Glacier National Park
	Accommodations& Services in this Region

Fishing and Camping in Glacier National Park

Covering 1,584 square miles of majestic mountains and icy glaciers, the mountainous wonders of Glacier National Park are viewed by over two million visitors a year. Unlike Yellowstone National Park, which is a mecca for fly fishers from all around the country, Glacier National Park does not host legendary Montana trout fishing rivers and streams like the rivers draining out of Yellow-stone National Park. Float fishers, however, will be delighted with the stunning scenery and good fishing that the North Fork and Middle Fork of the Flathead River provides. These forks serve as the Park boundaries. Glacier does offer good fishing opportunities in over 50 lakes for those fishers who are willing to trek four to six miles or more into the interior lakes. Consider the added pleasure of fishing a bonus to a scenic hike into the wilder-ness. When fishing high mountain lakes, anglers should prepare themselves for the fickle variance of weather and finicky trout. As with most day-hike fishing trips, the fishing generally picks up towards evening when you are arriving back at your vehicle.

Since the late 1960s, Glacier National Park has not stocked trout, preferring to enhance and protect native species such as cutthroat, lake trout, bull trout and Arctic grayling. Thirty years later, Park anglers enjoy the fruits of a more natural ecology. With this opportunity comes the responsibility for preserving and maintaining these wild trout populations. Please consider adopting the practice of catch-and-release and using single, barbless hooks. A secondary incentive for this conservation practice is that you further protect yourself from curious bears and their incredible olfactory powers.

Although I have included some backcountry trips with my donkey Buddy, my basic goal in this guidebook is to cover backcountry lakes that may be reached in a day hike. When I decided to expand this book, I resolved to person-ally fish most of the waters covered in this book. However, sometimes goals are quickly modified with a dose of reality. Glacier National Park has just too many lakes to cover in two or three summers. Many of the lakes covered in this book I did not fish, especially the larger lakes, which are fished best from a boat; some of the lakes I fished for a short time before heading back down the trail. Hard hikes of six or seven miles I passed up, preferring to gather information from other fishing and hiking books on Glacier. For those of you who prefer to backpack and fish the backcountry lakes, I would recommend Russ Schneider's book, Fishing Glacier National Park (ISBN: 1-56044-626-9). Another book that I recommend is Hiker's Guide to Glacier National Park, which is published by the Glacier Natural History Association in cooperation with the National Park Service (ISBN: 0-915030-24-1).

Fishing Tips

Most of the Park's smaller lakes are home to brook trout, cutthroat and bull trout. Cutthroat will generally cruise along the shoreline during the day, providing opportunities for the fly fisher. With the approach of dusk, however, the spin fisher will have the advantage by tossing a water-filled bubble far out into the lake and slowly reeling in a small nymph such as a Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear, a Zug Bug, a bead-head Prince or a drowned Elk Hair Caddis. Backpackers with belly boats and flippers will find greater opportunities for those trout cruising just out of range from the shore. If you are a spin fisher, small popular lures such as Mepps, Thomas Cyclone, Rappala and Daredevils are Park standards, as they are for most trout lakes.

If you are new to fly fishing on a lake, I would suggest carrying an assortment of size 16 and 18 dry fly standards such as a yellow Humpy, Parachute Adams, Royal Wulffs, Renegades and Elk Hair Caddis. If you are fishing the outlet of a lake, be sure to have some ant and beetle patterns for late in the summer. Finally, be sure your fly box has a few Girdle Bugs and streamers. One of the best sources for fly fishing high-elevation mountain lakes is Gary LaFontaine's book, Fly Fishing the Mountain Lakes. Glacier National Park provides excellent cutthroat fishing in the North Fork of the Flathead River and the Middle Fork of the Flathead River.

