The park was first known as the Kransberg National Park when it was first proclaimed in 1994.
The Waterberg was the area that the naturalist, poet and author Eugene Marais lived in and inspired such works as his renowned novel "Soul of the White Ant."
Ramolefe Boy Moatshe has lived in the area all his life. On 4 August 1981 he survived a 15 minute bare handed fight with a leopard (that he had surprised) after taking a calf from the herd he was tending. Ten hours after the attack he made it to hospital. He spent 2 months in rehabilitation in the hospital.
The park also has an abundance of iron-age sites that will be made accessible to visitors in the future.