Oh, Canada! Finally back in Waterton

The new gender-neutral restrooms at the tourist boat dock

The new Visitor's Center

The black bear that created a "bear jam" on the Cameron Road

The Fall colors have begun!

The clouds put on a beautiful display all day

Cascades off Rowe Creek

Lower Rowe Lake

 One of the upsides of having been tested for Covid was that I could use a negative result within 72 hours to gain entry into Canada.

It was the first time in two years that we could venture north, and we headed straight for Waterton Lakes National Park, Glacier Park's sister in Alberta.

Chief Mountain port of entry won't open on either side of the border, so we had to use Carway/Port of Piegan, straight up US 89 north of Babb.  It adds about a half-hour to the drive each way.

We followed all protocols:  we had our two-Pfizer vaccine CDC verification card, our test results, passports, and an admission "ticket" acquired on the ArriveCanada IPhone app.

We arrived at Carway about 9 a.m., the only car in line and within two minutes were admitted to the country.

We had really missed our four or five visits a year to Canada during the pandemic.

This trip was a test of what it would take to enter the country.

The Delta variant is rampant in Alberta, but we didn't see much masking in Waterton.

What we did see was lots of change at the park.

We hadn't seen much of the park since the 2017 Kenow fire that burned much of the park.  There was so much deadfall and blowdown after the fire that the trails weren't fully cleared for the 2018 or 2019 seasons, and of course we couldn't go into Canada because of the pandemic in 2020.

We were able to drive up the Cameron Lake Road for the first time since 2017 and found the trailheads refurbished and we hiked the burned over Lower Rowe Lake Trail, which was in excellent condition.

Although there had been numerous fires in nearby British Columbia, the sky was a deep, clear blue with only a trace of haze.

The early fall colors were on full display in the orange and red spirea, the yellow dog bane and scarlet/purple huckleberries. 

I found that the burn opened up the vistas; Buchanan, Carthew, Custer and Crandell peaks unobstructed by foliage. 

Along the road we were treated to a unimpressed black bear that lumbered along obstructing delighted motorists.

In town we walked the Main Street, now turned into a pedestrian mall. I'm glad to see the vehicles gone.  Unlike Glacier Park, which has been mobbed by tourists, Waterton's visitation seems sparse by comparison.

The famous Kilmorey Lodge, which had burned, has been rebuilt in the same spot, but has not yet reopened.

There's a new visitor's center to replace the center that burned in the Kenow Fire, which hasn't opened yet.

The restrooms by the tour boat dock have been rebuilt and is now a fancy, modern gender-neutral spot --- very European.  I found myself slightly uncomfortable sharing the facilities with females, just like I did in France.

It was a long, enjoyable day of (re)discovery.  We left at 6 a.m., got back at 8:30 p.m., toured and hiked and lunched in Waterton, and drove 440 miles round trip.