Montana · July 2016
Glacier National Park is located in northern Montana, sharing a border with Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada.
Both parks are World Heritage Sites and were designated the world's first International Peace Park in 1932.
Here are the southern Rocky Mountains, with Banff, Canmore, and Jasper located just northwest.
I started my trip by flying into the airport at Kalispell, then drove east on US-Highway 2 from West Glacier to East Glacier Village.
From there, heading up MT-49 north was a slightly slower route, but it was worth stopping for a nice viewpoint of Lower Two Medicine Lake.
In the waning dusk light, I passed Saint Mary Lake on the way to Many Glacier for the weekend.
Lower Two Medicine Lake
Many Glacier
Many Glacier has some of the most impressive mountain landscapes reachable by car, and there are tons of great day hikes starting from the Swiftcurrent Hotel and Many Glacier Hotel.
With only a long weekend for this trip, I decided to focus on hiking to Iceberg Lake and Grinnell Lake the first two days.
If I had another full day, Cracker Lake, accessible from the Many Glacier Hotel, would have also made my list.
Swiftcurrent Lake and Many Glacier Hotel
Swiftcurrent Lake, Mt. Grinnell, and Mt. Wilbur
Swiftcurrent Lake and The Gem Glacier
Hiking Iceberg Lake
10 miles out and back, 1,275 feet vertical gain
The Iceberg Lake Trail was my favorite hike of the weekend.
It starts next to the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn, where I spent the first night, ate a good breakfast, and picked up some bear spray before starting the hike.
Except for the first steep section and the overall length of the trail, it is an easy hike that feels flat most of the way.
There is very little tree cover to block the sun or the excellent views along the valley leading to the lake.
Past the halfway point, you can hang out at a waterfall to rest and get a little shade before continuing.
Views across the valley leading to Iceberg Lake
A waterfall halfway to Iceberg Lake
Near Iceberg Lake, you will continue past a small blue pond that is closed to hikers for rehabilitation.
Once you have reached the eastern edge of the lake, you can continue along a muddy trail adjacent to the south shores, then further up the steep north wall of Mt. Wilbur for better views.
Approaching Iceberg Lake
Iceberg Lake
The trailhead is located next to the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn 48.799498, -113.677551
Hiking Grinnell Lake
3-10 miles round trip, 150-1,165 feet vertical gain
Grinnell Lake is as easy or hard as you want to make it.
Starting at the Many Glacier Hotel, there are a number of ways to do this hike involving a combination of tour boats and different approaches along the two lakes leading up to Grinnell Lake.
Reserving a tour with the Glacier Park Boat Company will save you about 2.5 miles of hiking each way and involves taking a boat across Swiftcurrent Lake and another boat across Lake Josephine.
There are scheduled pickups at the other end of each lake to save you up to 2.5 miles on the way back to the hotel.
Swiftcurrent Lake boat
Lake Josephine boat
On this trip, I took boats across Swiftcurrent Lake and Lake Josephine, then walked the flat path to the Grinnell Lake.
Along the way, I crossed a foot bridge for a peep of Hidden Falls.
There were a lot of mosquitoes upon reaching the lower lake.
Hidden Falls
Lower Grinnell Lake
With limited viewpoints at the bottom of Lower Grinnell Lake, I wanted to see it from above.
Walking back to the Lake Josephine boat drop-off, I then proceeded north toward the Grinnell Glacier Trail.
The start of that trail is steep at the beginning and continues to ascend steadily west along the valley to the glacier after the first switchbacks.
There are excellent views of Grinnell Lake from here, and you can turn around at any point.
Grinnell Glacier Trail
Lower Grinnell Lake from the Grinnell Glacier Trail
During the July 4th weekend this year, the trail to Grinnell Glacier was closed past the 2-mile mark with steep snowfields past the first large waterfall.
This is as far as I made it before turning around.
I talked to a couple that made it past some of the snowfields and were within a quarter mile of the Grinnell Glacier, but decided to cut their hike short due to the risks involved.
After coming down from the Grinnell Glacier Trail, I walked back to the Many Glacier Hotel instead of waiting for the next boat.
This afforded nice views of Lake Josephine and Swiftcurrent Lake along the way.
Lake Josephine and Grinnell Glacier
Swiftcurrent Lake, Mt. Wilbur, and Ptarmigan Wall
Many Glacier Hotel and Altyn Peak
The hike to Grinnell Lake or Grinnell Glacier starts at the Swiftcurrent Lake Boat Ramp, in front of Many Glacier Hotel: 48.796739, -113.658146
Going to the Sun Road
On the last day of the trip, I took the Going-to-the-Sun Road back toward Kalispell.
There were incredible views along the way and plenty of pull-overs to admire the scenery.
The area near the Logan Pass Visitor Center was most impressive, and there you can do a short hike on the Hidden Lake Nature Trail.
Lake Mary at Rising Sun
Logan Pass
Continuing the drive toward Kalispell
Hiking Hidden Lake Overlook
3 miles out and back, 525 feet vertical gain
The Hidden Lake Overlook is one of the most popular hikes at Glacier National Park for a good reason.
It is short and sweet, with stunning views of the twin Reynolds and Bearhat Mountains from start to finish.
During this early July weekend, some very slippery snow covered almost all of the trail, but having some hiking poles made the hike manageable.
With the sun beating down on the snow, it can feel very warm as you make your way up to the south ridge of Clements Mountain.
Clements Mountain from the Hidden Lake Trail
Once you make it past the ridge and to the meadow, there is less snow but there can be heavy winds.
The Hidden Lake Overlook platform is a short distance past the meadow.
The trailhead is located at Logan Pass Visitor Center: 48.695294, -113.718906
Directions
Glacier National Park is most easily reached by flying to Kalispell Airport.
The length of your drive into the park depends on your destination.
1
Iceberg Lake Trailhead: 48.799498, -113.677551
2
Many Glacier Hotel Boat Ramp: 48.796739, -113.658146
3
Hidden Lake Trailhead: 48.695294, -113.718906
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