Avalanche Lake – Fall 2025

The popular Avalanche Lake in Glacier National Park becomes a quaint getaway early in the year and late in the Fall. We were craving some Glacier trails and drove up on a lovely Fall and walked up a surprisingly snow-free trail and arrived at the lake as the sun began to emerge.

With many of Glacier National Park’s roads closed this time of year, the amount of shorter hikes that don’t require much effort to get to are fairly small. With a positive forecast and the summer crowds now gone, we decided to head up to Avalanche Lake.

We arrived mid-morning to a mostly empty parking lot and hit the trail. The rich colors of Trail of the Cedars were on full display as everything was fairly wet. On the drive in we saw two, large White-tailed Deer bucks who were obviously courting does that we saw near them. When we started on the trail, another large buck was trotting around, interested in a doe that was standing near us on the other side of the trail.

We walked over to the gorge like we usually do to take a few photos and admire the icy-blue waters cascade through mossy boulders and over the kaleidoscope-colors of the smooth stones in the water. Up we went and followed the gorge with its pools and cascades, a frothing white fury through the red rocks. Just above the gorge, the creek chattered away, refreshed by the recent moisture up high that was being melted by above freezing temps and some sunlight.

The contrast of the dark trunks of massive trees and the vibrant greens of the moss and deep reds of fallen pine needles and cedar boughs. Away from the creek, it was a quiet affair as we moved up the trail. We paused at the avalanche scar that gives lovely views up the Hidden Creek drainage. Rime-ice clung to the top of Mt. Cannon and was blindingly bright with the arrival of the sun as it broke through the clouds.

After a bit more climbing up through the forest, the trail leveled out and we broke out to the lake. While the clouds shrouded much of the majesty of the mountains and cliffs at the head of the lake, it was no disappointment. Each trip to the same place shows different sides. With the sun shining behind the ridgeline, it played with the clouds and, at one point, we were treated to a perfect silhouette of Little Matterhorn as it’s shadow darkened the clouds.

We enjoyed some lunch at the lake, watched the birds on the water feed and said hello to the handful of folks up at the lake, including an acquaintance, before heading back down. While we didn’t see any large mammals other than some deer, the lovely outing with some forest birds and birds on the water, coupled with stunning scenery were the refreshing dish we needed to be served.