Parking
The Rowe-Tamarack trailhead is 10.5 km along Akamina Parkway from Waterton townsite, on the right when driving from town. It is the shared starting access for the Upper Rowe route.
Overview
About Lower Rowe Lake Trail
Why go
- Mossy creek ledges and bright red argillite on the opening stretch
- A cliff-backed lake makes a clear destination for a half-day hike
Heads up
- The route climbs steadily to open slopes, with about 350 m of gain
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Waterton Lakes map
Full mapElevation1,592–1,962 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 Lower Rowe 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
Rowe Lakes Trailhead0:00 / 0:27
“You’re approaching the Rowe Lakes trailhead, where I’d choose Lower Rowe Lake for a moderate hike.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Waterton Lakes Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Lineham Falls Trailhead
- First Oil Well in Western Canada
- Little Prairie Day Use Area
- Crandell Lake Trailhead and McNeely’s
- 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 Lower Rowe Lake Trail
A half-day walk to a cliff-backed lakeLower Rowe Lake Trail is an 8 km (5 mi) out-and-back from the Rowe-Tamarack trailhead, with…
Lower Rowe Lake Trail is an 8 km (5 mi) out-and-back from the Rowe-Tamarack trailhead, with about 350 m of elevation gain. Allow around three hours. It is a moderate creek-to-lake hike and a good pick if you want a full outing without continuing to Upper Rowe Lakes.
Follow Rowe Creek uphillThe route starts beside Rowe Creek, where water runs over mossy ledges and bright red argillite.
The route starts beside Rowe Creek, where water runs over mossy ledges and bright red argillite. It climbs steadily through forest, then reaches open slopes. At the junction, take the short spur to Lower Rowe Lake; the main route continues toward Rowe Meadow and Upper Rowe.
Stay for the lakeLower Rowe Lake sits below a steep cliff, with a rocky shore and conifers around the water.
Lower Rowe Lake sits below a steep cliff, with a rocky shore and conifers around the water. Summer brings Indian paintbrush along the trail edge. It is a good place to pause before retracing the same trail. If you are framing a photo, include the cliff behind the lake to show how the shore sits beneath the mountain. Dogs are allowed, but must stay leashed and under control.
Want a longer Rowe hike?Continue past the lower-lake junction toward Rowe Meadow and Upper Rowe Lakes for the separate…
Continue past the lower-lake junction toward Rowe Meadow and Upper Rowe Lakes for the separate 12.8 km (8 mi) return hike, about five hours. That upper extension is not part of this trail's 8 km distance.
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.
