annie at glacier lake with the wind in her face

Glacier Lake and Heart Lake

Having spent the evening in Polson and realizing I had to drive all the way back to Bigfork and then drive back down east of Polson near Condon on a different road, I almost skipped the hike to Glacier Lake and Heart Lake.  That would have been a HUGE mistake!

Getting to Glacier and Heart Lake

The Jewel Basin Hiking Area is an absolute gem, and Glacier Lake and Heart Lake did not disappoint.  The drive to the trailhead is 12 miles down a dirt road.  At the beginning, the road is well graded, but as it climbs, the road narrows and gets rougher.  That said, it is in good condition.

HAPPY HIKING!

Hike to Crater Lake

As I mentioned in a previous post, I ditched VANgo and retreated to a dog friendly hotel for air conditioning.  So much for fleeing the Texas heat.  I ended up in 100 degrees in Montana!?!  As many say, at least it was dry heat.  But when the sun doesn’t set until 10 pm, and it is over 90 degrees in the van in the shade with the windows and doors open for hours on end, dry heat is pretty hot!

Upon showering and enjoying the A/C, I’m reminded no to take such simple pleasures for granted.  Some people still don’t have these modern conveniences.

Anyway, after a few nights in a hotel, I headed toward Bigfork, Montana to tackle Crater Lake.  The 10.8 mile Crater Lake Trail is located 15 miles northeast of Bigfork in the Jewel Basin Hiking Area in Flathead National Forest.  While only 15 miles away, it takes 45 minutes to get there as much of the drive is on a washboard, dirt road.

HAPPY HIKING!
bridge on trail to lupine lake

Hike to Lupine Lake

On my recent hike to Stahl Peak in Eureka, I met some ladies from Kalispell who recommended Lupine Lake Trail.  It so happened that I marked it as one of the hikes I wanted to take, so I made sure to check it out.

The 4.9 mile moderate trail to Lupine Lake is located in the Flathead National Forest, about 36 miles west of Kalispell.  The drive to the trail was easy, and road should be called Bunny Hop. I’ve never seen so many rabbits dart across the road.

Despite getting a mid-morning start, I was the first to arrive and parked in the small roadside pullout, with enough room for five cars or so.

HAPPY HIKING!
view from doris mountain

Hike to Doris Mountain

The hike to Doris Mountain in Flathead National Forest near Hungry Horse Reservoir was the busiest hike I have taken in the last month.  That said, I only ran into about five groups of people, and I had the top of the mountain to myself for the entire time I spent up there.

Getting to Doris Mountain

Still, for a Tuesday, it was a little more crowded than expected, especially given the drive to the trailhead.  Much of the drive is on a long, narrow dirt road that switches back and forth up the mountain. 

HAPPY HIKING!