How to Hike to Bertha Lake at Waterton Lakes National Park in British Columbia
Flying into Calgary, Alberta—the closest major airport to Parks Canada-Waterton Lake—the visitor rents a vehicle and travels south on Provincial Highway 2 before traveling west on Highway 5 at Cardston. After entrance into the park, one will notice bears nibbling nutrients along the shores of the smaller lakes adjacent the road. The quite impressive, elongated Upper Waterton Lake sits directly behind the world famous picturesque Prince of Wales Hotel, requiring at least a 3-hour visit. Also a worth see is the quaint village of Waterton Park. The Bertha Lake trail head begins just south of this point where the pavement ends into a parking lot. There are several trail options from this point. One trail, quite extensive, takes the trekker northwest toward Carthew, Cameron and Summit Lakes, and also across the international border between the United States and Canada. An easier way to cross the border via trail is the second option: just follow the relatively level shoreline of Upper Waterton south toward Montana. The Bertha Lake option will gain altitude across streams, past cascading waterfalls and offer phenomenal views of Upper Waterton before culminating at the pristine solitude of Bertha.
Things You'll Need
Water
Sunscreen
Insect repellent
Camera
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Instructions
1
Viewing bears in the park is not difficult especially in the warmth of the summer. Be sure to sample a major staple of the bear diet: huckleberry, transformed for human consumption into candy and jelly.
2
Experiencing many of the lakes in the Waterton-Glacier National Park area is relatively easy. The national park is a series of glacial mountain ranges with long and narrow bodies of water in between. The major lakes are accessible by automobile.
3
Accomplishment is sweet as Bertha appears below. Glacial snow descends from crags and into the lake. Marmots waddle for food. The screeches of hawks echo off the sheer cliffs, acoustics crisp and clear. Primitive campsites include a metal-wrapped pole with a perch and an easily dislodged ladder, a bear escape.
