Make sure you have the survival essentials a knife, a way to make fire, a makeshift shelter if needed, a first aid kit, some form of navigation, a lamp or headlight and sun protection. ALWAYS take more water than you expect to drink and more food than you think you’ll need. You never know what is going to happen so preparing for the worst is the number 1 rule. You always want to pack the hiking essentials even if you’re just going for a day hike. I won’t go into detail because this is something best left as a surprise, but trust me, go see for yourself why so many people want to hike the Iceberg Lake Trail. The reason you’ve hiked up 1,275 feet, the magnificent Iceberg Lake. 4.5 miles into the trial, you’ll pass through a glorious alpine meadow and then you’ll reach it. Soon you’re going to get your first glimpse of the icebergs and Iceberg Lake!įollow the trail to the bottom of Ptarmigan Wall, which separates Many Glacier Valley and Belly River Valley. 2.5 miles in there’s a small clearing where you can see Ptarmigan Falls, but this’ll be the best view of it unfortunately.Ĭontinue to a rocky area above the falls and stop for a little snack or just to take in the beauty and fresh air then continue on to the Iceberg Lake and Ptarmigan Trail junction. This shady section of the trail will be sorely missed once the heat really starts to beat down. It really is humbling to be surrounded by such humongous natural features, some over 9,000 feet tall.Ībout 1.5 miles from the trail head, you’ll pass through a pine forest area. On the next few miles you’ll be graced with breathtaking views of Mount Grinnell, Swiftcurrent Mountain and Mount Wilbur. The first quarter of the trail is fairly steep but once you reach the top of this you’ll be at the Ptarmigan Trail junction where you’ll want to take a left. These will fill up quickly, so unless you’re there nice and early (which is recommended) then you’ll have to park up front of the Inn. So, you start off at the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn where there’s space for 10-15 cars to park for the trail. If you’re a newbie and adamant you want to attempt this trail, go with a big group! What should I expect on the trail? With the added danger of bears and moose, no-one should do this trail alone but especially not newbies. It’s classed as a 12.25 on the difficulty scale which means it’s strenuous. Honestly, beginners could complete this trail if you’re very physically fit but it’s not recommended. Temperatures average from 50-60 degrees during the summer months but try and hike in October and you’re looking at possible lows of 25 degrees! Is it good for beginners? June and October can be lovely too but there is a risk that the peak of the trail will be blocked by snow so be prepared for this. The highest point of this trail is pretty high, so your best months to try and tackle this are July, August and September. But yeah, these bears and moose are no joke so take all the necessary precautions before you think about hiking this trail. What dangers do I need to be aware of on the trail?īEARS AND MOOSE! Yeah, there are a LOT of grizzlies around this trail, especially the trail that starts from the Many Glacier Hotel which is why this trail entrance is closed most of the time. But after that it becomes more moderate and your average elevation gain is 263 feet per mile. The first part of the trail is going to be the toughest, elevation wise, with an increase of almost 200 feet in a quarter mile. You start the trail at just under 5,000 feet and the highest elevation you’ll reach is 6,160 feet! Not bad, aye.
Overall, the elevation gain is 1,275 feet.
What is the elevation of the Iceberg Lake Trail? Overall, no more than 6 hours for the whole trail. If you want to stop for a snack or picnic somewhere along the way then add a little time on for this. Of course this depends on your fitness level, but on average people spend around 2-3 hours hiking up (enjoying the views as you go of course) and then about 1.5 hours down. How long does it take to hike the Iceberg Lake Trail? The trail is about 9.6 miles round trip so it’s definitely not for absolute beginners. The trail starts at the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn. You’ll find this stunning hike in the Glacier National Park, Montana. With 58 National Parks throughout the states, there’s no shortage of beautiful hiking to be done here.The Iceberg Lake Trail is no exception. Lucky for us, there are SO many hiking trails in the US, it’s kind of amazing. There is no better way, to me, to spend a day then out in nature, hiking mountains and taking in the breathtaking beauty of mother nature.
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