Parking
Start at the Waterton townsite end of Akamina Parkway. No dedicated trail lot or parking capacity was confirmed; the mapped trail path joins the parkway about 500 m along the road.
Overview
About Crandell Lake-Townsite Trail
Why go
- Reaches a mountain lake by a forested walk from town
- A cook shelter and outhouse are available at the lakeside campground
Heads up
- A steady climb until near the lake
- Shared with mountain bikers
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Waterton Lakes map
Full mapElevation1,326–1,604 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 Crandell Lake-Townsite 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 area
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 on the road 0.4 km from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Waterton Lakes Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Pat’s Waterton and Mount View Road Shops
- Emerald Bay and Kilmorey Lodge
- Wieners of Waterton
- Waterton Marina and Peace Park Plaza
- 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 Crandell Lake-Townsite Trail
Townsite to lakeCrandell Lake-Townsite is a 12.4 km (7.
Crandell Lake-Townsite is a 12.4 km (7.7 mi) out-and-back from Waterton townsite to Crandell Lake. Expect a steady climb until you near the lake and allow about four hours; Parks Canada rates it moderate. This is the longer town approach, separate from the easier 3.6 km return trail that starts farther up Akamina Parkway.
The forest transitionThe path follows beside Akamina Parkway before turning through forest still renewing after the…
The path follows beside Akamina Parkway before turning through forest still renewing after the 2017 Kenow wildfire. Mountain bikers use this route too, so keep right and listen for riders.
The lake at the endCrandell Lake sits in a low, forested saddle between Ruby Ridge and Mount Crandell.
Crandell Lake sits in a low, forested saddle between Ruby Ridge and Mount Crandell. Its western shore has beach access, and the backcountry campground there has a cook shelter and outhouse. Food service and potable water were not confirmed, so carry what you need. The pebble shore frames the water and mountain backdrop; the tenting area gives a different view.
Finding the townsite startParks Canada describes the trailhead as where Akamina Parkway begins.
Parks Canada describes the trailhead as where Akamina Parkway begins. The mapped hiking path joins the parkway about 500 m farther along; its 6.2 km one-way corridor matches the published 12.4 km return figure. The exact access and parking point were not specified, so confirm the trail junction in the townsite before setting out. Dogs are allowed on park trails when leashed and under control.
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.
