Avalanche Lake and Hidden Lake
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I’d read that parking in Glacier National Park can be a mess, and everyone says the trick is to get there early. We had our sights set on one of the most popular hikes in the park, Avalanche Lake, so we left St. Mary Campground just before 6 a.m. and started the drive along Going to the Sun Road. The views were spectacular, and we made just a few quick stops for photos, trying not to lose too much time.
Going to the Sun Road
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Just after Logan Pass, we were driving past the Oberlin Bend Overlook when three massive bighorn sheep rams walked right into the road in front of us. We pulled over and watched them calmly cross and then scale a cliff. I'd gotten some great Bighorn Sheep viewing in Rocky Mountain National Park, but this one took the cake.
We got to the Avalanche Lake trailhead at exactly 7 a.m. and the lot was already full. Luckily, we found a spot in a nearby pullout. As started towards the trailhead, a deer wandered across the path just ten feet away, like we were just part of the scenery. The hike starts with the Trail of the Cedars, a wide boardwalk path through towering red cedars and hemlocks that feel more like the Pacific Northwest than Montana. Some of the trees are 1000 years old and stretch over 80 feet tall. You then pass over Avalanche Creek and a narrow gorge where icy water crashes through moss covered rocks.
From there, the trail climbs gently toward Avalanche Lake. The morning was brisk and chilly, perfect hiking weather, but as we neared the lake, the rain rolled in. We didn’t care. The lake was a stunning clear turquoise-green water and backed by steep cliffs, with three waterfalls pouring down from melting snow above. Even under gray skies, it was a knockout.
After wrapping up that hike, we headed back to Logan Pass to do the Hidden Lake Overlook trail. Up at that elevation, it was colder and the wind had picked up. Not far in, we hit snow, and not just a patch here and there. About half the trail was still covered, thanks to a snowstorm the week before that had shut down top hikes like the Highline Trail and Grinnell Glacier. Fortunately, this trail was still open, so we carefully made our way across the slick sections.
The overlook was absolutely worth it. Hidden Lake sits way down in the valley beneath Bearhat Mountain, with snowfields, wildflowers, and ridgelines all around. It’s one of those views that makes you feel like you’re standing inside a postcard. The trail normally continues down to the lake itself, but it was closed due to bear activity, so the overlook was as far as we were going.
On the way back, the skies opened up again. First rain, then sleet, then sideways rain. My pants were soaked through, the temperature was hovering in the 40s, and the wind was whipping. But with just a mile left and the exertion to keep warm, I powered through, soaked but satisfied.
After that, it was time to retreat to camp, dry off, and call it a day — a truly incredible day.
We got to the Avalanche Lake trailhead at exactly 7 a.m. and the lot was already full. Luckily, we found a spot in a nearby pullout. As started towards the trailhead, a deer wandered across the path just ten feet away, like we were just part of the scenery. The hike starts with the Trail of the Cedars, a wide boardwalk path through towering red cedars and hemlocks that feel more like the Pacific Northwest than Montana. Some of the trees are 1000 years old and stretch over 80 feet tall. You then pass over Avalanche Creek and a narrow gorge where icy water crashes through moss covered rocks.
From there, the trail climbs gently toward Avalanche Lake. The morning was brisk and chilly, perfect hiking weather, but as we neared the lake, the rain rolled in. We didn’t care. The lake was a stunning clear turquoise-green water and backed by steep cliffs, with three waterfalls pouring down from melting snow above. Even under gray skies, it was a knockout.
After wrapping up that hike, we headed back to Logan Pass to do the Hidden Lake Overlook trail. Up at that elevation, it was colder and the wind had picked up. Not far in, we hit snow, and not just a patch here and there. About half the trail was still covered, thanks to a snowstorm the week before that had shut down top hikes like the Highline Trail and Grinnell Glacier. Fortunately, this trail was still open, so we carefully made our way across the slick sections.
The overlook was absolutely worth it. Hidden Lake sits way down in the valley beneath Bearhat Mountain, with snowfields, wildflowers, and ridgelines all around. It’s one of those views that makes you feel like you’re standing inside a postcard. The trail normally continues down to the lake itself, but it was closed due to bear activity, so the overlook was as far as we were going.
On the way back, the skies opened up again. First rain, then sleet, then sideways rain. My pants were soaked through, the temperature was hovering in the 40s, and the wind was whipping. But with just a mile left and the exertion to keep warm, I powered through, soaked but satisfied.
After that, it was time to retreat to camp, dry off, and call it a day — a truly incredible day.