Bear's Hump, Waterton Lakes National Park

The beautiful valley of the Waterton Lakes

Bear's Hump Trail

In summary:

Where: Waterton Lakes National Park (2.5 hours south of Calgary)
Trail name: Bear’s Hump Length and duration: 2.3km return (1h30 total)
Elevation: 209 meters
Difficulty: Average
Particularity: Many stairs
Dogs allowed (on a leash)

Taking a nice break on top of Bear Hump trail overlooking the vast valley of the Waterton Lakes National Park. What a view!

View on the small village of the Waterton Lakes from the Bears Hump hiking trail

Hiking up Bear Humps Trail in the Waterton Lakes National Park

In details:

Bear’s Hump Trail is the most popular trail in the Waterton Lakes National Park. The hike offers majestic views of the village, the Waterton Valley and Mount Cleveland (the highest peak of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park). The Bear’s Hump Trail is a short hike that can be done in 1 hour, which makes it very accessible. Plan a lot of traffic during the peak season. It’s the trek that the park recommends to all the tourists who are looking for a short hike. Prepare yourself for several switchbacks and many stairs on the last half of the trail.

Nevertheless, it is the hike to make during your stay at the Watertown Lakes National Park. Go early, or start at the end of the day when the sun lights up the valley, the best time to take amazing pictures! Bear’s Hump Trail is the ideal hike for a beautiful and short ride!

Other relevant information: The beginning of the trail is just behind the park’s reception making parking not a problem.

Important: Unfortunately, since our visit, a forest fire hit the Waterton Lakes National Park and it’s surroundings (in September 2017). The forest fires might have affected the landscape of the valley, but we are sure it’s just as amazing. Seeing nature works will just be a totally different experience. We strongly suggest you visit Parc Canada website to learn more about the conditions of the park and the state of the trails. Here are two links that can help you plan your stay:

Happy hiking!

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