Cruising to Goat Haunt, Montana

This is the most popular activity in Waterton. From the marina in downtown Waterton townsite, Waterton Inter-Nation Shoreline Cruise Company (403/859-2362) runs scheduled cruises across the international boundary to Goat Haunt, Montana, at the southern end of Upper Waterton Lake. The 45-minute trip along the lakeshore passes spectacular mountain scenery and usually wildlife. A half-hour stopover is made at Goat Haunt, which lies in a remote part of Glacier National Park and consists of little more than a dock and interpretive displays. You can return on the same boat or go hiking and return later in the day. If you are planning an overnight hike from here, you are required to register at the Waterton Visitor Centre before heading out on the lake. Another popular option is to take an early boat trip and walk back to town on the Waterton Lakeshore Trail, which takes about four hours. Boats leave the Waterton marina five times daily (from 9 a.m.) during summer. Fewer trips are made during June and September. The cruises run until mid-October, but for the last two weeks of the season no stop is made at the end of the lake. Tickets cost $26 round-trip, $16 one-way (children are half price), and you’ll need to book ahead in summer. The same company operates a regular shuttle service to the Crypt Lake trailhead for $14 round-trip.