It’s one of the most gorgeous settings I’ve ever been to. The waters are pure, the only traffic you’ll hear is an occasional helicop-tour above, and jagged cliffs and mountains rise dramatically above the lake. Once you get to the lake, you’ll wish you could build a cabin on the shores and stay for a while. One time at Hidden Lake, a mountain goat started following my brother around for just a minute. And watch for mountain goats – this is prime habitat for these fascinating animals. Along the way, you’ll see the tip of Lake McDonald in the distance. You’ll drop 750 feet from the overlook down to 6,375 feet above sea level. The trail continues for 1.5 miles to the lake, with some switchbacking. The view is breathtaking and at this point, the urge to hike down to Hidden Lake is almost irresistible. You can see almost all of Hidden Lake from here, with Reynolds Mountain rising to the south and Bearhat Mountain rising right above Hidden Lake. After 1.5 miles, you reach the overlook – which is a worthwhile hike all in itself. You’ll also see some cascades along the trail.Īfter a little over a mile, the trail will level off and you’ll see a small pond south of the trail. You could be treated to a wildflower show, however. The growing season at this elevation is short and the trees are short. Â During this segment of the hike, you’ll be able to see down both sides of Logan Pass and might catch a quick glimpse of the west end of St. As you climb, the steep walls of Mount Oberlin dominate the view to the north. It begins by gaining about 500 feet climbing to Hidden Lake Divide via a combination of pavement, boardwalk and dirt trail. The trail starts behind the Logan Pass Visitor Center. Even if you’re not going to hike, you can still get a great sense of the distinct Glacier landscape from this road. The steep, narrow, winding highway is closed to long RVs – with good reason – and is only open for about four months each year. In so many places, it’s literally carved out of the side of the mountain. The Going to the Sun Highway is an interesting experience in itself. From West Glacier, it’s 32 miles, and from East Glacier, it’s 18 miles. To get to the trailhead, drive to the top of Logan Pass from either the west or east entrances to Glacier. And in Yellowstone, although you can get the experience of being completely surrounded by mountains, you’ll never see so many peaks as jagged as the ones in Glacier. The hikes through the Tetons are a different experience entirely – on the top of Paintbrush Divide, for example, you’ll see the farmland of Idaho to the west and Jackson Hole to the east. In Glacier you truly get the sense of being surrounded by jagged, glacially carved mountains on every side – even though the West Entrance of Glacier is only 34 miles from Kalispell, Montana, you can hike through the park and not see the surrounding valleys in any direction. Glacier National Park is an experience totally unlike Yellowstone and Grand Teton parks. The hike out can be a challenge for less experienced mountaineers, so be aware of the climb that awaits you. You’ll gain about 500 feet of elevation over 1.5 miles hiking to the Hidden Lake Overlook, where you top out at about 7,125 feet, then lose about 750 feet as you hike another 1.5 miles to the shores of the lake. The long, crescent-shaped lake is tucked amongst the jagged, glacially carved peaks of Glacier National Park with pristine waters that seem to invite you to stay for a while.Įven better, it’s a reasonably easy hike, starting at the top of the Going to the Sun Highway behind the Logan Pass Visitor Center. I’m making an exception for Hidden Lake in Glacier National Park, which has to be one of the most gorgeous places on the planet. So far I’ve been writing about trails in northwestern Wyoming, primarily in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Hidden Lake in Glacier National Park Posted by Jim Steele on October 5th, 2008 filed in Glacier-Waterton International Peace Park
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