I was just over 30 miles to the Canadian border by this time. Sunday was a move day for me and I headed for Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada. The crowds of Glacier visitors fell behind me and I again had the road to myself for long stretches. Though Yellowstone and Glacier are beautiful, and I'm glad appreciated by so many so they are preserved (hopefully), I like to be in less crowded places.
I was the only crosser at the border--the agent was in a house and had to come over to the booth when he saw me approach. My passport was in the trailer, and I had a passport card in my wallet that he took a brief look at and off I went! It took about 30 seconds. I didn't plan to go far in Canada not knowing what inspections or forms I might need to have.
The Canadian Rockies did not disappoint. They are massive! And beautiful!
Waterton National Park is actually part of the first International Peace Park. A joint effort with the US it is really an extension of Glacier National Monument. There is a slice through the forest in a straight line along the border maintained in alternative years by the US National Park Service and that of Canada. We need such international cooperation these days!
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| Entrance to Waterton Glacier International Peace Park |
I parked in A10 at Townsite campground. Townsite is next to Waterton Park, a quaint little resort village with a few restaurants, markets, bars, ice cream shops, art galleries, trekking outfitters, boat rentals etc. Yet there was a deer calmly munching on the grass a few feet from where I was setting up.
My site had full hookups (electric, water and sewer) which is not bad thing since today I am sitting in thick clouds which might be insufficient solar power to keep the fridge and starlink running.
After setup and a quick lunch, I asked around to find fishing spots and went to Cameron Lake 25 minutes away. The tourists are very diverse here and I saw groups of Sikhs, First Nations/Native Americans, Ukrainians, Indians, women in hijab, and Philippinos and other Asians among them.
I tried my luck along the beach in a few cleared places between the heavy forest. I was happy with my casting but not my catching! So while concentrating on the former, I was startled by a snort right behind me. I quickly turned and my heart skipped a beat when I spied a large and very close... deer! Thank heaven! Though I had my bear spray at my belt, it would not have been a comfortable experience had it been a bear within 5 feet of me.
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| Visitor |
It was getting later and I wanted to try fly fishing a stream at a picnic area I saw on the way up. It was empty by then of tourists and I opened up my costco reel and rod and the flies I bought in West Glacier. I assembled the kit when an excited Brazilian couple came rushing in the parking lot exclaiming they saw a bear in the creek. We looked but by then we could not find it. The man showed me a picture that he took. I think was a black bear. It was actually brown and somewhat blonde, but did not have the characteristic shoulder hump of a grizzly, the other bear to be found here. I kept my bear spray close and made noise and sang so as not to have a surprise visit, but did not see the bear.
I was happy with my casting--mostly keeping the hook out of bushes and trees! Catching--not so much.
On returning, I did see a Mountain Goat perched on the skyline.
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