Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [172]
There are 10 designated wilderness campgrounds with dry toilets and surface water, some of which have shelters.
WHERE TO STAY
For complete lodging information, contact central reservations for the Waterton area (☎ 800/215-2395; www.trailof thegreatbear.com).
Although the Prince of Wales Hotel (see below) is clearly the flagship in these woods, a worthwhile alternative is Kilmorey Lodge (☎ 888/859-8669; www.kilmoreylodge.com). This cozy country inn on Emerald Bay, at the north end of the lake, has a comfortable, historic ambience, with antique furnishings and down comforters on the beds. It also has a dining room and lounge on the premises. Standard doubles are C$123 (US$111). The Waterton Lakes Lodge (☎ 888/985-6343 or 403/ 859-2150; www.watertonlakeslodge.com), which opened in 1997, has a great location in the heart of Waterton Village. The lodge offers lake and mountain views, and some rooms have fireplaces, whirlpool tubs, and kitchenettes. Other facilities include a health-center spa and indoor pool. Basic lodge doubles start at C$175 (US$150) in summer; the facility is closed October through April.
The Prince of Wales Hotel
Waterton Lakes National Park, AB T0K 2M0. ☎ 403/859-2231, or 406/892-2525 in winter. Fax 403/859-2630. www.glacierparkinc.com. 87 units. TEL. C$199–C$399 (US$160– US$340) double, C$599–C$799 (US$510– US$680) suite. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed late Sept to early June.
The Prince of Wales compares with the finest park hostelries in Montana and Wyoming. Built in 1927 by the Great Northern Railway, the hotel boasts soaring roofs, gables, and balconies that convey the appearance of a giant alpine chalet. Rooms, though small, have aged well, with dark-stained, high-paneled wainscoting and heavily upholstered chairs. Bathrooms have European-style tubs with wraparound curtains; one look at the washbasins, and you'd surmise that guests were Lilliputian size when the hotel was first constructed.
The lobby, like those in many of the old railroad hotels, is wood, wood, and more wood—in this case accented by tufted furniture and carpeting. Two-story-high windows overlook the lake and village, only minutes away by footpath. If you don't spend the night at the Prince of Wales, at least stop in for a traditional British high tea, served daily from 2 to 5pm. All in all, the experience is very European—the gift shop even sells china and crystal.
WHERE TO DINE
All of the village's restaurants and retail outlets are within a 4-block area around Waterton Avenue (which the locals call Main St.). So despite the fact that many buildings aren't numbered, you'll have no problem finding places to eat or shop.
The casual Bighorn Grill at the Waterton Lakes Lodge (☎ 403/859-2150) serves beef and seafood in a room with spectacular views. The Royal Stewart Dining Room in the lobby of the Prince of Wales Hotel (☎ 403/859-2231) serves Continental and English fare at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
You'll find luxurious surroundings, and slightly higher prices, at Kootenai Brown Dining Room at the Bayshore Inn (☎ 403/859-2211), considered the luxury spot on the lake. The order of the day is steaks, chicken, rack of lamb, and seafood; the dining room is also open for breakfast and lunch.
New Frank's Restaurant, on Waterton's main street (☎ 403/859-2240), serves both conventional Western fare such as beef, chicken, and spaghetti, and a Chinese menu that includes an all-you-can-eat evening buffet, as well as breakfast and lunch.
16
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK
by Shane Christensen
THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT THE GRAND CANYON IS ITS SIZE. At 277 river miles long, roughly 4,000 feet deep, and an average of 10 miles across, it's so big that even the breezes seem to draw a deep breath at the rims. But it's far more than an enormous gulch. In the past 6 million years, while the river or rivers that would eventually become the Colorado River were