypress Hills

Check out www.CypressHills.ca Note: Some areas of the park, like into Fort Walsh you will not be able to pull a trailer, the switch backs are too sharp, but there are trailer drop off areas.

After touring a portion of the park we turned the GPS to Maple Creek, did the truck wash, walked the town and talked to some locals. Had a coffee at the "Daily Grind" and picked up some supplies at the local Co-Op store.

Once back in the east block of the park, we picked up our trailer and headed west on Hwy 1 to Medicine Hat. From there we took Hwy 3 to  Bow Island and Taber. From Taber, 36 south, 61 east and eventually ended up in Magrath and parked our brigade at Covered Wagon Campground. Great place but somehow the Internet was not what it should be.

View Cypress Hills, SK to Magrath, AB. in a larger map
Magrath is a quaint little town and you can see some wind generators with the Rocky Mountains as a back drop.

More pictures at the end of this album, just click the picture

Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park,incl. Fort Walsh & Grassland Nat.Park

Tomorrow we are off to Waterton National Park.

Cheers,

Anders and Liz

Saskatchewan's Scotty, the T-Rex Dinosaur and Grasslands National Park.

T.rex Discovery Centre, Eastend, Saskatchewan and Grasslands National Park

Scotty - T.rex dinosaur

6th of October 2010, we took off from our camp at Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park


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 early morning in a thick fogg and drove to  Eastend, Saskatchewan....

It is thick fog - 30km per hr is appropriate

Fog early in the morning

our target, "The T.rex Discovery Centre" located in the community of Eastend, SK.

Eastend is famous for the 1991 discovery of a nearly complete Tyrannosaurus Rex or what we more commonly call a T-Rex. He or more then likely a she, was named Scotty.

There is much more to see and do at the Centre. A wonderful movie with an overview of the discovery, further you can see replicas and real bones of ancient marine reptiles to diverse dinosaures, to the prehistoric beasts that came after the dinosaurs. You even can hold (and I know you always wanted to) some dino coprolite.....

Dino Coprolite

Anders holding some sh..... Coprolite

The main focus of the centre is to increase awareness of the very rich and diverse but often overlooked, fossil resources of southwest Saskatchewan.

Liz and her buddy :)

Best friends

The centre is home to a state of the art Fossil Research Station, and interpretive gallery and a collection of touchable fossils.

Fossil Research Station is part of the presentation

 Everyone should go, it's a blast.  Remember "Coprolite Happens"

Check out the website www.trexcentre.ca and our Picasa Web Album, just click image below

Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park,incl. Fort Walsh & Grassland Nat.Park

Grasslands National Park

Liz in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan Canada

From Eastend we headed to Grasslands National Park, close to the Monatana border in the SW of Saskatchewan.

The Grasslands National Park is a wonderful "true" nature park, it is the way the prairies used to be before Europeans set foot here. If you are lucky, you will see bison raising dust, swift fox pups playing in a coulee, the rare short horned lizzard, ferruginous hawks, a creek finding its way along an ancient glacial valley and much more.

Hike and find the time-worne ring of stones on a windy ridge. These rings of stones were used to hold down the tipi (tents) of the native indians so the wind would not blow it away.

Many of the native tribes; Gros Ventre, Assiniboine, Cree and Blackfoot hunted bisons and deer here. Even Sitting Bull camped here briefly as he fled the USA after the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

On a side note, east of the park is the striking glacially formed landscape of the Big Muddy Badlands. In the early 1900s, caves of eroded sandstone and deep ravines provided hideouts for cattle thieves such as Butch Cassidy and Dutch Henry

There are lots of hikes you can do and a primitive but wonderful campground "Belza Place" overlooking the valley.

Belza Campground in Grasslands National Park

View from Belza Campground in Grasslands National Park

There is a new campground being built. Talking to the park office, there is no word on when it will be finished but, we think you will be able to stay there for the 2011 season. I think I would prefer the old one though. The only thing available at the Belza Place campground is a dry toilet, so come prepared (that means at least 2L of water per day per person).

Horses on the range

A word of caution, the Bisons are wild and unpredicable, do not go close. Also while hiking or just walking around, be aware of Rattlesnakes. They live here, but will only strike when thretened or cornered. This is a good reason to buy a pair of cowboy boots.

Saskatchewan Antelope on the range

We did the Eco-tour with our own vehical through the park, it was great and we can highly recomend it.

There is a visitor centre (1-306-298-2257) in Val Marie, Saskatchewan at the junction of Hwy#4 and Centre Street. The staff is very knowledgeable, and will provide you with up to date information about the park. The park website is www.parkscanada.gc.ca/grasslands. And I almost forgot, the access to the park is currently FREE.

After our visit we headed back to our camp at Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park.

Our camp at the Meadows Campground in Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park

Again, more pictures if you click the picture below

Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park,incl. Fort Walsh & Grassland Nat.Park

Cheers,

Liz and Anders