Be sure to read the fishing regulations carefully. Keep in mind that your best source of fishing information is often the Park rangers, as Glacier has no stocking pro-grams, and trout populations are adversely impacted by harsh winters. Additionally, trails are often closed due to bear activity or snow conditions. Many of the higher elevation lakes are not reached or fishable until early to mid-July. Be sure to bring bug spray, and for some lakes a mosquito net is essential early in the summer. Regarding the Park's policy on stocking trout, “the National Park Service no longer plants fish in Park waters… The reason is simple. The introduction of exotic game fishes was found to be detrimental to Glacier's native fishes. Predation and competition for space and food adversely affected several native species, and hybridization between indigenous and non-native species of fish also occurred. The native westslope cutthroat trout has been all but eliminated from several lakes, where it was once the dominant species. Today the National Park Service is engaged in fisheries research to determine the extent of damage to native fish populations, and to explore possible means for re-establishing native fishes in some waters where they have been eliminated or replaced by hybrid populations…for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations.” –Park newsletter

Hiking Tips

Fishing in Glacier National Park presents some risks. Of serious concern is preparing for the weather. Summer temperatures may range in the high 80s to low 90s. A common axiom in the mountain communities of Montana is that if you don't like the weather, stick around another 15 minutes! The summer rainfall averages two inches per month. More importantly, daytime temperatures can plummet with the arrival of storm clouds, regardless of how warm the day starts. The eastern border of the Park along the Rocky Mountain Front is always subject to wind blowing up through the canyons across the lakes. It is not uncommon for overnight lows to drop below freezing anywhere in the Park. In August of 1992, a foot of snow fell on the northeastern section of the Park. Dress in layers and always carry raingear. Another safety concern is contact with bears. The risks of coming in contact with a bear may be minimized with prudent and precautionary behavior. BEAR in mind, of course, that the fickle finger of fate will inevitably point to one of us sooner or later. However, the statistics of bear attacks per Park visitations should provide comfort. Unfortunately, just prior to my first trek into bear country my neighbor kindly loaned me the book Mark of the Grizzly. I had already incurred some trepidation when I met a coroner, whose duties include deaths in Glacier National Park. I met the man at a Mule and Donkey Show in Drummond, Montana. He told me he wouldn't think about taking his family into the backcountry of Glacier, preferring instead to ride and hike in the Mission Mountains. Take the time to read the Park literature on bears. Your chances of being attacked by a bear are about one in a million. The odds are greater that you will be struck by lightning while hiking in the Park. But when there is lightning in the area, I don't stand around smelling the ozone. Read all the Park advisories on avoiding bears. Here are some suggestions taken from the Waterton-Glacier Guide that each Park visitor receives.

“If you surprise a bear, here are a few guidelines to follow that may help:

• Talk quietly or not at all; the time to make loud noise is before you encounter a bear. Try to detour around the bear if possible.
• Do not run! Back away slowly, but stop if it seems to agitate the bear.
• Assume a non-threatening posture. Turn sideways, or bend at the knees to appear smaller.
• Use peripheral vision. Bears appear to interpret direct eye contact as threatening.
• Drop something (not food) to distract the bear. Keep your pack on for protection in case of an attack.
• If a bear attacks and you have pepper spray, use it!
• If the bear makes contact, protect your chest and abdomen by falling to the ground on your stomach, or assuming a fetal position to reduce the severity of the attack. Cover the back of your neck with your hands. Do not move until you are certain the bear has left....
• If you are attacked at night, or if you feel you have been stalked and attacked as prey, try to escape. If you cannot escape, or if the bear follows, use pepper spray, or shout and try to intimidate the bear with a branch or rock. Do whatever it takes to let the bear know you are not easy prey.”

Because bears have an incredible sense of smell, Park guidelines remind fishers to use garbage cans to dispose of entrails. “When cleaning fish in the backcountry, puncture the air bladder, and throw entrails deep into water at least 200 feet from the nearest campsite or trail. Do not bury or burn entrails, as they will attract bears.”

Finally, be sure to bring along plenty of mosquito repellant, a face net and a raincoat to protect yourself against pests and the elements. –Park newsletter

Campgrounds in Glacier National Park

Note: The following information was taken from the Waterton Glacier Guide, which is given to each Park visitor. You may request a copy by writing Glacier National Park, West Glacier, MT 59936 or by calling (406) 888-7800. Visit their web site at www.nps.gov/glac for up-to-date information.

“Campgrounds in Glacier provide just over 1,000 camp-sites. Most are available on a ‘first-come, first-served' basis. Fish Creek and St. Mary campgrounds may be reserved ahead through the National Park Service Registration System by calling 800-365-CAMP.

“Campsites are limited to 8 people and 2 vehicles per site. Most campgrounds have drinking water, restrooms with flush toilets, and cold running water. Utility hookups are not available.”

