West Glacier, Apgar Village, and Lake McDonald

by Joseph A. Sprince – Photography by Gerald B. Allen

The Glacier National Park Travel Guide is a resource for those planning to tour Glacier National Park and/or Canada's adjacent Waterton Lakes National Park. The adjacent national parks are typically visited at the same time and offer a variety of experiences. Both parks offer outstanding opportunities to view wildlife.

Activities in the west side of Glacier National Park focus around Lake McDonald, with Apgar Village near the west end of the lake, and the Lake McDonald Lodge near the east end.

One of the Glacier National Park’s largest and most scenic lakes, Lake McDonald is ten miles long and 472 feet deep, having been carved by a huge glacier. Located on the park’s west side, it is surrounded by mountains on the north, south, and east. The continental divide with its jagged backbone runs north-south east of the lake. Called the Lewis Range, it provides a spectacular backdrop for the lake and also acts as a rain block. Much of the blocked precipitation ends up falling on the Lake McDonald Valley. The result is a mild, damp climate with an environment very similar to the Pacific Northwest coast. The forests here are extremely dense with very lush undergrowth. The western red cedar and hemlock trees, mainstays of the northwest coast, predominate. Spectacular wildflower displays are common. Beargrass with white, fist-sized blossoms are quite common in the area.

The Lake McDonald Lodge was started in 1895 as a hunting lodge. The lodge is similar to the others in and just outside the park, aging but filled with rustic charm and a lovely fireplace in the lobby. At the bottom of the stairs is a boat rental dock for the fisherman. The lake holds 17 kinds of cold water fish, primarily varieties of trout. Various programs are available at the lodge, from ranger-led activities to boat tours on the lake. The trailhead across the street from the lodge offers trails to the Sperry Chalet, Snyder Lake, and Fish Lake, all challenging day hikes.

Tree-lined Apgar Village offers quaint and quiet lodging at the west end of the lake as well as traveler services. The Apgar Visitor Center provides information year-round. The McDonald Creek bike path goes from Apgar Village to West Glacier town. The easy Fish Creek Hiking Path connects Apgar with Fish Creek Campground. The Apgar Lookout trail offers fine views of the lake but has a challenging 1,850 foot elevation gain in 3.3 miles.

Just east of Lake McDonald there are several overlooks for McDonald Creek. During the spring and early summer, the creek can be a spectacular raging torrent (photo, right) as the park’s snowmelt runs off. Check out the McDonald Falls and Sacred Dancing Cascade overlooks. There is a trail along the creek. A short loop goes to tiny Johns Lake where there is a chance to see moose.

Less than five miles further east on Going-to-the-Sun Road are the trailheads for two of the park’s most popular trails. The popular and wheelchair accessible Trail of the Cedars loops about 1/4 mile through a beautiful woods on a boardwalk. It also features a footbridge over Avalanche Gorge. The Avalanche Creek Trail reaches Avalanche Lake in two miles with a 500 foot elevation gain. The lake has a spectacular mountain backdrop. A ranger-led hike to Avalanche Lake is available in season. The trailhead parking lot has very few spaces. It is recommended that you take the free park shuttle bus from Lake McDonald Lodge or Apgar Village where there is more parking available.