Waterton Lakes National Park

August 2: Made it across the border!


Pretty wildflowers:


We thought these were mountain goats at first, but after consulting a guidebook, now I'm thinking they are stone sheep.


We were just about to leave Waterton Lakes when Mom spotted this grizzly hanging out on the hillside. We pulled over along with a bunch of other cars (creating what they call a "bear jam") and sat watching him until a park ranger came along to make us move. They don't like it when people stop to watch wildlife. Besides possibly causing accidents, it also makes the animals familiar with people. But the rangers seem to be good about taking their time to make you move, and they let you get plenty of pictures first.


Outside the park is a buffalo paddock. There's no information on whose they are or what they're there for, but there's an enormous fence with no gate, just a big cattle guard, and you drive into the pen with the herd. It's pretty awesome. Here's the herd beneath the mountain.


Inside the buffalo paddock, I spied what I thought was a groundhog at first, but it was actually a hoary marmot. The only picture I could get was this one with the car behind us; those guys are really fast.


Two of the buffalo up close. Aren't they adorable? I just love his fuzzy face!