Campgrounds
The camping experience in Waterton National Park is one of the best in the world. The spectacular unspoiled wilderness of Waterton National Park offers users superb opportunities for solitude, personal and physical challenge, freedom and adventure.
All primitive campgrounds have dry toilets, lake or creek water sources, fishing, hiking and photography potential. Each site has a 12 person and 4 tent maximum (with the exception of Boundary Bay which has a maximum capacity of 9 people and 3 tents). Most have fire grates and some have open kitchen shelters.
To camp in any backcountry area, visitors must book a site and purchase a Wilderness pass from the Visitor Reception Center. Wilderness passes are $6.00/person/night (children 16 & under are free), with a maximum trip fee of $30. Annual Wilderness passes are available for $42 and are valid for one year from the date of purchase in Banff, Jasper, Yoho, Kootenay, Waterton Lakes, Mount Revelstoke and Glacier (Canada) National Parks. The maximum stay in the backcountry is 14 days with no more than 3 consecutive nights at any one campground. Passes must be picked up no earlier than 24 hours in advance at the Visitor Reception Center, open 10 am to 6 pm during the months of May and September and open from 8 am and 8 pm during July and August.
Caution on the following:
Parasites carried by humans and some domestic and wild animals can get into any surface water (lakes, streams, rivers) and may contaminate human water supplies that come from these sources. In humans, they sometimes cause severe intestinal illness. When using surface water or water from taps where a caution is posted, it is recommended that you boil, filter or use iodine tablets in your water before drinking it or using it to brush your teeth.
The bear poles are provided at each wilderness campsite for campers to sling their food and garbage; visitors will require 10 meters or 25 to 30 feet of rope in order to do so.
Pit toilets are provided at each campsite, though campers are reminded to bring their own toilet paper.
Campers must place their tents on the tent pads provided. There is a maximum of one tent allowed per pad.
The use of gas stoves is recommended. Where open fires are permitted, campers must use the wood provided. Should there be none, campers are permitted to collect drift wood and blown down trees only.
