June 13, Saturday: Many Glacier to Waterton Park

Woke to cold (35 degrees) clear skies after the intermittent rain all night.  Made a big breakfast of bacon and eggs ... no bears in the campground this morning.

Today's hike was a four mile round trip hike to Red Rock Falls through open fields, pine forest with views of a lake and mountains and finally the falls.

Any ideas on what created this sink drain fold on the pine tree?

Thankfully, that rustling was this deer just sprouting his antlers and not a bear.

Returned to the RV, had a quick bite to eat and drove east out of the park to the town of Babb to see if they had a campground with services, but they had nothing.  There was just enough signal to call Jack and let him know the bears didn't get me and that I was heading up to the Canadian portion of the park, called Waterton.

The drive up on the Chief Mountain Highway has beautiful views of mountain peaks at this northern portion of the park.  This area is known as where the Plains meet the Rocky Mountains. There are no major hills or small mountains leading up the big guys as in most of the Rockies....farmland butts right up to the base of the craggy mountains.

There were many of these guys on the road - I do not understand why there were fences on the sides of the roads, signs that said livestock on road, and cattle inside and outside the fences??

Waterton Lake, Canada

After clearing Canadian customs, I drove into the park and when I paid my entrance fee, the Interpreter (Park Ranger on our side of the border) said I should head directly to the campground to make sure I would get a site.  But on the way I these guys were just hanging by the side of the road.

It was a 12 mile drive over a narrow pothole-filled road and when I got there there were tons of sites.  I was way deep in the park and 12 miles from the visitor center.  The road was bad enough that I did not want to drive back and forth again.  I chose a site, put the sign up saying occupied and drove a couple of miles to the end of the road to see the Red Rock Canyon.

So far everywhere I have been, I have been a couple of weeks in advance of the tourist crowds, but I found them all here.  I was lucky to find a place to park and then the canyon was that deep red sandstone, but kids and adults were crawling all over the banks and playing in the water.  It was tough to get photos without hordes of people.  Well, listen to me...guess I have been out here in the boondocks so long I forgot that I am not the only one that wants to visit and enjoy these beautiful places.

Do not adjust your screen as Twilight Zone used to say - these rocks really are at that angle.

Now the prettiest site here is that big RV parked in that little, crowded parking lot way off on the right....by me!

I just couldn't resist.  This guy was decked out to go on safari and/or the really Big Trek, including knee pads and walking stick.  This was a 20 minute walk on a paved walking trail that did not connect to anywhere else.   He did stop and ask me where was the rest of the trail....The hat is my favorite, not a speck of dust.  Ok, I'm done with snarky.

I returned to my campsite and sat outside for a bit, but heavy clouds started moving through, blocking the sun and plummeting the temperature.  Thunderstorms arrived shortly after, but I love the sound of rain on the roof.  Great sleeping.