Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park, consecrated in 1910, is justly revered as the “Crown of the Continent,” a vast protected wilderness in northwestern Montana. This majestic landscape is the enduring legacy of eons of glacial carving, featuring sweeping U-shaped valleys, over 700 crystalline lakes, and the crucial Continental Divide. It remains an ecologically intact sanctuary for iconic wildlife, including the formidable grizzly bear, stately moose, and the mountain goat. The park is connected by the engineering marvel known as the Going-to-the-Sun Road, which delivers unimaginable panoramic vistas, and over 700 miles of trails, offering high-mountain solitude for any adventurer.
About the Hike
Our objective for the afternoon was a hike to Grinnell Lake, located deep within the scenic Many Glacier area. We certainly could have completed the full 3.5-mile (one way) hike without taking boats, but why miss the chance to zip across pristine glacial lakes while learning fascinating facts about the area from two different tour guides on two different boats? By taking the boats, we shortened the core hike to only 1.8 miles (one way).
However, I still extended the journey to almost 5 miles total by starting at the parking lot and walking a partial loop around the shore of Swiftcurrent Lake. While waiting for our first boat to depart, we utilized the time with an easy stroll along the Swiftcurrent Nature Trail.
Hike Overview
- • Location: Swiftcurrent Nature Trail and Grinnell Lake Trail (connected by two boat rides) in Glacier National Park
• Start/Finish: Parking lot near the Many Glacier Hotel
• Course Type: Out and back
• Course Surface: Packed dirt, gravel, small rocks, and roots
• Distance: 4.99 miles
• Moving time: 1:44:06
• Average Pace: 20:51 minute/mile
• Elevation Gain: 308 feet
• Elevation Range: 4,882 to 4,967 feet
• Weather: 62° and mostly sunny, climbing to 66°
• Date of Hike: July 7, 2025
• Start time: 12:58 PM
A Breathtaking View
The short walk from our parking spot led us directly to the majestic Many Glacier Hotel, a famous historic lodge we knew sadly books out a year in advance (a painful lesson learned). However, as we climbed the initial steps toward the hotel’s entrance, we were immediately forced to pause. The sight was breathtaking: the grand hotel was perfectly framed by the emerald waters of Swiftcurrent Lake and the majestic, snow-capped mountains of the Many Glacier Valley.
Swiftcurrent Nature Trail
While waiting for our boat ride – which we were able to get moved up from 3:30 PM to 2:15 PM – we used the time efficiently by taking an easy stroll along the Swiftcurrent Nature Trail. The winding path followed the shore of Swiftcurrent Lake, but we could only access the front half of the loop due to construction and repair closures on the back half.
We walked out for about twenty minutes passing a bride and her parents along the way.
Just before the trail closure, we turned around at the bridge crossing the small channel where water flows from the lake creating Swiftcurrent Creek which continues to flow down the valley, eventually feeding into Lake Sherburne.
We soon made our way back to the Many Glacier Hotel and the boat dock just beyond where the boat was awaiting. This easy partial hike had allowed us to use our time wisely while enjoying scenic views and still return to the boat dock with plenty of time to spare for our departure.
Swiftcurrent Lake
Once back at the Glacier Park Boat Company dock, we boarded our first vessel, The Chief Two Guns, for the ride across Swiftcurrent Lake. Our captain and tour guide entertained us with fascinating facts, including the remarkable detail that moose can dive up to 18 feet underwater to feed on grasses at the bottom of the lake, and are capable of swimming for up to ten miles!
We also learned that the beautiful emerald color of the water comes from ultra-fine rock particles suspended in the water, known as glacial flour. This flour is created when the massive glaciers grind down the bedrock. When sunlight penetrates the water, these suspended particles absorb all wavelengths of light except blue and green, scattering those colors back to our eyes and creating the vivid, opaque emerald hue.
Trail Between the Two Lake
After departing the first vessel, we immediately began the short ascent up and over the small ridge separating the lakes—easily the steepest section of our entire hike! The narrow trail was quite crowded with fellow passengers hurrying toward the second dock. Just before reaching the next boat, we came upon the Lake Josephine beach, where we encountered the beautiful bride and the rest of the wedding party preparing to start their ceremony.
