Southwestern Alberta

[Camping Girl]

Waterton Lakes NP is one of Alberta's nicest little secrets! (But don't stay at the Bayshore - there are waaaay better choices than that in Waterton!) The Shoreline Cruise on Upper Waterton Lake is a 2.5 hour cruise to the south end of the lake and back. The commentary is informative, and wildlife are often spotted along the shore.

Also close to Waterton Lakes NP is the area known as the Crowsnest Pass - an area along the #3 highway near the BC border that encompasses the little towns of Hillcrest, Bellevue, Frank, Blairmore and Coleman. This area is rich with history - most of it related to the coal mining industry that settled this area. You can see the world-class Frank Slide Interpretive Centre (the #3 highway goes right through the slide), tour an old underground coal mine in Bellevue, see the old coal coking ovens at the Leich Collieries, visit the Hillcrest Mining Disaster Cemetary and memorial in Hillcrest, and even walk along an old miner's path all the way to an old mine site. There are *tons* of things to see and do in this area, and it is a part of the province that is often overlooked by folks planning a trip to Alberta.

The Head-Smashed-in Buffalo Jump, at Fort Macleod is also in the same general vicinity as Waterton and the Crowsnest Pass. This is a Unesco World Heritage Site, where for centuries First Nations people used to run buffalo over a cliff, to their death. The interpretive centre that has been built at the site takes about 2 hours to tour, and gives visitors a glimpse into the old way of life for these people.