Upper Waterton Lake, National Park

The highlight of Waterton National Park's sparkling chain of lakes is the international Upper Waterton Lake, the deepest lake in the Canadian Rockies.

Boating, scuba diving and board sailing are popular sports in Upper Waterton Lake.

Most scuba divers choose to dive in the Emerald Bay portion of Upper Waterton Lake. Cameron Bay is another good spot for divers. An old paddle wheeler, the "Gertrude", built in the early 1900s, lies on the bottom of Emerald Bay at a depth of 20 meters. The best visibility is often in early spring or during the fall.

The Emerald Bay picnic area is a popular and often crowded place. For safety reasons, and as a courtesy to other users of this site, scuba divers are requested not to use generators and air compressors at the picnic site but to refill tanks at the upper parking lot of the Parks Canada compound.

The beach on Upper Waterton Lake near the Townsite Campground is popular with advanced sailboarders. High, gusty winds are common. The water is very cold, so dry suits or full wetsuits are recommended. Sailboarders can expect to share the lake with commercial and private boat traffic.

On hot summer days, some people swim in Upper Waterton Lake. Keep in mind that the lake is very cold, drops off quickly and is subject to strong winds. Emerald Bay is the most popular spot for swimming. The Townsite campground beach is used too, but tends to be windier. The Marquis Hole picnic site along the Waterton River is also a popular spot for swimming. Be aware that "swimmer's itch", a small parasite that causes itching and irritation, is present in some smaller water bodies, particularly Linnet Lake.