Alberta · Canada
Akamina Parkway
Waterton townsite to Cameron Lake
A winding 16 km climb from Waterton townsite up the Cameron Valley to Cameron Lake.
The Akamina Parkway twists out of Waterton townsite and follows the Cameron Valley for 16 km to a glacial lake hemmed by peaks on the Continental Divide, in the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park UNESCO site. It is a narrow, sinuous national-park road with tight curves, frequent viewpoints and the first oil well in western Canada along the way, best driven slowly. The corners come steadily and the verges are soft. Mind tight blind bends, abundant bears and deer beside the road, and rockfall on the inner shoulders.
On the road
The road runs from Waterton townsite to Cameron Lake. It is narrow with no shoulder, and the speed limit is 50 km/h (about 30 mph). Look out for bighorn sheep, moose and mule deer. Stay at least 30 m from large animals and 100 m from bears, wolves and cougars.
About 5 miles (8 km) from town, a monument shaped like a drilling derrick marks the First Oil Well in Western Canada. Oil was struck here in 1902, and the site became a national historic site in 1965. The 2017 Kenow wildfire swept down this valley, and the burn has opened up wide views. Further on are the Lineham Falls trailhead and the Little Prairie picnic area. Cameron Lake sits at 1,646 m. Its southern end crosses into Montana, under Mount Custer. Boat rentals run from mid June to mid September.
The whole road is usually open from May to early November. In winter, cars can only go as far as Little Prairie, and the rest is left for skiing and snowshoeing. Winter mornings can bring closures while the snowplough works. Waterton Lakes is a national park, so you need a Parks Canada admission pass.
Scenery
Best seasons
In these collections
Akamina Parkway on the map9.5 mi · point to point
Navigate to the start: Apple Maps · Google Maps
Character
Corners
busiest around mile 1Elevation
under 4%4 to 8%over 8%1,288 to 1,687 mFrom the road
Points of interest2 stops
- First Oil Well In Western CanadaLandmark4.9 mi in
- Cameron FallsLandmark0.5 mi in
Hazards
- Tight blind bends
- Bears and deer roadside
- Rockfall on shoulders
Sources
“The Akamina Parkway is a winding mountain road which starts in the Waterton townsite and runs 16 km along the Cameron Valley, ending at Cameron Lake.”
Route traced from OpenStreetMap, with its stats measured from that line. How the roads are mapped
Routes for iPhone carries Akamina Parkway offline, with live weather and a 7 day forecast.
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