Category: Hikes

Avalanche Creek Trail to the Lake, Glacier National Park

Avalanche Creek Trail to the Lake, Glacier National Park

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The Going to the Sun Road was closed at Avalanche for the season so hiking options were a bit limited. Started at the Trail of the Cedars, where a wooden walkway leads through dense old growth.forest, the ground plush with almost iridescent green moss and a spectacular view of roaring avalanche creek. All this in a half mile or so and wheelchair friendly.

The rest of the Trail of the Cedars was closed, but I continued up along Avalanche Creek to Avalanche Lake. This easy, couple mile trail (4.5 miles roundtrip with 730 feet elevation gain) winds along Avalanche Creek and then up to the lake, and is one of the most popular in the park. One of the advantages of hiking in the off-season, and in the rain, is having it almost all to yourself.

Road trip: Taking the scenic route Sandpoint to Libby, MT

Road trip: Taking the scenic route Sandpoint to Libby, MT

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Highlight: Kootenai Falls

Got a tip from a coffee purveyor in Sandpoint to take the scenic route route 200 and 56 to Libby, Montana  before jumping on the 2 to Kalispell, Whitefish, and beyond. After all, aren’t road trips all about the scenic route?

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Scenery was fantastic along the way and Kootenai Falls is a must stop. Breathtaking views and a cool suspension bridge just a short, easy stroll off the freeway!

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The bridge and the rushing turquoise waters remind me of New Zealand.

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Next stop was Kalispell, which I found a bit underwhelming. It seemed unremarkable, caught between old historic  and the not so nice of new (chain retailers). Perhaps I was expecting too much as I’ve always fantasized about these storied Montana towns, and after all, what can live up to ones imagination?

Whitefish, on the other hand, closely matched my expectations. I was surprised by the lake – an added bonus of this idyllic western ski resort town. Drove up Big Mountain, an easy  6 miles from downtown. Tiny in comparison to CA ski resorts, but so accessible.