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One of the best hikes in the world is
CRYPT LAKE
Do you know this hike?
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The red dot is WATERTON National Park.
 AT A GLANCE
- scenic boat trip & unique day hike
- 17.4km (10.8mi) plus short sidetrips
- 666m (2,185ft) elevation gain!
- mid-June to mid-October
- weather dependent
- medium difficulty steep hiking with one very tense section
This is penultimate day hike in the Canadian Rockies, somewhat over-popular since being voted, in 1983, the best hike in Canada. For some it is still their favourite walk, ideal for showcasing the mountains to visitors.
WHY WE LIKE THIS HIKE
- a 25m (82ft) tunnel crawl
- the lovely boat trip to the trailhead
- the waterfalls en route
- ideal for teenagers
- fishing for cutthroat trout for lunch at Crypt
- Waterton/Glacier International Peace Park is a World Heritage Site
- Waterton townsite some like even better than Banff or Jasper
- hiking Tamarack Trail in Waterton, or the 7-day North Circle (Highline Trail - Ptarmigan) in Glacier on the same trip
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CONSIDERATIONS
Almost every hiker in Waterton sees bears. When we took Swiss friends in 2000 they saw 4 bears the first day and at least one bear every day in the Park — including a cinnamon-coloured cup hiding up a tree on the Crypt Lake trail. (Happily, we did not bump into the moma bear.)
Be bear aware if you hike in Waterton.
Years ago you could tent on this hike. That was discontinued due to bear encounters. Too bad.
- Crypt Lake is somewhat crowded during high season
- the tunnel can be claustrophobic. Families with young children have turned back at this point.
- you must traverse a cliff face on a slim ledge trail, using a cable as a hand rail
- biting insects can be a nuisance at times as they are throughout the Rockies. Many days the wind blows them off.
- the weather is highly variable. It can snow any day of the year. Or, far more likely, it can be 30°C (86°F).
- you might have to cross snow in May or early June
- Waterton is notorious for wind though most of the Crypt Lake trail is protected
- you need a fishing licence in Waterton but not in adjacent Glacier National Park, Montana
- hiking in the Canadian Rockies is not cheap. Be prepared to pay a series of fees, the most startling of which is an annual National Parks pass for your vehicle and passengers — C$123.80 / year in (2007). (If you spend a lot of time in National Parks, a good value.) Individual annual passes, if you do not have a vehicle, are C$62.40 / year / adult.
- If you are only going to Waterton, it's C$34.65 / year / adult or C$$6.90 / day. Fee increases are planned.
- in the past some missed the last return boat to town. Now that hikers are no longer allowed to camp on the Crypt side, that problem seems to be solved.
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Contact the Park for details and up-to-date costs:
Waterton Lakes National Park:
fees webpage 
(403) 859-2224
<email>
Check in at the Waterton Parks office on the way into town before you hike to confirm the trail is open.
ROUTES
Canadian Rockies SuperGuide has good detail on history, flora and fauna.
We like to get ahead of the crowd by catching the first boat and climbing quickly away from the mass of day hikers. Another strategy is to catch the second boat which often carries far fewer people.
Consider circuiting Crypt Lake 1.8km (1.1mi) once you get to the top.
Most hikers visit Hell Roaring Falls on the descent, a minor detour.
LOGISTICS
- many hikers fly into the airport in Calgary, Alberta (YYC)
- rent gear if needed at MEC in Calgary
- Lethbridge, Alberta; Kalispell and Great Falls, Montana are smaller alternative airports
- Waterton Lakes National Park is located 270km (168mi) south of Calgary, Alberta, and 130km (80.8mi) SW of Lethbridge, Alberta.
- there is no public transport directly to Waterton. The closest you can get is Pincher Creek, Alberta 45km (28mi) by Greyhound Canada bus.
- often you can hire a shuttle in Pincher Creek to get you to the Park, but not always. In 2005 we needed to hitchhike the last leg.
- it is far more convenient to drive your own vehicle
- coming from the USA, there is public transport
- bus or train take you first to Glacier National Park (where you could even hike into Canada on the North Circle
- the Glacier Park East Side shuttle offers regular service across the Canadian border to Waterton.(Check the dates of service. Shuttles start running July 1st and finish in early September.)
- the hostel in Waterton is disappointing, over-priced and cramped. You would be better off tenting. There is a huge, open campground in Waterton townsite.
- If you have a vehicle, instead tent Crandell Mountain (403) 859-5133. No reservations. A walk-in wilderness section called Crandell Lake offers the best sites.
LOCAL INFORMATION
INDEPENDENT OR GUIDED?
Almost everyone hikes Crypt independently but you can certainly hire a guide, if you choose.
BEST TREKKING GUIDEBOOKS
No real need for a guidebook for this hike. It is straight-forward.
But if you are also doing longer, more complicated hikes in the region, we recommend Graeme Pole which includes Crypt Lake.
The Copeland opinionated guide is excellent too, rating hikes from 1-4 "stars". Some hikers even like Spring's guidebook best.
BEST TRAVEL GUIDEBOOKS
- Lonely Planet Banff, Jasper and Glacier National Parks - Miller, Derby, Lukas, 2004
- Moon Handbooks Canadian Rockies - Andrew Hempstead, 2005
- Waterton and Glacier in a Snap! - Fast Facts and Titillating Trivia Djuff & Morrison, 2005
- Moon Handbooks Alberta: Banff, Jasper, Northwest Territories - Andrew Hempstead, 2004
- Lonely Planet British Columbia - Andrew Hempstead, 2004
- Moon Handbooks British Colombia - Andrew Hempstead, 2005
- Frommer's Banff & Jasper National Parks - Christie Pashby, 2004
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We use Lonely Planet guidebooks all over the world. But you can use any guide to travel the Canadian Rockies. The tourist infrastructure is excellent.
OTHER RECOMMENDED BOOKS
Gadd is our bible in the Rockies: flowers, plants, animals, birds, fish, geology, history and much more.
BEST MAPS
BEST WEB PAGES
After this page, the best links are
BEST PHOTOS & TRIP REPORTS
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