Parking
Use the Cameron Falls parking area off Evergreen Avenue in the Waterton townsite; the trailhead is next to the falls.
Overview
About Alderson Lake Trail
Why go
- Blue water beneath Mount Alderson's steep cliffs.
Heads up
- A long, steady climb for a 14 km return.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Waterton Lakes map
Full mapElevation1,342–1,876 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
7 active Waterton Lakes alerts
- ClosureBelly River Campground closedBelly River Campground is closed to all traffic and travel because a carcass is in the area. - Violators may be charged under the Canada National Parks Act, with a maximum penalty of $25,000.Official details
- ClosureBlakiston Fan closed to protect rutting elkThe Blakiston Fan area is closed to traffic and travel to prevent disturbance of elk rutting there.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Waterton Lakes Tour Guide
Your drive to Alderson Lake Trail, narrated.
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 trailhead
Cameron Falls0:00 / 0:31
“Up ahead is Cameron Falls, an easy waterfall stop on the edge of the village. The footbridge is just steps from parking and gives you a close view into the rocky gorge.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Waterton Lakes Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Bertha Trailhead
- Waterton Lakes Visitor Centre
- Townsite Campground and Lakeshore
- Pat’s Waterton and Mount View Road Shops
- 51 audio storiesacross Waterton Lakes’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Bison, Black Bear, Elk, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 47 trails, 70 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“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!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Alderson Lake Trail
Is this the lake hike you want?Alderson Lake Trail is a 14 km (8.
Alderson Lake Trail is a 14 km (8.7 mi) out-and-back from Cameron Falls in the Waterton townsite. A steady climb through diverse forest reaches a blue alpine lake beneath Mount Alderson’s steep cliffs. Allow five to six hours; the long uphill and about 580 m of gain make this a hard half-day hike. The distance is for the full return trip, though the mapped line traces the route to the lake once. Pets are allowed on park trails but must stay leashed; check any notices posted at the trailhead.
Stay on the lake routeThe standalone hike turns around at Alderson Lake.
The standalone hike turns around at Alderson Lake. The main trail continues toward Carthew Lakes and Cameron Lake on the Carthew-Alderson through-route, a much longer one-way hike with different logistics. Stop at the lake if you came for the return hike.
At the lakeThe blue water sits below steep cliffs of Mount Alderson.
The blue water sits below steep cliffs of Mount Alderson. Give yourself time at the shoreline; keeping both the water and cliff face in a photo shows how the lake fits beneath the mountain.
If you campAlderson Lake has a designated backcountry campground.
Alderson Lake has a designated backcountry campground. An overnight stay requires a Parks Canada backcountry use permit; camping is allowed at designated campgrounds only. Bring a gas stove, and treat or boil the campground water before drinking.
The namesakeMount Alderson, the lake and Alderson Creek honor British Lieutenant General Edwin H. A.
Mount Alderson, the lake and Alderson Creek honor British Lieutenant General Edwin H. A. Alderson, the first commander of the Canadian Expeditionary Force.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Waterton Lakes
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.
