Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
with a 285-foot elevation gain, to the taller Virginia Falls, making a relatively easy and
lovely 3-mile round-trip hike.
For bear-savvy hikers with a penchant for floating ice, Iceberg Lake is an extraordinary
day hike. The trail, five miles one-way, with a 1,100-foot elevation gain, is well traveled by
hikers of the two-legged variety, but it also has one of the densest concentrations of grizzly
bears in the park thanks to an abundance of huckleberries. Bear encounters are not uncom-
mon, and no overnight camping is allowed. The well-marked trailhead is found at the very
end of Many Glacier Road, the only road in this section of the park.
The lake itself is a sublime glacial blue with chunks of ice floating in it, often as late
as September, but the chunks are bigger and more plentiful in July-August. The elevation
is gained slowly, except for a short steep stretch at the beginning, which is enough to turn
some hikers around, and passes through meadows bursting with wildflowers. Mountain
goats and bighorn sheep are often visible on the last stretch of the hike. Ptarmigan Falls is
halfway to the lake—a perfect resting spot. The bridge over Iceberg Creek is erected each
summer and taken down each fall to prevent it washing out in spring. Most mornings in
July-August, hikers can join a ranger-led hike to the lake, an especially good option for
those with more than a healthy fear of bears.
It's always a good idea in Glacier, and this area in particular, to have a back-up plan in
place for trail closures, which are exceedingly common here due to bears, other wildlife,
and trail conditions.
Boating
Boats are permitted on St. Mary Lake, but you'll have to bring your own as there are no
rentals on-site. There are 90-minute tours available several times daily through the Glacier
Park Boat Company (406/257-2426, www.glacierparkboats.com , $24.25 adults, $12 chil-
dren 4-12, free for children under 4). The tours depart from the Rising Sun Boat Dock, six
miles inside the east entrance on Going-to-the-Sun Road, and offer views of various water-
falls, Sexton Glacier, and Wild Goose Island. A 15-minute walk to Baring Falls is also an
option on the St. Mary Lake cruise. Twice daily, the cruises can be combined with a guided
hike to St. Mary Falls (less than 2 miles round-trip, 200-foot elevation gain) for a 3.5-hour
outing.
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