Waterton is a fantastic place to hike in the fall. I hadn’t been since 2006 and wasn’t sure how nature reacted to the Kenow wildfire in 2017. Although some parts of Waterton National Park have been affected by the fires, nature is doing a wonderful job revitalizing itself. Red Rock Canyon is stunning with its rich red colour in the canyon. It stands out and is a nice contrast to the yellow and green leaves. Blakiston Falls showed more devastation yet life was making an incredible recovery to peek through and show outstanding colours. The start of Lower Rowe Lake hike is affected but as you get higher up the mountain towards Upper Rowe Lake, you’ll find glorious nature untouched with vibrant fall colours. My friend Kelsey and I loved rediscovering the spectacular waterfall hikes and I hope you will too.
Table of Contents
Red Rock Canyon
Directions: Red Rock Canyon can be found off the Red Rock Parkway.
Washrooms: They can be found at each of the two parking lots, although the one up top is nicer providing multiple stalls compared to only one at the second parking lot.
Parking: There is plenty of space to park your vehicle.
Distance: Waterton Fall hikes include a short easy loop of 0.8 kilometres above the canyon. You’ll get a bird’s eye view of the red rock. It’s an easy hike allowing you to see different angles and stretch your legs.
As the water level is low, you’ll be able to walk down into the canyon and take pictures. Depending on the time of day, you’ll get full sun or shade providing a break from the sun.
Tip: You might have to walk to a specific spot in the canyon to avoid the shadow in your pictures.
We found that going early at nine in the morning the next day helped to avoid the crowds compared to going later in the afternoon the previous day. Remember that in the fall, the mornings tend to be cooler. Bring your Arc’teryx Covert Cardigan to stay warm while enjoying the peacefulness of the canyon.
Tip: It can be slippery when crossing the rocks to the other side so make sure you have a good grip to prevent slips before jumping over to the other side.
Catching Sunset
We went at the end of the day which was perfect to catch the sun just before it set. It created this beautiful picture underneath the bridge. The yellow and green leaves contrasting with the grey and red rock made for stunning pictures.
Note that September is a popular month for tourists to visit Waterton including this place. We found it difficult to take the scenery without people in them.
Tip: It might be a good idea to go for a walk above the canyon waiting for people to disperse. Taking pictures in this direction or further in the canyon helped to avoid having humans in our pictures. You might want to try a different angle to avoid them. It’s likely that other people will want to take pictures in the same spot. Be patient and courteous and take turns taking gorgeous pictures.
Gorgeous Waterton Fall View
This picture was taken from the Red Rock Canyon bridge. As we were higher up with fewer people in this direction, it was easier to capture the canyon below and Waterton’s beautiful fall colours. Notice the position of the sun behind the tree, enhancing this picture.
Blakiston Falls
Directions: Blakiston Falls trailhead starts by crossing the bridge and taking the path to the left of Red Rock Canyon.
Washrooms: Red Rock Canyon provides the washrooms for this trail as well.
Parking: The parking lot is shared with Red Rock Canyon.
Distance: This Waterton Fall hike is 2.4 kilometres long and has an 86-metre elevation gain.
There were a lot more burned trees in this area but I found that the different coloured leaves made nature pop with beauty.
Blakiston Falls trail is an easy trail. It starts in the trees and opens up to this beautiful view.
As you approach the area, observation decks are provided for further close-ups of the falls.
Tip: If you’re scared of heights, don’t look down. The structure is stable and steady but you can see right through to the bottom which can make some weak in the knees, like it did for me. Look ahead with your partner and enjoy the beauty of the water flowing beneath you.
Rowe Lakes Trail
Directions: Take Akamina Parkway Road to Cameron Lake. The turn-off is to the left, right after leaving the town of Waterton.
Parking: There are lots of parking stalls available.
Distance: The 8-kilometre hike to Lower Rowe Lake is gorgeous. It has an elevation of 350 metres and takes approximately two to three hours to reach. The hike is moderately difficult up to this point. If you go further to Upper Rowe Lake, it’s a 14-kilometre trail return from the parking lot with a 671-metre elevation gain. Going to the second lake will take approximately five hours. The second part of the trail is considered more challenging with a steeper route to attain the upper lake.
Washrooms: There are no washrooms at the Rowe Lake trailhead but if you continue about a five-minute drive past it, to the Little Prairie picnic area, you’ll find clean and well-maintained outhouses. These were the nicest outhouses I found all trip.
Lower Trail
The trail to lower Rowe Lake started with a mild ascent heading further up the mountain. The fall leaves made the scenery very pretty and rich even with the burnt trees. It was a nice start to the trail.
