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Glacier 2020

Lakes, goats, and the Going-to-the-Sun Road — August 2020

134Photographs

9Days

10Places

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The Crown of the Continent

A week in Glacier National Park, Montana — turquoise lakes you can see the bottom of, waterfalls down every cliff, mountain goats on the high rocks, and the unforgettable climb of the Going-to-the-Sun Road to the wildflower meadows of Logan Pass. From the cedars of Avalanche Lake to the turquoise of Hidden Lake, this is the Crown of the Continent at its August best. Tap any photo to enlarge it, or open the map.

Day 1

Mon 3 Aug

Lake McDonald · The waterfalls

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldLake McDonald going still and silver as the afternoon clouds rolled through.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldThe water so clear you could count the colored stones on the bottom.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldCedar-dark shoreline and a lake that mirrored the whole sky.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldEvening light settling over the biggest lake in the park.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldMountains stacked behind the lake, fading blue into the distance.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldThe famous rainbow pebbles of Lake McDonald, glowing underwater.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldLake McDonald going still and silver as the afternoon clouds rolled through.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldThe water so clear you could count the colored stones on the bottom.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldCedar-dark shoreline and a lake that mirrored the whole sky.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldEvening light settling over the biggest lake in the park.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldMountains stacked behind the lake, fading blue into the distance.

The waterfalls — The waterfallsSnowmelt thundering over red argillite rock.

The waterfalls — The waterfallsOne of the park's countless waterfalls, loud and cold and clear.

The waterfalls — The waterfallsWhite water folding over the ledges on the way down the valley.

Day 2

Tue 4 Aug

Lake McDonald · St. Mary Lake · The waterfalls

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldThe famous rainbow pebbles of Lake McDonald, glowing underwater.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldLake McDonald going still and silver as the afternoon clouds rolled through.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldThe water so clear you could count the colored stones on the bottom.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldCedar-dark shoreline and a lake that mirrored the whole sky.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldEvening light settling over the biggest lake in the park.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldMountains stacked behind the lake, fading blue into the distance.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldThe famous rainbow pebbles of Lake McDonald, glowing underwater.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldLake McDonald going still and silver as the afternoon clouds rolled through.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldThe water so clear you could count the colored stones on the bottom.

St. Mary Lake — St. Mary LakeSt. Mary Lake, wind-brushed and ringed with peaks.

St. Mary Lake — St. Mary LakeWild Goose Island sitting small and perfect in the middle of the lake.

St. Mary Lake — St. Mary LakeThe east side of the park, drier and wider and just as blue.

St. Mary Lake — St. Mary LakeStorm light moving over St. Mary, the mountains coming and going.

St. Mary Lake — St. Mary LakeSt. Mary Lake, wind-brushed and ringed with peaks.

The waterfalls — The waterfallsA cascade catching the light at the bottom of the canyon.

The waterfalls — The waterfallsSnowmelt thundering over red argillite rock.

The waterfalls — The waterfallsOne of the park's countless waterfalls, loud and cold and clear.

The waterfalls — The waterfallsWhite water folding over the ledges on the way down the valley.

The waterfalls — The waterfallsA cascade catching the light at the bottom of the canyon.

The waterfalls — The waterfallsSnowmelt thundering over red argillite rock.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldCedar-dark shoreline and a lake that mirrored the whole sky.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldEvening light settling over the biggest lake in the park.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldMountains stacked behind the lake, fading blue into the distance.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldThe famous rainbow pebbles of Lake McDonald, glowing underwater.

The waterfalls — The waterfallsOne of the park's countless waterfalls, loud and cold and clear.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldLake McDonald going still and silver as the afternoon clouds rolled through.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldThe water so clear you could count the colored stones on the bottom.

Day 3

Wed 5 Aug

The waterfalls · Avalanche Lake & the cedars · Going-to-the-Sun Road

The waterfalls — The waterfallsWhite water folding over the ledges on the way down the valley.

Avalanche Lake & the cedars — Avalanche Lake & the cedarsAvalanche Lake at the end of the trail, fed by ribbons of snowmelt.

