Food · Waterton Lakes National Park
A Waterton tradition for generous scoops and handmade waffle cones.
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Waterton Lakes Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Waterton Lakes National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Waterton Lakes audio tourRecorded for this area
Paahtómahksikimi Cultural Centre“You’re coming up on Paahtómahksikimi Cultural Centre on Waterton Avenue. I’d stop here if you want to understand what this landscape means to Blackfoot people.”
Plays near Big Scoop Ice Cream Parlour in the Parkwolf Waterton Lakes Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
Big Scoop is a walk-up ice-cream shop on Waterton’s Main Street, an easy stop in the townsite rather than an attraction you hike to. Go for the handmade waffle cone and generous scoop; it’s a quick sweet break while you explore town.
The menu includes ice cream and sorbet, frozen yogurt, shaved ice, milkshakes, floats and flavored sodas; the shop also offers homemade fudge and sundaes. Several visitors find one scoop generous, so start there if you want a taste before deciding on another. Summer lines are common and can move quickly, but it helps to choose your flavor before reaching the counter.
The Uibel family has operated the shop in Waterton for three generations over about 60 years. A cone on a bench along Main Street has become part of the local routine. The shop is seasonal, so check that it’s open before planning a stop outside the main visitor season.
Wildlife
83 sightingsBisonMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
563 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
146 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
113 sightingsBighorn SheepMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
55 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 9 AMSighting map
53 sightingsTrumpeter SwanMost seen around 6 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Waterton Lakes. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ModerateCrandell Lake-Townsite Trail12.4 km · 4 hr · 0.6 km awayA steady climb from town through renewing forest to a lake.
ChallengingAlderson Lake Trail14 km · 5.5 hr · 0.7 km awayA forest climb ends at a blue lake beneath Mount Alderson's cliffs.
EasyTownsite Loop3.2 km · 1 hr · 0.7 km awayA gentle paved loop links Cameron Falls, the village, and lakeshore.
EasyPrince of Wales Loop2 km · 45 min · 0.7 km awayA short circuit below the historic hotel, with two lakes in view.
ModerateBertha Lake Trail10.3 km · 4.5 hr · 0.8 km awayA waterfall warm-up before the climb to Bertha Lake.
ModerateLower Bertha Falls Trail5.1 km · 1.5 hr · 0.8 km awayA short waterfall hike with a big view of Waterton Lake.
ModerateLakeshore Trail13.5 km · 4 hr · 0.8 km awayOne way lakeshore hike from Waterton to Goat Haunt, crossing into Glacier.
ModerateBear’s Hump Trail2.9 km · 1 hr · 1.1 km awayThe short, steep climb to Waterton’s broad town-and-lake panorama.
Restaurant · At the trailheadZum’s Eatery & MercantileFried chicken, license-plate walls, and a patio over Upper Waterton Lake.
Sight · At the trailheadPaahtómahksikimi Cultural CentreMeet Waterton through Blackfoot stories, language, and living culture.
Sight · 0.1 km awayWaterton Lakes Opera HouseA working 1930s cinema with live events and fresh hot popcorn.
Store · 0.1 km awayRocky Mountain General StoreStock up on groceries, camp gear, and a custom fountain soda.
Food · 0.1 km awayWindflower Corner CoffeeCoffee, quick bites, and mountain views from the patio.
Restaurant · 0.1 km awayWaffletonScratch-made Liege waffles make this a fun village breakfast stop.
Restaurant · 0.1 km awayWieners of WatertonA handmade smoked sausage, loaded dogs and sweet-potato fries
Store · 0.1 km awayWelch’s Chocolate ShopNostalgic sweets, ice cream, and a jumbo cinnamon bun.Parkwolf’s Waterton Lakes ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