• Apgar: The campground opens May 7 and closes October 18. There are a total of 196 sites; 25 sites are set aside for RVs. The campground offers flush toilets and a disposal station.
• Avalanche: The campground opens June 18 and closes September 7. There are a total of 87 sites; 50 sites have lengths of 26 feet. The campground offers flush toilets but no disposal station.
• Bowman Lake: The campground opens May 14 and closes September 15. Bowman offers 48 camping sites, but RVs are not recommended (primitive road).
• Cut Bank: The campground opens May 8 and closes September 13. Cut Bank has 19 sites, but RVs are not recommended.
• Fish Creek: The campground opens June 1 and closes September 7. Offering 180 sites, three sites provide a maximum length of 35 feet. Flush toilets and a disposal station are provided.
• Kintla Lake: The campground opens May 21 and closes September 15. The campground offers 13 sites, but RVs are not recommended.
• Logging Lake: The campground opens July 1 and closes September 7. Logging Lake has eight campsites, but RVs are not recommended.
• Many Glacier: The campground opens May 28 and closes September 22. Offering 110 campsites, 13 sites have a maximum length of 35 feet. Flush toilets and a disposal are provided.
• Quartz Creek: The campground opens July 1 and closes September 7. Quartz Creek has 7 camping sites, but RVs are not recommended.
• Rising Sun: The campground opens May 28 and closes September 23. Offering 83 campsites, three sites have a maximum length of 30 feet. Flush toilets and a disposal station are provided.
• Sprague Creek: The campground opens May 21 and closes September 27. The campground offers 25 sites, but no towing units are allowed. Flush toilets are pro-vided.
• St. Mary: The campground opens May 28 and closes September 13. Offering 148 campsites, 25 sites have a maximum length of 35 feet. Flush toilets and a disposal station are provided.
• Two Medicine: The campground opens May 28 and closes September 13. Offering 99 campsites, 13 sites have a maximum length of 32 feet. Flush toilets and a disposal station are provided.

Glacier National Park's Boundary Waters

Glacier-fed: North Fork and Middle Fork of the Flathead River

The combined area of Glacier National Park and the Flat-head National Forest will keep any angler busy with over 2,000 miles of streams and more than 900 lakes, most of which provide naturally-reproducing trout. The Flathead River has been designated as a National Wild and Scenic River, which Congress declared “shall be preserved in free-flowing condition, and that they and their immediate environments shall be protected for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations....”

The three forks of the Flathead River testify to the raw force of nature and qualify as part of the National Scenic River Act. Essentially a migratory fishery out of Flathead Lake, the forks of the Flathead River offer unspoiled beauty. With one look at the high water marks and the scrubbed riverbed, a fisher will know immediately why he or she is sharing the river with white-water rafters and kayakers.

Basically the force of spring run-off in glaciated country dooms the forks to a nutrient-deficient environment. This in turn impacts the insect hatches and limits the opportunity for resident trout populations. For the wade angler, all three forks have limited accessibility due to steep canyons and private property on the North Fork and the Middle Fork.

Rafters should have white-water experience before they attempt float fishing any one of the three forks. Some of the coldest river water in the state is found on the South Fork and the North Fork. Rafters need to be properly equipped, experienced and prepared. Although low water levels appear by mid-August, each of the forks offers class II and III spots that can sneak up on rafters intent on catching fish.

The International Scale for River Difficulty grades water based on the characteristics and action of the water as well as how much maneuvering is called for in a given passage. The North Fork, after high water, is generally a Class II water, although some dangerous Class III water may be found between Big Creek and Glacier Rim. The Middle Fork offers Class IV and V whitewater in certain stretches during high water. The South Fork below Spotted Bear is generally rated Class II and III. I highly recommend the guide “Three Forks of the Flathead River – Floating Guide”, published by the Glacier Natural History Association in cooperation with the Flathead National Forest and Glacier National Park. I would also recommend the Montana Afloat river maps, which may be purchased at most of the local fly shops.

At this point I need to add a disclaimer. My descriptions of the forks of the Flathead River are taken from numerous public sources and are not intended as a reliable river guide. I have never floated any section that is rated over class III. Anyone attempting to float these rivers should contact local experts. Finally, float fishers should have a clear understanding of their own boating capabilities and never attempt to float and fish waters beyond their capabilities. Many float fishers have never practiced self-rescue, nor are they trained in rescue skills, CPR or first aid. I am always amazed at how poorly prepared many floaters are in pre-paring for a fishing trip. In truth, I, too, have been careless in preparing for some outings. Knowing the responsibility that I owe all of my passengers, it always makes me feel a little uneasy when I find I have missed an item or two. Float fishers should always have the following items in their raft or drift boat.