Avalanche Lake & the cedars — Avalanche Lake & the cedarsThe Trail of the Cedars — old growth, green light, and boardwalk underfoot.

Avalanche Lake & the cedars — Avalanche Lake & the cedarsAvalanche Creek running impossibly blue through the gorge.

Avalanche Lake & the cedars — Avalanche Lake & the cedarsCliffs rising straight out of the lake with waterfalls down every face.

Avalanche Lake & the cedars — Avalanche Lake & the cedarsAvalanche Lake at the end of the trail, fed by ribbons of snowmelt.

Avalanche Lake & the cedars — Avalanche Lake & the cedarsThe Trail of the Cedars — old growth, green light, and boardwalk underfoot.

The waterfalls — The waterfallsA cascade catching the light at the bottom of the canyon.

The waterfalls — The waterfallsSnowmelt thundering over red argillite rock.

The waterfalls — The waterfallsOne of the park's countless waterfalls, loud and cold and clear.

The waterfalls — The waterfallsWhite water folding over the ledges on the way down the valley.

Avalanche Lake & the cedars — Avalanche Lake & the cedarsAvalanche Creek running impossibly blue through the gorge.

Going-to-the-Sun Road — Going-to-the-Sun RoadGoing-to-the-Sun Road, carved impossibly into the mountainside.

Day 4

Thu 6 Aug

A mountain table — A mountain tableEarned it. A cold one with the mountains still in our eyes.

Day 5

Fri 7 Aug

Going-to-the-Sun Road · Lake McDonald · Polebridge

Going-to-the-Sun Road — Going-to-the-Sun RoadOne of the great drives in America, switchbacking toward the pass.

Going-to-the-Sun Road — Going-to-the-Sun RoadThe road threading between cliff and sky on the climb to Logan Pass.

Going-to-the-Sun Road — Going-to-the-Sun RoadTunnels, hairpins, and a new view around every bend.

Going-to-the-Sun Road — Going-to-the-Sun RoadGoing-to-the-Sun Road, carved impossibly into the mountainside.

Going-to-the-Sun Road — Going-to-the-Sun RoadOne of the great drives in America, switchbacking toward the pass.

Going-to-the-Sun Road — Going-to-the-Sun RoadThe road threading between cliff and sky on the climb to Logan Pass.

Going-to-the-Sun Road — Going-to-the-Sun RoadTunnels, hairpins, and a new view around every bend.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldCedar-dark shoreline and a lake that mirrored the whole sky.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldEvening light settling over the biggest lake in the park.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldMountains stacked behind the lake, fading blue into the distance.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldThe famous rainbow pebbles of Lake McDonald, glowing underwater.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldLake McDonald going still and silver as the afternoon clouds rolled through.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldThe water so clear you could count the colored stones on the bottom.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldCedar-dark shoreline and a lake that mirrored the whole sky.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldEvening light settling over the biggest lake in the park.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldMountains stacked behind the lake, fading blue into the distance.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldThe famous rainbow pebbles of Lake McDonald, glowing underwater.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldLake McDonald going still and silver as the afternoon clouds rolled through.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldThe water so clear you could count the colored stones on the bottom.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldCedar-dark shoreline and a lake that mirrored the whole sky.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldEvening light settling over the biggest lake in the park.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldMountains stacked behind the lake, fading blue into the distance.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldThe famous rainbow pebbles of Lake McDonald, glowing underwater.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldLake McDonald going still and silver as the afternoon clouds rolled through.

Polebridge — PolebridgePolebridge Mercantile, end of a long dirt road and worth every mile.

Day 6

Sat 8 Aug

Lake McDonald

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldThe water so clear you could count the colored stones on the bottom.

Lake McDonald — Lake McDonaldCedar-dark shoreline and a lake that mirrored the whole sky.

Day 7

Sun 9 Aug

Glacier's wild residents

Glacier's wild residents — Glacier's wild residentsA mountain goat, perfectly at home on the high rocks.

A mountain table — A mountain tableA frozen huckleberry something, the local flavor.

