Canada’s best kept winter secret?

Tucked in the corner of southwestern Alberta, bordering British Columbia on one side, and Montana’s Glacier National Park on the other, is Waterton Lakes National Park – a quiet, uncrowded piece of winter heaven where you can truly unplug and get away from it all. There are no ski resorts here. The campsite is usually empty. And there are very few people around. The roads are usually full of snow, and many of the hotels and inns are boarded up for the winter. And while this incredible park may be humming with tourists in the summer, its winters belongs to the locals. And that’s when you need to go.

I once spent a summer working there, and even after leaving for a job and new life in Lethbridge, I still returned to this park. Even in the winter. Especially in the winter. Until this day, memories of my time there haunt me, deliciously.

I loved that I could forget about the world around me and soak in its enveloping sights and smells.
On a sunny winter day, I would bundle up with only a layer or two and step outside. Leaving my warm hotel room behind, I would close the door and welcome the fresh morning air. The lake is frozen over and the mountains create a peaceful frame all the way down to the U.S. border at the far end of the lake. On most days, a herd of deer could be seen resting under some trees not far from the shoreline. The snow was always white, fluffy and deep, which made my morning walks a little more exhilirating than they are in spring or summer. The wind was relentless as it whipped and whistled through the mountains, trees and valley. (On a bad days, the wind would knock a car door off its hinges; on a good day, it was light and refreshing.)

The town is small, and thankfully the snowdrifts are manageable, which makes it easy to explore. And while there are still some winter sports available like cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, hiking or ice-skating, I preferred simply walking along Upper Waterton Lake. The north end of the lake has a great view of the Prince of Wales Hotel with Crandal Mountain towering over it in the distance. As I walked south along the shore, I would always make a point to stop and look across the way at Vimy, home to several of the park’s Grizzly bears. (Thankfully, they’re all hibernating!)

On warmer winter days (yes, they do happen), I would bring a small lunch with me and sit down along the shore for a picnic. Winter picnics are the best. I’m generally the only one around, and the snow keeps my food nice and cold. I like that I’m the only one who is picnicking by the lake. It makes me feel like I’m in my own little world.

When the cold started to get to me, and my body began to feel the urge to move, I would climb over snow banks and pray that I don’t lose my boots as I try to find the road. Once I found it, my path was clear, and I knew that it would be a short walk from Upper Waterton Lake to Cameron Falls.

Cameron Falls is close to town, which means it’s accessible any time of year. In the winter, the rocks are dusted in snow and the water rushes over the edge, through clusters of ice to the pool of water below. This another of my favourite spots. It’s quiet, and watching the rush of water is always calming.

After visiting Cameron Falls, you’ll be ready for a warm place that serves hot chocolate. In the winter, the Waterton Lakes Lodgeis pretty much the only option. It’s a short walk from Cameron Falls and their dinning room is nice and cozy. As much as I would love to stay there for the rest of the day, I just couldn’t: The explorer in me always takes over and I need to walk a little more before calling it a day.

The Prince of Wales Hotel offers one of the best views in the park that doesn’t involve climbing a mountain. In the summer, the hotel is home to the rich and famous, with guests like David Letterman and Coldplay. In winter, the hotel is boarded up. That doesn’t stop me from going there.

The walk up the hill is good exercise, (even as I curse myself as I do it). Once I reach the top and the hotel stands in front of me, I feel triumphant. I nuzzle into my scarf and jacket and walk around to the back of the hotel and stand near the cliff. The view from here is serene and peaceful.

Upper Waterton Lake is directly below and stretches south to the U.S. border. The town lies to the west and mountains frame the lake. The wind is stronger on the hill, and although I’ve never tried it, I’ve heard of people posing Titanic-style on the cliff’s edge.

Walking back down to the town can be more of an adventure than walking up. Without ice cleats on my shoes I can end up going down the hill on my butt. Thankfully there is hardly any traffic in winter!

In the winter, my evenings are simple. They involve a nice dinner at the Waterton Lakes Lodge, a fire and some wine or hot chocolate. It’s hard to believe that Waterton is more in touch with Mother Nature than Banff or Jasper, but in some ways it is. Far fewer people visit the town, and as a result there’s an opportunity for a lot more animals sightings.

But it’s not just about the animal sightings, or outdoor activities. It’s about unplugging and getting away from the stress and chaos of life. It’s booking a room with a fireplace and bringing a bottle of your favourite wine. It’s walking through town and giggling when you see a big horn sheep standing on top of a car. It’s eating in one of two restaurants that stay open in winter. It’s chatting with locals. It’s walking along the lake and daring to have a winter picnic. It’s escaping to a town with poor cell reception. It’s getting lost, with the sole purpose of finding yourself.

Photos of Waterton Lake, Prince of Wales Hotel and Waterton courtesy of Paige Eliz.