Waterton National Park is one of my favourite areas in the Canadian Rockies. It’s less crowded than Banff or Kananaskis, but offers just as many beautiful opportunities for hiking and scrambling. The mountains aren’t quite as high here but they tend to be more colourful than elsewhere. This is all because the rock is different (and older!) here: a lot of red, green and brown shales versus the grey limestones and dolomites found further to the north. It’s a bit of a drive from Calgary (2.5 to 3 hours), but it’s definitely worth it – so far every single trip to Waterton has been a highlight for me.
Mountains to explore: