Hiking Appistoki Falls

Many people travel to Glacier National Park and take the Going to the Sun Road, but if you don't mind a bit of a drive, you can venture into a less populated section of the National Park, in the Two Medicine Area.


Like all of Glacier, Two Medicine is a beautiful scenic drive, and does offer plenty of hiking and backpacking.  Today for Travel Tuesday I want to show you the Appistoki Falls trail.  This is actually a very easy hike, 1.3 miles round trip.


You'll actually take the Mt. Henry trail for most of the way to the falls.  There are signs, so locating it is not a problem.  (FYI: the Mt. Henry trail is actually a segment of the Continental Divide.)

You'll eventually come to the Appistoki Falls trail section, and you'll get a great view of the falls at the end.  I will note, you can't actually get up to the falls themselves, or at least there is not a trail to get to them, the terrain gets a bit too rugged after the view point.  However, even from the viewpoint as you can see you will still have a great view of the falls.

I will say, if you are in for a bit more of a hike and a great scenic view, you can also continue on the Mt. Henry trail to Scenic Point, which is actually an 8 mile round trip.

Make sure you take the full drive out to Two Medicine either before or after the hike, as there are many other hikes and scenic views in the area.

What will you get in this hike, fun beautiful mountain hiking.  It's a pretty easy round trip hike. Definitely a fun hike to do to spend an hour or so exploring in the National Park!

Going to the Sun, Glacier National Park

This week for Travel Tuesday I want to take you on an adventure that you can see all from the windows of your car.  However, I highly recommend getting out and taking a few hikes along the way.

This is the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park.


What is the Going to the Sun Road?  It's 50 miles of pure beauty!  A winding mountain road, that climbs, and climbs and allows you different views from each turn and every mile.

One thing that a lot of people expect when they visit Glacier National Park is to see lots of Glaciers. While many years ago, this was true. Now you can really only see them from a distance, or you need to hike in to get to them.
I highly recommend getting to Glacier National Park as soon as you can, because they predict that all the glaciers within the park may actually be completely melted by 2030.

This park is actually open year round.  However, depending on what time of year you visit you may or may not have access to certain areas.
You an always check their website if you'd like to check out driving and weather conditions.

Why visit Glacier, besides to catch a glimpse at actual glaciers?  Well, if your a hiker, it's a hiking paradise, they have hundreds of miles of trails, I believe close to 700 miles of trails.  Everything from easy afternoon hikes, to long all day, or backpacker hike in for a few days hikes.

If you're lucky you may even catch a glimpse of some of the wildlife.  I saw this Grizzly bear one day there.  Not the best picture, as I didn't have my camera ready when I saw him, and he was on the run to get away from us.
But there are lots of bear sightings, if you are lucky and keep your eyes open.  I saw bear almost every day there, both black and grizzlies.

Or maybe you'll even catch a glimpse of some mountain goats.  These beauty's were just sitting on the mountain within feet of the vehicles passing them, catching some rays and probably doing a little people watching!

Or take a morning or evening and go fishing.  This is me and my dad doing a little fly fishing one evening in the main river.
I have told you before I wear a lot of pink.  Yes, if you can tell in the picture, I do own a cute pink fishing (girl) vest with matching hat:)

They also have lots of beautiful lakes.  Certain parts of the rivers, have that beautiful milky like glacial melting look to them.  From the milky gray's to the milky turquoise blues.

Also lots and lots of beautiful waterfalls.  Some are easy to see, others require some binoculars or a hike in to get closer.  Some like the one below, flow right down and under the road.

A few places of interest along with the road, that I recommend.  Visiting the Lake MacDonald Area and spend some time playing around there.  St. Mary Valley, also stunning and beautiful, lots of hiking up and around this area I found.
The Two Medicine Area, not a lot of people take the time to travel up to this area.  But I will tell you, it is more than worth it, there is so many trails and waterfalls and lakes up in this area.

There are a lot of pullouts along the way, that you can get out and take snapshots of other stunning views, and view the river and decent below.

IF YOU GO:

* If its your first time, I recommend stopping at one of the visitor stations first, get some information and maps to help you get the most out of your visit.

* This is a national park, they do charge an entrance fee.  But your entrance fee's pays for unlimited trips in and out of the park for 7 days.

*  There are lots of campgrounds and lodging in the area.  I actually stayed in a nearby town up at a lodge at a ski resort when I visited.  I highly recommend making reservations before you come.

* Have a passport?  Cross the Canadian boarder and visit Waterton Lakes National Park (in some ways it's connected to Glacier National Park.) Check out the famous Prince of Wales Hotel.  (Hint) Some of the best views of it are from the middle of the lake:)

Have you been to Glacier National Park before?  If so, were you able to drive the entire road, did you do some hiking?  If you haven't been, is Glacier a place you hope to visit?

