Full Review of the Waterton Boat Tour: A Family Experience
One of the most fun parts of our whole trip to Waterton Lakes National Park was our our Waterton boat tour from Waterton to Goat Haunt (a remote part of Glacier National Park!) There are a few things you should know before you take the Waterton boat ride and our full review of the trip!
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Full Review of the Waterton Boat Cruise
Spoiler alert, we LOVED our Waterton cruise and would highly recommend taking one if you’re visiting the area. It was truly one of our favorite things to do in Waterton! But there are a few things you should know before you go to make your trip a little more smoothly.
What’s the Bathroom Situation?
There is NOT a bathroom on the boat so make sure to plan accordingly. They do have an “emergency bucket” but we all know that would not be ideal.
There is a really nice and clean bathroom at the boat docks so I would highly recommend everyone using that before getting on the boat.
Additionally, when you get to Goat Haunt, you can use the bathrooms there as well that are also clean and nice.
If you are doing the cruise that doesn’t hit land, just keep in mind that you won’t have access to a bathroom for the duration of the cruise.
How to Get Tickets
You can get tickets at the Marina (the same place the boats leave from) ahead of time, but tickets are NOT refundable. So make sure to check the weather ahead of time.
They did tell me that cruises can sell out, especially on weekends in the summer. Check the schedule to plan your trip and see pricing information. And keep in mind the prices are in CAD not USD.
Tip: my GPS did take me to the wrong place to get tickets, the office is right at the marina not further in town.
Things to Know – Waterton Boat Tour
Every boat tour we’ve taken has been a little different so here’s a few things you can expect when traveling with the Waterton Shoreline Cruise Co.
How to Get Good Seats
The Miss Waterton boat (she’s a beauty!) has seats inside and on the top. Depending on the weather, some of the seats may be better than others.
We did our boat cruise on a beautiful sunny day so the top of the boat seats in the open air filled up quickly! But if you’re taking the cruise in the rain or smoky weather, you may have the opposite issue.
If you feel strongly about the seats you get, get in line early. If you don’t get the seats you want on the way there, you can line up early to get the seats you want on the way back (but it will cut into your short time spent at Goat Haunt).
We had two little kids with us on our cruise (3 and 5 years old) so the inside was definitely better for us. They have a hard time sitting still and the top seats didn’t feel very secure for them!
Boat Cruise Options
If you’re wanting to do a Waterton cruise, you have two different options – which are both great!
Waterton to the International Border
The first of the options is cheaper and shorter, but you don’t actually get off the boat anywhere.
On this cruise, you’ll leave from the marina in Waterton and drive down the lake to the International boundary between the USA and Canada. You’ll cruise close to the shore for wildlife spotting and see the cutline in the forest where the border is.
The total time for this cruise is 1 hour and 15 minutes. The local guides have fantastic commentary on the history of the area as well as the local wildlife.
Waterton to Goat Haunt
The second option is longer and more expensive but honestly so worth it! The total time is 2 hours and 15 minutes where you will drive from Waterton for the entire length of the lake to a remote part of Glacier National Park.
Once you reach Goat Haunt, you’ll get the opportunity to get off the boat and explore the backcountry ranger station and interpretive center for about 30 minutes. The ranger gave a short talk here too which you can attend on the shore!
If you have a National Parks Passport, you can get it stamped here. And did I mention that the view from here is absolutely STUNNING!
You will also have wildlife sighting opportunities and really informative tour commentary throughout the boat ride.
Note: the 30 minutes in Goat Haunt will totally fly by, so use your time wisely!!
Do You Need a Passport?
Even though you’re going into the USA, you don’t actually need a passport! You do need a passport if you plan to stay longer than the 30 minutes in Goat Haunt or if you plan to do any hiking from there.
There are also some other restrictions if you plan to do that so do your research ahead of time! (I’ll update this if I’m able to make this backcountry hiking trip myself!)
Is it a Good Activity for Kids?
Yes! Our kids had fun on the boat ride and there were several other kids on board. The only tough part was getting them to be quiet during the ride so we could all hear the tour guide.
There also isn’t much room to roam around on the boat, but there is a little bit of room on the floor if they are littles like mine. And if you’re visiting Waterton with your family, we have our complete guide to Waterton to help you plan your whole trip!
What’s the Food Situation?
There isn’t any food available on the boat or at the Goat Haunt Ranger Station. So I would recommend bringing your own snacks!
We packed a bag of snacks which kept our kids busy during the boat ride. You will have to pack out all the garbage you bring in though so keep that in mind.
Overall Thoughts on the Waterton Cruise:
The Waterton Cruise was one of our favorite activities of the trip! We aren’t often people who do paid tours, but I thought this was totally worth the money.
I was so excited to see such a remote and untouched part of Glacier National Park too! After your boat ride, make sure to make a reservation for afternoon tea at the Prince of Wales Hotel – another fun experience!
