In 1932, the people of Alberta and Montana decided that two parks that shared a border might as well share a name. Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada and Glacier National Park in the United States became the world's first International Peace Park, a gesture of friendship that grew from a suggestion by Rotary clubs. UNESCO later recognised it as a World Heritage Site, and the two parks are managed together for wildlife, even though visitors cross a border to get from one to the other.
The landscape is spectacular. The Rocky Mountains meet the prairie here without any foothills in between, so the mountains seem to rise straight out of the grass. On the Canadian side, Waterton Lake is a deep, narrow glacial lake surrounded by steep peaks, with the red-roofed Prince of Wales Hotel on a bluff above the water, a landmark since the late 1920s. Wind is a constant, and gusts of over a hundred kilometres an hour are not unusual. Grizzly and black bears, elk, bighorn sheep and mountain goats live here, and it is common to see wildlife from the road.
The riding on the Canadian side includes the Akamina Parkway, a short, winding road to Cameron Lake, and the Red Rock Parkway, with its views of coloured stone. For many riders, the real prize is across the border in Montana, where the Going-to-the-Sun Road crosses the Continental Divide at Logan Pass, at about 2,026 metres. This is one of the great mountain roads of North America, narrow, with steep drops, though vehicle size limits apply, and it opens fully only in late June or July, depending on snow.
The border crossing at Chief Mountain is open only in summer, so check hours before you plan the route, and carry your passport. The town of Waterton Park, a short distance from here, has fuel, groceries, restaurants and places to stay, though everything fills up in July and August. Bring bear spray if you plan to walk, and a warm layer, since the weather changes quickly.