Travel Tuesday - Hiking Saint Mary Falls, Glacier National Park

This week for Travel Tuesday I am taking you on a beautiful hike in Glacier National Park - Saint Mary Falls & Virgina Falls.  To get here, you begin on the Saint Mary Fall's Trailhead, about 10 miles west of St. Mary on the Going to the Sun Road.

The hiking trails are easy, and you can easily do an out and back on this hike in an hour or two depending on if you want to stop and relax near the falls.  It's only about a 3 mile round trip hike if you go to the end.

You'll be hiking in lush forests, along this beautiful river.  You'll see lookout spots, like this one I pictured above.  I took this particular hike around the 4th of July.  This picture is the river merge between St. Mary Falls, and Virginia Falls.

As you take this hike, you won't want to stay exactly on the trail at all times.  A few ventures off just a tad can bring you beautiful views like this above.

The above picture is Saint Mary Falls.  A beautiful double white water waterfall.  There is a bridge that goes across the river below the falls, so you can stop and relax on the rocks and enjoy the spray of the falls, or take a picture like above.

Then if you'd like to keep going, just continue on up the trail.  You'll be back in and out of the beautiful pine tree forests and along the edge of one of the other water tributaries from Virginia Falls.

If you hop off this trail a little and walk down the rocks toward the river, at times you'll see a few other falls, as you are making your way up.

In the distance you'll see the falls coming up, but you'll still have a ways to go and a bit more climbing to get there.

Above is Virgina Falls, at this particular time of the day the falls were in the shade.  I had a heck of a time grabbing a shot from this point because the water spray was a bit all over the place.  Sure it felt good to have the ice cold water sprayed on me, but not so good for the camera.  I had to clean the lens off a couple of times before turning around quick to grab the shot, before the lens was covered in water again:)

Although this is a short hike, there is so much beauty in it, its one I highly recommend you do if you visit Glacier National Park.  The best part, is you can do this hike and several other short hikes on the Going to the Sun road in the same day!

IF YOU GO:

* You'll have to pay the Glacier National Park entrance fee
* Grab a map, so you will know where the trailhead begins
* Bring water & a camera
* If hiking alone or with a quiet group on a slow traffic day, you may want to carry bear mace, or wear bells while you are walking.  It is rare to have a bear encounter, but if the bears hear you, there will likely be little problem spooking them while on your hike.

Hiking Avalanche Lake In Glacier National Park

Today is Travel Tuesday

I'd like to show you a hike in Glacier National Park, Montana - This hike is to Avalanche Lake
This trailhead begins at the Trail of the Cedars Trailhead (which is on the Going-To-The-Sun road.)

You'll hike in the middle of this beautiful cedar forest for about a mile before you get to the Avalanche Lake Trailhead start.

Trail runs along rivers and streams, but you won't see them the entire way.  But you'll hear them down below the mountain roaring.  Occasionally you can walk out to different look-out's to get a better view.

This forest is beautiful and lush, you'll love being surrounded in the quiet of the forest, and the roar sitting creekside as you watch the water cut down the mountain.

When you get near the end of the trail, you'll start to see the lake.

One of the first views you'll see near the end of the trail.  If you walk around down the smaller trail, it will open you up to the beachside view of the lake as seen below.

The above picture of the lake was one of the favorites that I took on this hike.  If you look close, you can see the many waterfalls running down the mountain behind.
The mountain in the distance is Bearhat Mountain which rises 4,800 feet up behind the lake.  The actual elevation at the top of that mountain is 8,694.

Depending on the time of year you go, your views may be different.  I hiked this in mid July.

That water is glacial water, so yes it is very cold you won't actually want to spend time playing in the water itself.

As you hike back down the trailhead, take a few extra moments and venture off the trail a little at points to see spectacular views like the one above.  (Just be safe and watch your footing, don't put yourself at risk, as this is a very steep canyon.)

As your hiking, take a moment to stop and take a water break in the beautiful lush mossy forest.  Surrounded by tall cedars, you'll be at peace.  Look around some of the tree's, and you can actually see traces of bears who have come through to scratch them up.  Listen to the beautiful songs of the mountain birds.


IF YOU GO:

*  Trail is a 4.5 mile loop
*  Trail is wheelchair accessible for a good portion on the Trail of the Cedars
*  I recommend taking this hike starting early in the morning, this will give you the best picture taking opportunities.
*  Depending on the time of year, mosquito repellent my be required
*  There is much, much more to do and see withing the National Park, I'd recommend 5-7 days of vacationing to see as much of the park as you can.
*  I highly recommend visiting Glacier National Park in the next few years, as it won't be too long before Glacier has no more glaciers due to melting!
*  For more information visit the National Park Website HERE