Day 8

Mon 10 Aug

Alpine wildflowers · Logan Pass & Hidden Lake · Glacier's wild residents · The Highline Trail · Going-to-the-Sun Road

Alpine wildflowers — Alpine wildflowersBear grass in full bloom, those tall white torches everywhere you looked.

Alpine wildflowers — Alpine wildflowersFireweed lighting up the burned ground in hot pink.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeLogan Pass at the top of the world, meadows running up to bare rock.

Alpine wildflowers — Alpine wildflowersAlpine meadows thick with wildflowers in the short mountain summer.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeHidden Lake far below, that unreal glacial turquoise.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeBear grass and wildflowers carpeting the alpine meadows.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeBearhat Mountain standing over Hidden Lake like a held breath.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeSnowfields lingering into August on the high slopes.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeThe continental divide, where the weather makes its own mind up.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeLogan Pass at the top of the world, meadows running up to bare rock.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeHidden Lake far below, that unreal glacial turquoise.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeBear grass and wildflowers carpeting the alpine meadows.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeBearhat Mountain standing over Hidden Lake like a held breath.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeSnowfields lingering into August on the high slopes.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeThe continental divide, where the weather makes its own mind up.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeLogan Pass at the top of the world, meadows running up to bare rock.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeHidden Lake far below, that unreal glacial turquoise.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeBear grass and wildflowers carpeting the alpine meadows.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeBearhat Mountain standing over Hidden Lake like a held breath.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeSnowfields lingering into August on the high slopes.

Alpine wildflowers — Alpine wildflowersA whole hillside of color under the peaks.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeThe continental divide, where the weather makes its own mind up.

Glacier's wild residents — Glacier's wild residentsGlacier's most famous resident, unbothered and close.

Glacier's wild residents — Glacier's wild residentsA marmot sunning itself on a warm slab of stone.

Glacier's wild residents — Glacier's wild residentsBighorn and goats grazing the meadows like they own them — they do.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeLogan Pass at the top of the world, meadows running up to bare rock.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeHidden Lake far below, that unreal glacial turquoise.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeBear grass and wildflowers carpeting the alpine meadows.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeBearhat Mountain standing over Hidden Lake like a held breath.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeSnowfields lingering into August on the high slopes.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeThe continental divide, where the weather makes its own mind up.

Glacier's wild residents — Glacier's wild residentsDeer slipping through the meadow grass in the evening.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeLogan Pass at the top of the world, meadows running up to bare rock.

Glacier's wild residents — Glacier's wild residentsA mountain goat, perfectly at home on the high rocks.

Glacier's wild residents — Glacier's wild residentsGlacier's most famous resident, unbothered and close.

Logan Pass & Hidden Lake — Logan Pass & Hidden LakeHidden Lake far below, that unreal glacial turquoise.

The Highline Trail — The Highline TrailThe Highline Trail edging along the Garden Wall, valley dropping away.

The Highline Trail — The Highline TrailGreen valleys folding into the haze, miles of them.

Going-to-the-Sun Road — Going-to-the-Sun RoadGoing-to-the-Sun Road, carved impossibly into the mountainside.

The Highline Trail — The Highline TrailA narrow path cut into the cliff with the whole range laid out below.

The Highline Trail — The Highline TrailThe big country opening up on the walk along the divide.

The Highline Trail — The Highline TrailThe Highline Trail edging along the Garden Wall, valley dropping away.

Going-to-the-Sun Road — Going-to-the-Sun RoadOne of the great drives in America, switchbacking toward the pass.

Glacier's wild residents — Glacier's wild residentsA marmot sunning itself on a warm slab of stone.

Glacier's wild residents — Glacier's wild residentsBighorn and goats grazing the meadows like they own them — they do.

The Highline Trail — The Highline TrailGreen valleys folding into the haze, miles of them.

Alpine wildflowers — Alpine wildflowersBear grass in full bloom, those tall white torches everywhere you looked.

Alpine wildflowers — Alpine wildflowersFireweed lighting up the burned ground in hot pink.

The Highline Trail — The Highline TrailA narrow path cut into the cliff with the whole range laid out below.

Day 9

Sun 16 Aug

A mountain table — A mountain tableEnd of a long day on the trail, savored slowly.

Where we wandered