Avalanche Lake Glacier National Park Hiking Guide

I hiked Avalanche Lake while visiting Glacier National Park and it was one of my favorite trails in the entire park! I outline my experience, as well as what you can look forward to in this guide.

Avalanche Lake in Glacier National Park is a must-do hike. It’s one of the most iconic scenes in the entire park, and is often referred to as the “waterfall lake” for good reason!

If you’re planning to hike Avalanche Lake trail during your visit to Glacier National Park read this guide to know what to expect, what to pack, and when to go.

Headed to Glacier National Park? Check out my articles on Best Places to Stay In Glacier National Park and 37 Must-See Stops Along Going To The Sun Road!

Avalanche Lake Trail Overview

Distance: 5.9 miles
Elevation Gain: 757 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Parking: Avalanche Campground, Avalanche Picnic Area, or Trail Of The Cedars Parking Lot
Highlights: Hike along a beautiful turquoise creek to Avalanche Lake – a stunning backdrop of mountains and waterfalls cascading into the alpine lake.

Avalanche Lake Trail Map

My Experience Hiking Avalanche Lake

I hiked Avalanche Lake trail in mid-September, after the busy season had just ended. The trail was still very well trafficked. Because I’m typically a solo hiker I prefer having a moderate number of people on the trail – this helps keep the chance of a bear encounter low, and it gives me peace of mind that if I injure myself while outside of cell service there are others around who can get help.

Avalanche Lake is one of my favorite hikes in Glacier National Park (spoiler: Grinnell Glacier is my #1 favorite). It was a moderate hike with steady elevation gain that never felt too challenging. The first mile of the hike follows Avalanche Creek, which is an incredible teal color and so wildly beautiful.

I could hear the creek for most of my hike, although after the first mile it disappears off into the forest and the trail diverges.

Sometimes there can be quite a bit of bear activity along this trail, but I didn’t see any bears, nor any signs of bears (scat or tracks). However, I always always always carry bear spray with me when I’m hiking in grizzly bear country (and sometimes even in black bear country, like my backpacking trip in the Smoky Mountains).

It took me a little over 2 hours to hike the entire trail. However, I stopped at Avalanche Lake to eat lunch and enjoy the views, so my total time was closer to 3 hours. 

I noticed that most people on the hike stopped at the Northern tip of the lake, which is the first shoreline you come across on this hike. This is the better view of the lake because it has all of the waterfalls in the background, but it was fairly busy. Can you believe that only one of the waterfalls is named? The middle one is called Monument Falls, but the rest are anonymous (like many other of the 200+ waterfalls in Glacier National Park).

After hiking to the southern end of the lake, which isn’t much further but the trail becomes a little harder to follow in some spots, and was quite muddy in a few areas, I was able to escape the crowds. In fact, there were only two other groups who hiked to this end of the lake the entire time I sat there eating my lunch.

While I brought my bathing suit with me so I could take a dip in the lake, I ultimately decided not to after watching a group of boys jump in and then whine about how cold they were for several minutes. If I hike this trail again in the warmer months (July or August) I’d definitely consider a dip!

How To Get To Avalanche Lake In Glacier National Park

The easiest way to get to Avalanche Lake is by entering Glacier National Park through the West Entrance, near West Glacier. Avalanche Lake hike is located approximately 15 miles past the gate along Going To The Sun Road (also called Route 1).

Entering the park from any of its entrances requires you to pay the park entrance fee. Per vehicle entrance is $35 (and it’s good for 7 consecutive days). Alternatively, you can purchase an annual pass for Glacier National Park for $70 – however, if you’re going to buy an annual pass I recommend spending a little more and getting the America The Beautiful pass for $80 as it’s good for all National Parks and over 2000+ other federal recreation sites.

If you’re visiting Glacier National Park between late May and early September you’ll likely need a timed entry vehicle reservation (in addition to your park entrance fee). The pilot program has detailed requirements depending on which entrance you’re using, check out complete details for 2024 Going To The Sun Road tickets here.

Parking at Avalanche Lake Trailhead can be tricky, but there are a few locations you can check if the primary lot is full, including Avalanche Picnic Area (across the street) and Trail of the Cedars trailhead parking (just a little further down GTS road). 

Arriving early (before 8:30 am or earlier) or coming in the late afternoon (after 3pm) will increase your chances of snagging a coveted parking space.

If you can’t arrive early enough to get a parking spot, consider taking the free shuttle in Glacier National Park instead.

The trailhead for Avalanche Lake is actually quite a bit past the parking area. You’ll follow Trail of the Cedars for 0.4 miles before reaching a fork that begins the Avalanche Lake hike. However, if you follow these AllTrails directions you’ll start from the parking area with guided instructions.

