If you find yourself in search of an amazing day hike in Waterton National Park, look no further than the Alderson Carthew hike! This incredible trail takes hikers from Cameron Lake to Cameron Falls in the town of Waterton. It can be a big day with lots of elevation change and distance to cover but the views are incredible, right from the very beginning.
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Key Stats For Completing The Alderson Carthew Hike
Distance: 20.1km
Elevation: 650m gain starting at Cameron Lake, 1023m starting at Cameron Falls.
Which way should you hike it: Start at Cameron Lake and hike into town to overall loose elevation.
Shuttle options: For those who are traveling with only one car, you can get a shuttle with Tamarack Adventures to Cameron Lake. It runs daily and you can book in advance to secure your spot.
When to hike it: This is a summer only hike, we did the Alderson Carthew hike in late June and there was still snow on the trail, two nights prior to us hiking it there was also a snowstorm, which resulted in the trail being almost completely snow covered and hard to navigate at upper elevations, we used the Gaia App which helped us solve this problem. Check the trail conditions before heading out.
There is also a backcountry campground at Alderson Lake for those who want to split the trail into two days. Although it certainly isn’t necessary.
Hiking The Alderson Carthew Trail
There is no warm up when you are doing the Alderson Carthew hike, we got off the shuttle bus and it was a short walk around the corner of the lake when the junction from the Alderson Carthew hike appears, from the trailhead sign, you immediately start to gain elevation. Incredible trail building means you are heading up a series of switchbacks with peekaboo views of Cameron Lake.
As the Alderson Carthew hike turns away from Cameron Lake, the trail levels out somewhat. It makes its way through the burnt forest, which has opened up a lot of views. Take a break at Summit Lake, snack up and get ready for more climbing.
After leaving Summit Lake, the trail heads towards an alpine bowl, the trail skirts around through the middle, offering up beautiful views along the way as you leave the treeline. The steep trail starts to become visible ahead. It soon switches back up a rocky slope towards the pass.
At the pass there is a well worn trail to the right which will take you up to a high point offering views over into Glacier National Park in the USA. Since there was a lingering cornice on the pass, route finding here became a little difficult.
We followed the cairns and managed to head down safely. It was steep but you can see the first of the Carthew Lakes already. Once down at the lake, the Alderson Carthew hike skirts the edge of the lake, it is a beautiful spot for a break. Towards the end of the lake, cut through the trees and descend down past a small waterfall to the lower of the Carthew Lakes.
After the second Carthew Lake the trail briefly heads towards another mountain bowl before switching back down some cliffy terrain. It is steep and when we hiked it, it was still covered in snow. Eventually though the trail levels out and the rock walls of Mount Alderson start to appear. It is quite the sight at the wall that seems to come from nowhere and just dominates your view while hiking down the trail.
It’s a short but steep section of trail which takes you down to the junction for Alderson Lake. We decided to hike into the lake as it was only a few hundred meters. We stopped and had our lunch here since it was the first snow free spot in a long time. The lake is beautiful and a great spot to stop.
Back on the main Alderson Carthew hike, it enters the forest and the trail slowly starts to descend. It is daily easy going from here on out other than still having around seven kilometers to go. The trail maintains a lot of elevation so the views are still stunning as it switches quickly from lush green forest to burnt forest from the 2017 Kenow Fire. Eventually signs of town start to appear in the distance and then the metal railings around the river above Cameron Falls appear. From this point on the trail steeply descends to the town site at the waterfall.
We headed into town for a much needed drink and snack to refuel before heading to camp. One of the best things about Waterton is how close everything is and how excited everyone is to hear about your day of hiking.
Things You Will Need
Hiking Boots – Especially for the pass, you’ll want some good hiking boots with excellent grip.
Daypack – Make sure to have layers for any weather and food and water for the day.
Hiking Poles – With all the elevation change, I certainly enjoyed having hiking poles.
Sun Hoody – A lot of this trail is above treeline so there is little shade, I wore a sun hoody to protect against the strong UV.
Bear Spray – The Alderson Carthew hike is where I’ve had my closest black bear encounter to date on a trail. Don’t leave on this trail without having bear spray and knowing how to use it.
Places To Stay Nearby
We camped at the Townsite Campground, ideally located close to downtown and the end of the trail. It is a reasonable price and the showers at camp were perfect after the long hike.
There are also plenty of hotel options in Waterton, I really enjoyed a stay at the Waterton Glacier Suites on a prior visit, they have spacious rooms and an excellent location.
Check out one of the most well known hotels in Waterton, The Prince Of Wales Hotel, stood atop a bluff, some of these rooms have incredible lake views.
