Picnic area · Waterton Lakes National Park
A quiet picnic stop beside an easy, paved lake loop.
Overview
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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 place
Linnet Lake and Middle Waterton Shore“Linnet Lake is ahead, a good stop if you want a picnic and an easy walk. The paved loop circles the small lake in about twenty minutes, with very little climbing, benches and interpretive panels along the way.”
Plays as you drive up to Linnet Lake Day Use Area in the Parkwolf Waterton Lakes Tour Guide.
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Guide
Linnet Lake Day Use Area is a small lakeside picnic stop off Waterton's Entrance Road. It's a good fit for a quiet pause and an easy wander, not a big excursion. Parks Canada lists two picnic tables and flush toilets at the site.
The separate Linnet Lake Loop starts from the parking lot east of Entrance Road, just past the Parks Canada operations area. It's a paved, easy 1 km circuit around a small lake, with little elevation, benches and interpretive panels; allow about 20 minutes.
The lake and mountain slope give you the defining view, and the Prince of Wales Hotel is visible from the lake area. For a photo, keep some water in the frame with the hillside behind it.
Parks Canada identifies the village fire hall as a potable-water point; the Linnet Lake site listing doesn't name a drinking-water tap. The parking lot is beside the loop's start, so the tables and toilets make this an easy place to break up a drive.
Parks Canada says the lake takes its name from a small bird called a linnet. People also notice birds and wildflowers along the loop, though no particular species is documented for this stop.
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
EasyLinnet Lake Loop1 km · 20 min · At the trailheadA paved 20-minute loop with lakeside views and interpretive stops.
ModerateBear’s Hump Trail2.9 km · 1 hr · 0.4 km awayThe short, steep climb to Waterton’s broad town-and-lake panorama.
EasyPrince of Wales Loop2 km · 45 min · 0.7 km awayA short circuit below the historic hotel, with two lakes in view.
ModerateCrandell Lake-Townsite Trail12.4 km · 4 hr · 1.3 km awayA steady climb from town through renewing forest to a lake.
ChallengingAlderson Lake Trail14 km · 5.5 hr · 1.6 km awayA forest climb ends at a blue lake beneath Mount Alderson's cliffs.
EasyTownsite Loop3.2 km · 1 hr · 1.6 km awayA gentle paved loop links Cameron Falls, the village, and lakeshore.
ModerateBertha Lake Trail10.3 km · 4.5 hr · 2 km awayA waterfall warm-up before the climb to Bertha Lake.
ModerateLower Bertha Falls Trail5.1 km · 1.5 hr · 2 km awayA short waterfall hike with a big view of Waterton Lake.
Sight · At the trailheadMiddle Waterton Lake Boat LaunchThe red chairs look straight across the water to Vimy Peak.
Sight · 0.5 km awayPrince of Wales Hotel National Historic SiteA 1927 railway hotel set high above the lake and town.
Beach · 0.7 km awayDriftwood BeachA driftwood-lined pebble shore with a sweeping Waterton Lake view.
Picnic area · 0.8 km awayEmerald BayA picnic by the marina, with a cool dip or paddle nearby.
Lodging · 1 km awayKilmorey LodgeA lake-view room or a patio dinner gives this stay its edge.
Sight · 1 km awayBear’s HumpA steep climb opens a view from the lakes to the prairie.
Lodging · 1.1 km awayCrandell Mountain LodgeA 1940 lodge in Waterton with family rooms and suites.
Sight · 1.1 km awayWaterton MarinaLakeside walks, red chairs and boat cruises on Upper Waterton Lake.Parkwolf’s Waterton Lakes ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