Pro Tip: Since you’ll already have completed half of Trail of the Cedars loop getting to the trailhead for Avalanche Lake I recommend completing the trail on your way back – it’s one of the best hikes in Glacier National Park!

When Can You Hike Avalanche Lake Trail?

Technically, Avalanche Lake Trail is open year-round. While it’s located off of Going To The Sun road, which closes seasonally in the winter, the road closes just past the entrance to Avalanche Lake. However, occasionally this portion of GTS road also closes due to snow or other dangerous conditions. The best way to tell if GTS road is open is to check the NPS website.

Avalanche Lake Trail is open all year, however, the trail may occasionally be closed due to bear activity. The best way to know whether Avalanche Lake Trail is open or not is to check the current trail status on the NPS website.

The best time of year to hike Avalanche Lake Trail is between late May and early October. May through June are the least crowded summer months in the park, but because Going To The Sun road is not open until late June, many other hiking trails in Glacier National Park are not accessible, which makes Avalanche Lake more popular.

If you plan to swim in Avalanche Lake the best time to visit is August, when the days are warmer and the lake water isn’t as frigid as it is from fresh snow melt earlier in the year. Although, the water is never anywhere close to warm, so be mentally prepared for a polar plunge regardless of which months you’re visiting!

Tips For Hiking Avalanche Lake In Glacier National Park

Here are some tips and tricks I learned while hiking Avalanche Lake in Glacier National Park.

Get An Early Start

This is an extremely popular hiking trail in Glacier National Park and it gets quite crowded later in the day. Getting an early start will help you to avoid the crowds, secure a limited parking space, and capture the lake during the most beautiful lighting of the day.

Consider Using The Shuttle

Glacier National Park provides a free park shuttle during the busy season. The shuttle can be used by anyone, and no advanced reservations are needed. 

If you’re coming from the West side of the park I recommend parking at Apgar Visitor Center (a very large parking lot) and catching the shuttle from there.

However, if you’re coming from the East side of the park I recommend parking at St Mary Visitor Center (also a very large parking lot) and taking the shuttle along Going To The Sun road. This will take 2-3 hours. The shuttle from St Mary only goes as far as Sun Point, where you’ll need to transfer, and then to Logan Pass Visitor Center, where you’ll need to transfer a second time.

Pack Snacks

Avalanche Lake hike is rated moderate, and just under 6 miles long, so it’s a good idea to pack some hiking snacks for your day. I really don’t think there’s anything more rewarding on a hike than sitting down in the dirt and eating a delicious lunch while gazing at the lake in peace.

Be Bear Aware

It’s estimated that there are 300 grizzly bears and 600 black bears in Glacier National Park. That means it’s a possibility that you’ll have a bear encounter on any trail in the park – some trails are more likely than others, and any trails with significant bear activity are posted or closed for safety in the park.

It’s crucial to ALWAYS hike with bear spray. If you do not have bear spray it’s possible to rent it from Apgar Village (although it’s not exactly cost effective compared to buying it, in my opinion).

Dress Correctly

When I hiked Avalanche Lake Trail I saw numerous people hiking in FLIP FLOPS!!! Flip flops, smh. If you’re going to Glacier National Park, you should be prepared with the proper hiking gear. Not only will it make it easier to hike, it’ll also prevent injuries and potentially keep you alive in an unexpected emergency.

• Hiking pants
• Hiking boots
• Wool socks
• Poles
• Water bladder
• Daypack
• Sunscreen
• Hat
• Bear spray
• Swimsuit
• First-aid kit
• Whistle
• Compass

FAQs – Avalanche Lake

Below are answers to common questions about Avalanche Lake hike in Glacier National Park.

How Long Of A Hike Is Avalanche Lake?

Avalanche Lake hike is a 5.9 mile hike that takes approximately 2.5 hours to complete. There’s modest elevation gain of 757 feet, but the gain is moderate throughout the hike which keeps it from feeling incredibly steep.

Can You Swim In Avalanche Lake Montana?

You can swim in Avalanche Lake Montana, as well as other lakes in Glacier National Park, like Lake McDonald. Keep in mind that Avalanche Lake is an alpine lake that is filled with snowmelt and glacier melt, so it can be quite cold regardless of when you go for a dip. The water temperature of Avalanche Lake rarely gets up to 50℉.

How Cold Is Avalanche Lake?

Avalanche Lake Montana experiences winter temperatures in the high-teens to upper 30’s. During the summer it can get as warm as mid-70’s, but low-to-mid 60’s is more common.

The water in Avalanche Lake is always cold, getting only as high as the low 50’s during the warm summer months.

Is Camping Allowed At Avalanche Lake?

Unfortunately, camping is not allowed at Avalanche Lake. However, you can camp at Avalanche Campground, which is located at the trailhead to Avalanche Lake, with a reservation.