In what John Muir called “the best care-killing scenery on the continent,” Glacier National Park in the U.S. and Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada join together to create one of the most spectacular cross-border, internationally protected regions on Earth.
Here are a few incredible facts about this amazing region that will no doubt wet your appetite to discover the international treasure of Glacier and Waterton Lakes national parks.
- The Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park (WGIPP) was created in 1932 to commemorate the peace and goodwill that our two nations share. It was the world’s first international peace park, and there are now 170 such peace parks globally.
- The intent was to use peace and goodwill to work towards shared management of one ecosystem that transcends political borders: protecting the water, plants and animals that are found in the WGIPP. The result: an oasis of solitude and tranquility and a nature lovers’ paradise.
- Canada and the U.S. have the longest undefended border in the world (5,525 miles). Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park is an incredible 1,720 square miles in size!
- Humans have lived in the WGIPP region going back 12,000 years, and there are places in both parks that hold deep historic and cultural significance. On the Glacier National Park side, this includes Two Medicine Valley, an area rich in Native American history. Situated on the eastern edge of the park, the valley borders the Blackfoot Indian reservation.
- The Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, meaning that it is a place of special significance to the world.
- Oh give me a home where the grizzly still roams…and is often seen. There are also mountain goats, elk, wolves, coyotes and other incredible wildlife.
- Finally, the scenery there is absolutely stunning. WGIPP is a beguiling landscape of peaks, meadows, wildflowers and meltwater lakes fed by rills tumbling down off the park’s namesake ice shelves.
So, if you have any interest in experiencing an endless array of nature, photo and wildlife opportunities, be sure to visit Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park.
This guest post was written by Peter Davis Krahenbuhl.
