Glacier Ntnl Park – Many Glacier – Swiftcurrent Lake

I kept hearing about how the Many Glacier area of Glacier National Park is where the best hiking is, and I have no doubt of that. It also happens to be where most of the glaciers are, of the ones that still exist.

Visiting this area was the primary reason I was driving a total of 250 miles round trip, but in  the final 6 miles before entering Many Glacier I swear the road was actively trying to destroy my van. It was in such poor condition and I’d have preferred a washboard dirt road… but I made it in anyway.

On my trip over the Going to the Sun Road, I picked up Vincent who was hitch hiking back to his car after a 12 mile hike. Vincent is a guide in the park, so when asked, “what is the one hike I must do in Many Glacier?” he responded with, “Icerberg Lake”. He told me it was 10 miles round trip but level.. the reality was that it was 10 miles round trip (at the top-end of my range) but with nearly 2000 feet in elevation gain. This meant I could not make the hike, at least not without killing myself.

I came all this way, so I wanted to sample Many Glacier, but not by attempting a hell-hike. I chose to go to my backup hike, a simple 2.5 mile hike around Swiftcurrent Lake and I must say it was perfect. Sure I could have done another 3+ miles without breaking much of a sweat, but I still had 150 miles to drive after the hike, which is an all-day process the way I drive. The hike stayed fairly level and close to the water to keep giving one “oooooooh… aaaaaahhh” view after another. It was a 2.5 mile stroll, and superbly enjoyable because of it.

If… when I come back out to Glacier, I will plan my visit to base-camp on the East side of the park so I can go off on more of these longer hikes. For now, the 2.5 mile hike did it for me. Seriously, check out those views!