Guide To Crandell Lake Hike In Waterton

Crandell Lake is a stunning alpine lake located in Waterton National Park, making it an ideal destination for an easy hike or an overnight backcountry trip. It’s located along the Akamina Parkway and Red Canyon Parkway, making it a nice hiking stop for those driving either route.

The traditional access route is from the South off the Akamina Parkway, which is the shortest route to the lake. It’s also more scenic than the alternative. Notably, the lake was severely impacted by the Waterton fire, resulting in a new growth forest full of low-lying vegetation and wildflowers.

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Crandell Lake Hike Stats

Crandell Lake Overview

The hike up to Crandell Lake is straightforward and considered an easy trail, making it a popular destination for backcountry camping. It’s most commonly accessed from the south via the Akamina Parkway. Along the parkway is a large parking lot that accommodates approximately 50 vehicles.

From the parking lot, the trail gradually ascends into the forest, which was damaged in the 2017 wildfire. The landscape will remain unchanged for the entire trail. Although the trees have yet to return, it offers unobscured views of the surrounding mountains and valley.

At the start of the trail, this becomes apparent with nice views of Mount Crandell directly ahead. Not long after the hike opens up, it provides valley views of the Akamina Parkway. Most of the elevation is gained right here at the beginning over the first kilometer.

Thanks to the abundant sunlight that reaches the burned-out forest, the area is now covered in wildflowers, grasses, and shrubs. As with many places in Waterton, it highlights the natural progression of regrowth.

After the initial climb, the trail flattens out and moves through the forest. It’s a short downhill from there down to Crandell Lake. On the way to the lake, the trail passes several streams and rock outcroppings that provide views of the lake.

Crandell Lake sits in a small bowl just beneath Mount Crandell. It’s a relatively small lake, but it boasts clear, still water that showcases vivid colors on a sunny day. There is a nice shoreline and picnic area at the edge of the lake. It’s an ideal spot to relax, have lunch, or take a quick dip while admiring the views.

The hike returns the same way and gains a modest amount of elevation back to the Akamina Parkway. It’s a short hike and on average takes around an hour or two to complete, which includes some time relaxing by the lake.

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Trail Difficulty

It’s a very easy trail, and most hikers should be able to complete it without difficulty. The only difficulty arises at the beginning, due to the modest amount of elevation gain. Conditions along the trail are good, and it’s a well-graded trail that presents few challenges.

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Trail Length

The trail is around 4.5 km long and gains around 121 meters of elevation. On average, we’d say it takes most 1 to 2 hours to complete with some stops. We’ve heard of some taking longer than that.

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Best Time To Hike

The trail to Crandell Lake generally dries out sometime in May. However, to best enjoy the hike, we suggest the month of June as it allows for the wildflowers to bloom. Every season is different, but the hike is good until October.

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