Glacier National Park – Part 4

Avalanche Lake Glacier National Park

The hike to Avalanche Lake includes the first half of the Trail of the Cedars Nature Trail. When the Trail of the Cedars Nature Trail starts its loop back to the parking lot the trail to Avalanche Lake starts to climb. The trail to the foot of the lake is 4.6 miles round trip and to continue on to the head of the lake adds another 1.6 miles to the round trip. The hike to the foot of the lake is one of most popular hikes on the west side of Glacier NP.

We had hiked this trail on a rainy day when we were here in 1999, with our son Kevin. This time Kathy decided to stay at camp and do laundry while I went out to the lake. I got an early start (8:45 AM) on the trail. This was to insure that I would find parking at the trailhead and to reduce the amount of traffic that would be on the trail to the lake. Unlike last time the weather was FANTASTIC!

The trail follows Avalanche Creek pretty closely as it climbs to the lake.

Not much in the way of wildlife on the way to the lake.

Avalanche Lake is fed by at least 7 very long cascades.

The Avalanche Lake has that turquoise green of a glacial fed lake.

The view at lunch from the head of Avalanche Lake.

Finally! Wildlife!!

The trail back.

Bird note: I saw American Dippers in the creek both going up and down the trail. The Dipper is described in this National Wildlife magazine article as “The Bird that Flies Through Water”. I found this great picture of an American Dipper on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/cameronrognan/3739419189/

More pictures of my hike to Avalanche Lake can be found on the slideshow