Any family member who has lost a loved one from a boating accident will implore you to insist that every passenger wear an approved life jacket. Keep a lifeline handy at all times as well as a spare oar. Bring along plenty of rope and a first aid kit. A dry bag for extra clothes is essential. Keep this bag where it can be easily grabbed. Add to this bag the necessary provisions for starting a fire, and be sure to throw in some extra batteries for the flashlight. For years I carried a flare in my dry bag when I floated in the late fall or winter. A flare is a quick fire starter. Beware of the vagaries of weather. Hypothermia is always a present danger in Montana. Even water temperatures in the high 50s can drain one's strength and rob the body of heat loss. A good knife and a fold-up saw are essential. The biggest safety tip is the most obvious and most often overlooked: the oarsman should be completely sober and alert at all times. This means scanning the river ahead 100 yards at a time and pulling over to scout any difficult passage. As the accompanying photograph attests, taking your eyes of the river or helping a buddy land a fish is the primary factor in many river accidents.

I once watched a man excitedly fishing a pod of rising rainbows. He had turned his gaze behind the boat and was attempting to catch one of the sippers behind him. The sweeper, a tall cottonwood tree stretching out into the river, was clearly visible for 200 yards. I yelled at the man, but I was too far back, and my voice did not carry. The tree flipped him out of his small boat and dumped him into the chilly waters in one quick motion. Although I can not claim to have rescued him, he was extremely grateful when I came along and provided him with warm clothes and helped him to aright his boat. I wish I could be smug and arrogant, but I, too, was once a fool and flipped a raft with two anglers. The following is a paraphrased American version of the International Scale for River Difficulty.

International Scale for River Difficulty

Class I: Very easy – Class I water provides small, regular waves with few obstacles. Very little maneuvering is necessary.
Class II: Novice – Class II water requires some maneuvering but medium-sized waves are avoidable.
Class III: Intermediate – Class III water offers numerous waves, narrow passages and precise maneuvering to avoid large waves, rocks or sweepers. Scouting may be required. Boat fishers with little river experience should not attempt Class III waters.
Class IV: Advanced – Class IV challenges kayakers with in-tense rapids, abrupt bends, narrow passages, and precise maneuvering. Precision maneuvers are required with no options! Scouting is usually required, and self-rescue may be difficult.
Class V: Expert – Class V water clearly raises the level of risk for kayakers with long rapids, wild turbulence and extremely congested routes. Complex maneuvering requires scouting.
Class VI: Extreme–Limits of Navigation – Nearly impossible and a definite hazard to life. Note: A detailed, spiral-bound series of maps of all three forks may be purchased at the following information centers:

Glacier View Ranger District
774 Railroad Street EN
Columbia Falls, MT 59912
Information: (406) 892-4372

Hungry Horse Ranger District
Box 340
Hungry Horse, MT 59919
Information: (406) 387-5243

The North Fork of the Flathead River

General location: The North Fork of the Flathead River serves as Glacier National Park's western boundary. The North Fork is 22 miles north of Columbia Falls, Montana.
Maps: USGS Glacier National Park (ISBN 0-607-32671-9); Montana Atlas and Gazetteer, p.83
Fishing conditions and species: bull trout, cutthroat, lake trout, rainbow trout, and whitefish
Special restrictions: If you fish the west bank, you will need a Montana license. Within the Park you must carry in your possession a copy of the regulations. Cutthroats are protected and must be released. Regional Forest Service info: (406) 387-3800

The North Fork originates in Canada, with the east shore being the border of Glacier National Park. Access for the wade fisher is somewhat limited as the road parallels the river high up the mountain sides in places. Wade fishers are limited to six public access points on the North Fork Road: Canadian Border, Ford, Polebridge, Big Creek, Glacier Rim and Blankenship Bridge. A few undeveloped sites offer ac-cess to the river as well. One such access point is at Moose Creek above Polebridge and at the bridge crossing for Coal Creek, which is 5.8 miles north of the Camas Creek Entrance. The Coal Banks offers primitive camping and a primitive boat launch. Keep in mind, however, that access points on the North Fork may also be reached from the Inside North Fork Road inside the Park both above Polebridge and below it. Regardless of which road you select, plan on a bumpy, dusty slow ride north of the Camas Creek Entrance. Big Creek, a few miles from the Camas Creek Entrance, offers the only developed campground on the North Fork. The campground is a fee campground and includes a non-fee picnic site and a boat launch. The campground offers 22 campsites, toilets, water, an RV dump station and a swim-ming area. Inside the Park, the campgrounds at Quartz Creek and Logging Creek are a distance from the river.

