Crandell Lake, Waterton Lakes National Park July 29, 2024

A trip to Waterton Lakes National Park was long overdue!  I did not get there this past winter nor in the spring.  I cancelled a planned trip here a couple of weeks ago due to very high heat.  I finally made it here and even better, I was able to score accommodations in Glacier National Park, Montana for after my Waterton visit.

Crandell Lake from the Red Rock Parkway is the perfect hike for me after the three hour drive south.  I arrived to a parking lot that had two warnings and thankfully one of them was not a bear warning.  The fire danger is rated extreme so no fires are permitted and effective April 1st, no non-motorized watercraft are permitted in any bodies of water within Waterton Lakes National Park.  Locals with watercraft that stay within the Park and rentals within the Park are permitted.

There was not much pretty to see on the drive down with a smoky haze hanging over.  As I neared the National Park, blue sky was in abundance as can be seen along the trail early on into the hike.

When I came to the area where the fireweed was, I thought of Jasper National Park.  Will it be pretty in pink one day, as fireweed grows where once there was a fire.

It was a very sunny and hot day!

a White-crowned Sparrow!

Even though it has been very hot and very dry, it is still very green.

There were five other people already at Crandell Lake when I arrived.  The hike up to the Lake was sheltered from the wind but boy oh boy, it was wild when I arrived.  

I found a perfect spot to sit for awhile.  I wanted to stay in sight of the others.  You can see three of the people on that log down below in the centre.

I went down there afterwards and this fellow followed me there. 

I had no treats to share.

Waves and whitecaps on Crandell Lake

playing with photo taking 

 

For some reason, I thought the backcountry campground here was closed, so I was surprised to come upon this. There was a tent on another pad beside this one.

lots of Paintbrush along the trail 

Lots of people were hiking up as I was heading down.  I was happy to be finishing and not just starting.  It was time to find some shade and cool off.  On the drive back along the Red Rock Parkway, I spotted brown movement in the bush.  With no vehicles around, I quickly stopped, rolled down the passenger window, snapped this shot then went on my way. This would be a brown Black Bear.

I had an hour or so to pass before checking into my home away from home.  This was the perfect spot to pass the time. I had shade, scenery and could feel a cool breeze off the water.  The picnic area here was busy so I was fortunate to get this spot.  What I learned later was that shortly after I left, a bear came into a picnic sight looking for food.  Supposedly just prior it got access to human food that had been left unattended.  A warning is now in place.

I checked in, unpacked then settled in.  

I like the headboard on my bed!