Day 48 Waterton National Park, Waterton, Canada Waterton Springs Campground

Captain’s Blog

Monday

July 20, 2009

We left St Mary around 10 AM and expected to get into Canada around Noon. The ride to the border was beautiful with the Rocky Mountains all around us. Chief Mountain reminded us a little of Devils Tower rising into the sky. What a magnificent mountain.

Every time we stopped to take a picture Jewel was hopping around wanting to go out. When she had to stay in the MH she would sulk. One time she went into the bedroom and jumped on the bed- something she never does. I looked back and couldn’t see her. I thought she got bounced off the bed when we hit some rough road. When I went back to the bedroom to look she had herself burrowed in the pillows. I think she was afraid to get off the bed with the MH moving.

Arriving at the border crossing we weren’t sure what to expect. People have told us they have had their MH searched and certain food items confiscated. We decided that if they wanted to take our food (we had just done grocery shopping) we would forego entering Canada. The border guard surprised us because he came into the MH to talk to us and review our legal documents. I guess he decided we were OK because he didn’t search the MH.

We arrived at Waterton National Park hoping to get a site in one of their campgrounds but all the sites were filled. We found a place five minutes away that worked out just great and cheaper too. The National Parks in Canada are not like the U.S. Their campgrounds are very expensive and the entrance fees out of sight so we were better off outside the park.

We drove into Waterton Village. The village is small with the usual tourist stuff. While driving through town we noticed lots of Deer with their Dows. I guess the deer are beggars in the town and the Park rangers do not want you to feed them. There are signs everywhere warning dog owners about mother deer killing dogs to protect their young. First the bears, now the deer.

There was a goat walking down the main street blocking a Cruise America MH. The wildlife in the area is abundant and they seem to like being in town instead of in the woods.

 

 

 

 

 

We stopped at the Prince of Wales Hotel that looks like something out of a fairytale. It sits high on a hill with the   Canadian Rockies behind it. It is a spectacular building with an even more spectacular backdrop. The interior foyer is beautiful but we got a peek at a room and they are really blah. We walked around the hotel and took in the beautiful views from the outside balconies. What a great and unique place. We thought about doing something special and make a reservation for dinner but the chicken was $27.00 so we passed and ate at home.

We drove around the town and ran into a great waterfall called Cameron Falls. The falls were unique in that they spilled over and through to orifices.

We then drove by what we would consider our dream home on a lake somewhere.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the way back to the CG we stopped at an overlook of the grave of Kootenai Brown a mountain man who became the first Park Ranger in Canada. We hiked down to the gravesite that sits overlooking Lake Waterton. Along the way we stopped to admire all the different varieties of wildflowers.

Later we decided to take a ride over to the Buffalo Paddock. It was a great ride but no buffalo so it was really a no buffalo paddock.