An Alberta park on the U.S border is one of the best places in the world to stargaze

Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park is a pretty amazing place. Not only is it situated along the U.S.-Canada border, but the Unesco World Heritage site is also one of the best spots in the entire world to stargaze, according to visitors.

Looking up at night and finding meaning in the varied twinkling lights that dance across the sky is an activity that has fascinated humans since antiquity.

Luckily for Albertans, there is no better place to do it than in Waterton. It’s a convenient, under-three-hours drive from Calgary, and with unrivalled natural scenery, it’s definitely worth the trip.

In fact, U.K. tourism brand Inghams recently reviewed over 100 parks with dark sky certification to assess which ones offer the best experiences to visitors, and Waterton came out on top.

What to expect

Snow-capped mountains, glaciers and rugged rock formations are some of the sights to see in Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park.

When the sun goes down and you look up at the night sky, you’ll experience something totally out of this world.

Waterton boasts a high review score of 4.9 on Google and 4.8 on All Trails for stargazing experiences, which makes it one of the highest-rated locales in the world.

Most dark sky parks are located in the U.S., but we’re lucky to have this one right in our backyard.

Looking up

A dark sky park status means the community is prioritizing light reduction, or the amount of light that’s sent up into the sky at night by urban infrastructure and other artificial sources.

At Waterton National Park, you can see the moon and its craters with binoculars, alongside planets, constellations and the Milky Way galaxy.

With abundant parks and natural spaces, including choice spots in Cameron Bay, Red Rock Parkway and the Bison Paddock overlook, you’ll encounter a rare sense of peace and seclusion while you ponder the universe.

You don’t need a larger-than-life telescope or an astronomy degree to experience what’s above us. Though a pair of binoculars is recommended, along with a handy star chart and a red light for reading it.

The sky’s the limit, and Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park is ready to unfurl before you.

Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park

Where: Waterton Park, Alta.

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