Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park

Waterton Lakes National Park is an area just above Montana on the Canadian border.  Glacier National Park in the US is just below it.  The two parks were created in 1895 and were subsequently called the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. The idea behind the joint effort was that the lakes and rivers knew no international boundary, nor did the fish, animals and plants. This was the first International Peace Park created (1932).

Waterton is a very small park, but it has every landscape you can possibly imagine  - lakes, streams, alpine meadows, glaciers. Because of the proximity of the mountains and the plains, the plants and animals are very diverse.

We entered the village, and the first thing we saw was the mule deer that make their home here.

They are quite tame and keep busy eating while people crowd around and take pictures.

The owners of the Canadian Pacific Railroad built a landmark hotel here, like they did in other places, to attract wealthy visitors who would use the railroad and all of its facilities to travel in style.  Here the hotel is the Prince of Wales, and it sits on a barren hill without any obstructions  to the view.  The Prince of Wales at the time, was Edward, who abdicated his throne to marry the "woman he loved.".  He never visited here, but you would think he had.

There are red shuttles for hire to take people around the park, and also on to Glacier National Park across the border.  They have been in service since the park was created.