Introduction
We spent the day at Glacier National Park on a Saturday in mid-September. The park instituted a ticketed entry for Going-to-the-Sun Road this summer. However, it ended after Labor Day, so we weren't affected.
We got into Kalispell on Friday and once again were surrounded by smoke. Fortunately, the smoke cleared on Saturday, but the rain moved in, making for a wet day. Despite the weather, we still hiked Johns Lake Loop and Avalanche Lake.
Arriving at the Park
I heard stories from summer 2020 and summer 2021 of extremely long lines and traffic at Glacier. We avoided the craziness by going in mid-September. Therefore, entering the park was a short 5-minute wait.
The park has one main road that cuts through it. The road runs up along Lake McDonald after entering on the Westside, and our first stop was at the lodge on the lake.
The lodge has food, a gift shop, a nice river view, and is the departure point for the tour shuttles. We stopped and bought a few things at the gift shop.
Destination:
Not far past the lodge is a small turn-off for the Johns Lake Loop trail. There are multiple places to start this loop trail, and we were fortunate to find parking at this location.
The trail around Johns Lake and Johns Lake itself is nice. However, walking along McDonald's Creek is the highlight of this loop.
Johns Lake
We hiked counterclockwise. We saw the lake before crossing the road and going over the bridge at the first waterfall.
The river has rocks that look as if cut on purpose to square formations. Also, the water is very clear.
We saw the second waterfall that may be viewed better from the road getting closer to the lake.
The hike was short, with little elevation gain. However, it provided interesting scenery and was pleasant. We walked along the road at the north end of Lake McDonald before returning to the car to finish the loop.
Avalanche Lake
I forgot to turn off Maps3D (my tracking app) before we started driving away after the hike, so my numbers for Avalanche Lake were messed up.
Avalanche Lake is one of the most popular hikes in the park (so I've read). Its popularity was apparent by how long it took to find parking. The trailhead includes a couple of parking lots and more parking spots lining the road—people clammer for spots along the road and in the loops.
We had to make a few passes before we eventually found someone pulling out.
The trailhead has water and bathrooms, and there is a campground that you walk through to find the start of the trail.
Destination:
Avalanche Creek highlights the first section of the trail. The water flows through colorful smooth rock just off the path, and there are many spots to stand and look down or take photos.
It started to rain at the beginning of this trail and didn't stop until we drove to a different part of the park.
Therefore, we could only imagine the scenery as we trudged along toward the lake! Despite the weather, we were treated to views of massive waterfalls, mysteriously falling from clouds and misty rock cliffs.
The trail is maintained and has very few steep areas. The grade is gradual, making for a perfect day hike to a lake with waterfalls.
Once arriving at the lake, the trail continues along the south shore. We stopped at the northwest end where the lakeshore recedes, and the park has constructed benches.
The waterfalls, seemingly far away, created a sound that roared across the lake. On a sunny day, one might spend an hour or more sitting around the lake on a bench and passing the time.
Not all in our group had rain gear, so we left the lake at a high pace with Phil, carrying an extra 15 lbs of water in his clothes taking the lead!
Even though we were drenched, we were happy to make the most of the bad weather by going to Avalanche Lake.
Logan Pass
Going to the Sun Road wasn't the same as I remembered when I was fourteen. This was entirely because of the mist and clouds along the route and in the distance.
Additionally, the Hidden Lake trail was closed because of grizzly activity. I read on the AllTrails app that it was a female grizzly chasing hiker away from the area.
It was cold and windy at Logan Pass, and the visitor center closed at 4 p.m., which was a few minutes after our arrival.
Wet and cold from Avalanche Lake, the group didn't want to spend too much time walking around in the bad weather.
I walked around and examined what I could. I enjoy the sub-alpine trees and meadows that fill the space below the mountains. Logan Pass is an incredibly scenic area with streams and small waterfalls coming off the slope in the foreground beneath Clements Mountain.
Hidden Lake closed due to bear activity.
Before leaving, I vowed to return soon and hopefully arrive on a day with better weather!