Lower Rowe Lake

Lower Rowe Lake is a small alpine lake tucked below a steep cliff face in Waterton’s Rowe Valley. Reaching it takes about three hours on an 8 km return hike with 350 m of climbing, from the Rowe Lakes trailhead along Akamina Parkway, 10.5 km from town. It’s a good destination if you want a proper walk to a lakeshore; this isn’t a quick roadside stop.

The trail starts beside Rowe Creek, which tumbles over mossy ledges and bright red argillite. It then moves through forest and open slopes to a junction; take the short side path and bridge to Lower Rowe Lake. The main trail continues uphill toward the upper lakes.

The 2017 Kenow wildfire affected parts of the Rowe Lakes approach. You’ll see a mix of fire-scarred forest and regrowth along the route, rather than one continuous burned stretch. The larch groves farther up toward Upper Rowe Lake were spared and turn gold in autumn, which is a good reason to continue if you’ve planned for the longer climb.

The water sits beneath a steep rock wall, with conifers lining the far shore. For a photo, get close to the water and keep some of the rocky shore or driftwood in the foreground; it helps show the scale of the lake and cliffs.

There are no services at the lakeshore, so carry food and water for the return walk. Parking is at the Rowe Lakes trailhead on Akamina Parkway, where the lot has space for several cars.