Lake Josephine
After the brief, crowded scramble between the lakes, we boarded our final vessel, The Morning Eagle, for the picturesque crossing of Lake Josephine. As we cruised the clear, emerald waters, our captain pointed out the prominent landmarks, including the immense peaks of Mount Gould and the Garden Wall.
Grinnell Lake Trail
After crossing Lake Josephine we hiked about a mile and a half to Grinnell Lake – we learned that the distance on mileage signs is almost always way off.
The hike to Grinnell Lake offered a constantly changing experience underfoot, presenting a wide variety of trail surfaces throughout its length. The most notable feature was the exciting single-person suspension bridge, which added a fun, slightly adventurous element to the walk.
Emerging from the trees, we were immediately treated to a spectacular view of our final destination. To get a closer look, we decided to wade barefoot through a freezing cold glacier stream that flowed directly from a melting snowfield. Our tender feet protested the combination of rocks underneath and the icy water, but the discomfort was worth it when we finally reached the sandbar at the lake’s edge. To our surprise, the lake water itself felt noticeably warmer than the glacial stream we had just crossed.
Just as I settled onto a comfortable piece of driftwood to rest my tired feet, we were treated to a spectacular sight: a female moose gracefully waded into the lake about a hundred yards away. She was completely unphased by the gawking tourists who quickly moved out of her way, remaining focused on her dinner of submerged aquatic grasses. She was still peacefully enjoying her meal when, regretfully, it was time for us to turn around and hike back to catch our return boat.
For convenience, regular outhouses complete with a moon and a star cut into the door (not the more modern vault or pit toilets) were located along the trail. This rustic amenity prompted a humorous remark from a couple passing us, when the gentleman laughed and commented, “It feels just like we’re hiking in West Virginia!”
Once back at the Lake Josephine boat dock, we easily boarded the 49-passenger Morning Eagle for the return crossing. We were extremely fortunate to make that sailing; had the boat filled before we boarded, we would have been looking at an approximate 40-minute wait for the vessel to return and pick us up.
With our two-lake boat tour successfully completed, we arrived back at the Many Glacier Hotel Boat Dock, deboarded, and wasted no time heading straight into the historic hotel restaurant. A well-deserved drink and an early dinner were the perfect way to cap off our memorable hike to Grinnell Lake.
Garmin Stats
Garmin map and elevation graph…
Final Thoughts on Our Hike
We thoroughly enjoyed our easy hike around the Swiftcurrent Nature Trail, boat rides across Swiftcurrent Lake and Lake Josephine, and the pièce de résistance, our hike to Lake Grinnell. The hike itself featured a fun suspension bridge and a painful, freezing wade through a glacial stream, which was instantly forgotten when we were rewarded with a peaceful moose sighting at Grinnell Lake. I would absolutely recommend this hike!
Questions
- • What is the most thrilling wildlife encounter you’ve experienced anywhere? ~ Mine would have to be seeing the three grizzly bears running toward us after hiking to Appistoki Falls
- • What is the most sensory filled moment you’ve experienced while on a hike? ~ For this hike, it was either the freezing cold water on my tender bare feet or the feeling of the swinging bridge swaying back and forth as I walked forward.
- • Have you visited Montana or Glacier National Park? ~ This was our second visit to Montana, our first to Glacier.
Debbie, this whole outing reads like a highlight reel! So beautiful!
Those emerald lakes are spectacular, and that moose casually showing up like she’d been hired for a photo shoot!
I had to laugh at the inaccurate trail mileage signs – it’s like, just add 50% to anything we write, ha!
That icy stream crossing sounded brutal, though – did your feet recover quickly?
Oh Catrina, Glacier is stunning and possibly the closest thing the USA has that’s as beautiful as your beloved Switzerland. I couldn’t get enough of the emerald lakes! We had several moose sightings – the best was in a pond along the side of the road that we stopped at while driving to start one of our hikes.
This is INCREDIBLE! (and- what a great place to get married. Good call by that bride and groom!) You’ve just put Montana at the top of my bucket list (previously it was Utah). How cool that you saw a moose! And I would love to take those boat rides and have a tour guide tell me interesting facts. This really seems like a once in a lifetime experience.
I’m sure you would love Montana, Jenny! The moose sighting was really cool and so unexpected.