Picnic area · Waterton Lakes National Park
A creekside picnic with a shelter and six fire pits.
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 place
Pass Creek Day Use Area“Pass Creek Day Use Area is coming up beside Blakiston Creek, near the Red Rock Parkway junction. It’s a good place to unpack your own lunch, with picnic tables and a shelter containing a wood stove.”
Plays as you drive up to Pass Creek Day Use Area 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
Pass Creek is a compact picnic area beside Blakiston Creek, just off the park entrance road at the Red Rock Parkway junction, about 4 km from the park gate. It's an easy place to sit down for a meal or stretch the stop before driving farther into the park. The creek is close, with Mount Galwey visible in the distance.
From November 1 to April 30, weather permitting, Pass Creek is also a first-come, first-served winter campground for tents and RVs. Heavy snow can make day-use areas inaccessible, so check access conditions before setting out.
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 · 2.3 km awayA paved 20-minute loop with lakeside views and interpretive stops.
ModerateBellevue Prairie Trail7.6 km · 2.5 hr · 2.5 km awaySpring wildflowers brighten the open prairie below Bellevue Hill.
ModerateBear’s Hump Trail2.9 km · 1 hr · 2.7 km awayThe short, steep climb to Waterton’s broad town-and-lake panorama.
EasyPrince of Wales Loop2 km · 45 min · 2.9 km awayA short circuit below the historic hotel, with two lakes in view.
ModerateCrandell Lake-Townsite Trail12.4 km · 4 hr · 3.5 km awayA steady climb from town through renewing forest to a lake.
ChallengingAlderson Lake Trail14 km · 5.5 hr · 3.9 km awayA forest climb ends at a blue lake beneath Mount Alderson's cliffs.
EasyTownsite Loop3.2 km · 1 hr · 3.9 km awayA gentle paved loop links Cameron Falls, the village, and lakeshore.
EasyKootenai Brown Trail13.8 km · 3.5 hr · 4.2 km awayA smooth paved path links the park gate and townsite.
Sight · 0.5 km awayWaterton Lakes Golf CourseA historic public course with mountain views through the round.
Sight · 1 km awayAlpine StablesGuided rides range from lakeside loops to mountain scrambles
Beach · 1.7 km awayDriftwood BeachA driftwood-lined pebble shore with a sweeping Waterton Lake view.
Picnic area · 2.3 km awayHay Barn Day Use AreaA shaded picnic clearing beside the Waterton River.
Sight · 2.3 km awayMiddle Waterton Lake Boat LaunchThe red chairs look straight across the water to Vimy Peak.Picnic area · 2.3 km awayLinnet Lake Day Use AreaA quiet picnic stop beside an easy, paved lake loop.
Sight · 2.7 km awayPrince of Wales Hotel National Historic SiteA 1927 railway hotel set high above the lake and town.
Picnic area · 3.1 km awayEmerald BayA picnic by the marina, with a cool dip or paddle nearby.Parkwolf’s Waterton Lakes ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
