Waterton Lakes at Waterton Lakes Golf Course

Waterton Lakes Golf Course sits within Waterton Lakes National Park in the southwestern corner of Alberta, where the Rocky Mountains meet the prairie grasslands. Stanley Thompson designed the course in 1929, during the same period he created several other celebrated Canadian mountain layouts. The routing occupies a dramatic setting at the base of the mountains, with the townsite of Waterton Park nearby and views extending across the surrounding peaks and valleys.

Thompson's design works with pronounced elevation changes and natural terrain features characteristic of his mountain courses. The layout moves through rolling ground with several holes playing along hillsides and others occupying more level stretches near Waterton Lake. Mature trees frame many fairways, and the course benefits from the park's protected landscape, where wildlife sightings are common during play. The relatively short yardage reflects both the era of design and the challenging topography, which provides natural defense.

The course operates as a public facility within the national park system, accessible to visitors exploring the Waterton region. Its season runs from late spring through early fall, constrained by mountain weather and the park's high elevation. The clubhouse offers straightforward amenities suited to the park setting, and the course attracts golfers interested in combining mountain recreation with a round on a historic Thompson design. Waterton Lakes remains one of the few courses situated entirely within a Canadian national park.