Tip: Due to the lack of upright branches on the trees, when the wind blows, it goes right through the forest providing no protection when hiking. When it’s windy, it can get cold quickly. Make sure to wear your warm layers.
The trail got a bit steeper at times but we were surrounded by trees the higher up we went which was nice. The trees protected us from the wind and it was good to see the vegetation alive and well. The yellow leaves beside us created beautiful pictures.
The views got more breathtaking the further up we went! This was our stunning scenery as we walked along the mountainside. Don’t forget to bring your camera to capture this view.
This area is also perfect for seeing bears. Be bear aware in September and October as they will be foraging in preparation for the winter season. We were happy to see many vehicles in the parking lot meaning that it was a popular trail. It provided us with some ease knowing the trail would be busy with chatty hikers to help keep the bears away.
Take proper precautions to be bear alert, as we did:
- Bring bear spray
- Make lots of noise
- Stay in your group at all times. A bigger group is better but as long as you make noise and are aware of your surroundings, you should be fine as a couple of hikers.
Lower Rowe Lake
This is the first lake: Lower Rowe Lake. It provided us with Waterton’s fall colours along the lake. It was pretty to see.
Tip: It can be very windy near the lake. For some protection, have a snack or eat your lunch behind trees to not to get blown away.
We were fortunate enough to see a little weasel hiding in and out of rocks while we ate our lunch. It made for the perfect break spot. Ensure that you don’t have any food lying around and don’t feed them. We don’t want wild animals to rely on human food and be unable to fend for themselves.
Lower Rowe Lake makes for a perfect hike if you want a short eight-kilometre trail round trip. If you have additional energy, I highly suggest you keep going to the second lake. It’s more work as you’ll hike up a steep trail but the stunning views will be so worth it! The views here are wonderful but it doesn’t compare to the lake higher up.
Upper Trail
This is the meadow right before heading up the steep trail to Upper Rowe Lake. You’ll be heading up towards the golden larches you see on the far left. You can take a break here if you need to refuel or need a drink of water before hiking up.
If you are feeling chilly, there’s no need to wear your down jacket at this point. You’ll quickly warm up heading straight up.
Steeper Section
This part of the trail gets more difficult with steep switchbacks. Take your time and as many breaks as you need if you find this section more challenging. You’ll get there. Trust me, the views at the top are breathtaking and well worth the hike to get there.
Upper Rowe Lake
Photo credit: Kelsey Stephenson
We made it to Upper Rowe Lake! What do you think? Stunning isn’t it? The abundant golden larches at the end of the lake just made the scenery so beautiful in this Waterton’s fall hike. The lake changed from turquoise to blue depending on how the sun was shining. We walked a bit further away from the entrance to the lake to capture different angles of the lake. Every way we looked, it was spectacular.
Once you arrive at Upper Rowe Lake, you’ll need to put on a warmer layer to protect you from the wind. It will likely be windy up top like it was for us. We could have used a light hat and mittens at this spot. But, we casually laughed it off at our hotel telling ourselves it was nice out, we didn’t need them. Rookie mistake. We knew better having hiked in the mountains multiple times before. It’s usually warmer at the bottom of the mountain compared to the top!
My Osprey Tempest 24 Pack was perfect to carry everything with me including my lunch, water in my Camelbak Crux 2L Reservoir, snacks, and extra layers.
Final Thoughts
Are you feeling inspired and want to check out Waterton’s colourful fall trails? Red Rock Canyon is gorgeous to check out with a stunning red backdrop in every picture. Blakiston Falls provides a longer hike with rushing water and colourful leaves making nature pop out. Lower and Upper Rowe Lakes both have amazing attributes. Lower Rowe Lake provides an easy trail with a chance to run into a weasel and appreciate the calming water with changing leaves. The golden larches at the top of the second lake will take your breath away. It will be a nice achievement to have successfully completed the entire trail. These spectacular fall hikes are perfect places to discover with your partner. Although Kris was unable to join me this time, after seeing my pictures, he can’t wait to join me next time! Plan your trip and enjoy the gorgeous fall hikes.
Additional Links
- 4 Best Larch Hikes
- Fall Hikes in Banff and Yoho
- Fall Experiences Near Me
- 4 Spectacular Drumheller Hikes
- Unique Camping in Alberta
Trip Resources
- Book your flights with Expedia
- Book your Waterton hotel with Booking.com or Hotels.com
- Book your Waterton vacation rental with Vrbo
- Book your Waterton Upper Rowe Lakes Hike tour through TripAdvisor
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