Running Waterton Lakes National Park: Bertha Falls

My second day of training on vacation consisted of a hike up to Bertha Falls.  I had never done a solo hike before.  I was a bit nervous hiking alone in bear country, but it turned out to be one of my favorite things I did this past trip.

Distance: 6 kilometers round trip (roughly 4 miles)

Estimated Time: 1-2 hours

Who: Anyone able to handle significant inclines and rough terrain.  If your kids are used to hiking then they will be fine.  My kids would have wanted to be carried long before the half way point.

Here is the trailhead to Bertha. This trailhead is located just off of Evergreen Avenue.  There is a decent sized parking lot here, but you could walk here from anywhere in town.

I had seen a few maps and they all said that Bertha Falls was 1K.  So, I was thinking that I could do this while my family was napping.  Nope.  This is a lie.  Or they just don't tell you where the kilometer starts.  It surely doesn't start here.  From here you have 3Ks to get to the falls.  Trust me.  It's 3 kilometers one way.

The beautiful view as you climb.

This was a lookout at 1.5K mark.  (there was a sign.  I just forgot to take a picture of it.  It also said that I had 1.5K to go.)  The view into Glacier National Park, USA.  This is a perfect place to eat a snack and drink some water.  There is a bench to sit on too.  I could have sat here all day long.  So peaceful.

Somewhere between half way and the falls, I climbed down to the river.  There was a pool that you could wade in or little kids could swim in. There was a couple of ladies there that were testing out their water filter.  The one that works like a straw.  It was pretty cool.  So, if you have one of those filters, then you could get yourself a drink.
 

This is Bertha Falls.  It's a good turn around spot if you're not going up to Bertha Lake, which I was not.  You will know you are here when you hit a wooden bridge and another wooden bench to sit on.  I'm pretty sure there was a sign too.

Next time I'm thinking I will train run this one.  It's a good distance of 6K round trip, not too steep, and oh so beautiful. But I'll wait another year or two to take the kids.

Running Waterton Lakes National Park: Prince of Whales Hotel

One of my favorite places to run while on vacation is in Waterton National Park, Canada.  The first day is always rough because my lungs need to adjust to the altitude and temperature.



So, the first day, I always to a short easy run.  Usually from where I am staying up to the Prince of Whales Hotel.  It's about 2-3 miles from where we normally stay.  So, distance will depend on where you start.

Running to the Hotel is up a small hill.  There is a beautiful view at the top.   

It's completely worth it and you will still have plenty of energy for the rest of your day's activities.

Running in Raymond, Alberta, Canada

There are plenty of people who like to sleep in while on vacation, but I have to rise with the sun.  I love running while on vacation. I get up early, smell the fresh air (something we lack here in Utah), enjoy the crisp breeze, and head off to explore a new area.  I don't take my music when running on vacation because I want to enjoy nature and be completely aware of my unfamiliar surroundings.

This summer, I was able to run in Alberta, Canada.  I was there for the July 1st celebrations.  I was staying in Raymond because they have the best parade.  Each morning I was there, I went running.  On the first morning I found a running trail on the south side of town and followed it past the edge of town. Here was the scene of my run:

The next day I didn't get a picture.  This was because my heart was racing and in panic mode for most of my run.  I got chased down the street by a huge dog.  I survived.  It's okay.

The next morning was Canada Day.  It was cloudy and looked like rain was coming, but I got to enjoy the parade route and it's decorations without the crowds of people.

I noticed that many people in town seemed to be heading out on their runs when I was finishing up.  So,  if you have a chance to visit Raymond and you want to run with people, then I would recommend going later in the morning.  Anytime after 6:30am.