Flowing out of Waterton Lakes National Park through the dramatic Front Range country of extreme southwestern Alberta, the Waterton River is one of the region's most scenic and ecologically diverse trout fisheries. Primarily recognized as a brown trout stream, the river winds through some of the most visually striking terrain in the Canadian Rockies before transitioning into semi-arid mixed-grass prairie as it continues northeast toward its confluence with the Belly River. The river is best suited to floating, though a productive tailwater section below Waterton Dam offers excellent walk-and-wade opportunities. With abundant grasshopper populations, reliable hatches, and the chance at large brown trout, the Waterton River rewards anglers who take the time to learn its rhythms.