Parking
Start at the Cameron Falls parking area or the Marina; both are identified access points, and the loop can be joined elsewhere in town.
Overview
About Townsite Loop
Why go
- Easy paved route with a waterfall, lakeshore and pavilion in one circuit.
- Several town access points make it simple to fit into a day.
Heads up
- Short shared-road stretches and crossings interrupt the lakeside path.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Waterton Lakes map
Full mapElevation1,277–1,315 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 Townsite Loop, 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
- Wieners of Waterton
- 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 Townsite Loop
An easy hour around townTownsite Loop is a 3.
Townsite Loop is a 3.2 km (2 mi) paved circuit around the Waterton community, following Upper Waterton Lake and Emerald Bay and passing Cameron Falls and the International Peace Park Pavilion. It’s an easy, mostly level walk; allow about an hour. Choose it for a relaxed town-and-waterfront stroll, not a mountain climb. You can join the loop at several points around town.
From the falls to the lakeStarting near Cameron Falls, the path follows Cameron Creek through the townsite and campground…
Starting near Cameron Falls, the path follows Cameron Creek through the townsite and campground toward the lakeshore. A footbridge opens a southward view across Upper Waterton Lake to Vimy Peak, with Mount Crandell above the village. Then the walk turns into a longer waterside stretch, so it feels like more than a quick waterfall stop.
Emerald Bay and the PavilionThe northern part reaches the International Peace Park Pavilion on the point between Upper…
The northern part reaches the International Peace Park Pavilion on the point between Upper Waterton Lake and Emerald Bay. Across the bay, the Prince of Wales Hotel stands on its hill. Interpretive panels along the walk add some context; the Pavilion is the natural place to pause and look both ways across the water. At the Cameron Creek bridge, frame the lake and Vimy Peak together if you want a picture beyond the falls.
Getting around the loopThe Marina and Cameron Falls are useful places to park and join the route.
The Marina and Cameron Falls are useful places to park and join the route. Most of the circuit is paved path, with a few links along town streets and road crossings, so pay attention to traffic. Dogs are allowed on park trails on leash; follow any posted area restrictions.
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.