Pick up the North Fork Road inside the Park at the Fish Creek Campground, which is 2.5 miles from the T-intersection at the Apgar Entrance. The Park's North Fork Road is “maintained in primitive condition” and the speed limit is 20 mph. Trailers and large RVs are discouraged from using the road. From Fish Creek Campground to Polebridge is 27 miles; Bowman Lake is 33 miles and Kintla Lake is 43 miles.

Although the North Fork is home to some huge bull trout on their spawning runs between July and October, the majority of the trout will be migratory cutthroats from 8 to 10-inches moving up and down the river between April and August. The North Fork is heavily silted and appears more turquoise in color than the Middle Fork and the South Fork. To reach the North Fork, turn onto Nucleus Street in Columbia Falls. Follow the signs to Glacier National Park, a distance of 22 miles.

Access above the Park entrance is limited due to private property. The first float section is from the border to Ford Access, a distance of 14 miles with a Class II rating. From the Ford Access to Polebridge is 11 river miles and is rated Class II. From Polebridge to Big Creek is 18 miles and is rated as Class II. The next float, from Big Creek to Glacier Rim, is probably the most popular float among the local guides. It is 12 miles and is rated Class II and III. The last float, a short four miles, is from Glacier Rim to Blankenship Bridge and is Class I. The Blankenship Bridge turn-off is before the Glacier Rim Access. The bridge is located just below the confluence of the North Fork and the Middle Fork. On one side of the bridge is a boat launch, and on the other side is a county non-fee campground. Blankenship Bridge may also be reached from Highway 2 above Coram. (Look for mileage marker 148. Take the second left after the marker (148.3). When you reach a hairpin turn, bear left and head down the mountain. From the highway to the bridge is 3.8 miles.)

The Middle Fork of the Flathead River

General location: The Middle Fork of the Flathead River serves as Glacier National Park's southwestern boundary. The Middle Fork is south of the West Entrance on Highway 2.
Maps: USGS Glacier National Park (ISBN 0-607-32671-9); Montana Atlas and Gazetteer, p 83-84 (ISBN 0-89933-226-9)
Fishing conditions and species: bull trout, cutthroat, lake trout, rainbow trout, and whitefish
Special restrictions: If you fish the Montana side, you will need a Montana license. Within the Park you must carry in your possession a copy of the regulations. Cutthroats are protected and must be released.

The only campground in the area is the non-fee camp-ground at Devil Creek. The campground is 38 miles from the entrance to the Park.

The Middle Fork of the Flathead River By Steve Smith

When was the last time you fished a river and a grizzly bear swam in front of your boat? Or you came away from the day amazed that fish would live in such fast water, let alone be able to see and rise to your fly as it sped by them? Or you wondered whether you had fished during a whitewater trip or shot some rapids while fishing? And maybe at the end of the day you exclaim, “Holy cow, it has been such a great day, it wouldn't have mattered if we didn't catch a fish at all” (even though you wouldn't re-ally mean that).

The Middle Fork of the Flathead River punches its way through the mountains of northwest Montana. From its beginnings in the Great Bear Wilderness area, the Middle Fork offers a unique blend of scenery, wildlife and fishing in uncrowded and pristine surroundings. From Bear Creek, where the river leaves the Great Bear 45 miles downstream, to Blankenship Bridge, the river separates Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex (of which the Great Bear is a component). Highway 2 and the Burlington Northern Railway run through the canyon cut by the river, though they seldom impose on it.

The Middle Fork is a freestone stream. Freestone streams are not overly rich in nutrients, so the Middle Fork doesn't boast prolific insect hatches or even predictable ones. What it lacks in numbers of insects, it makes up for by supporting one of the most diverse arrays of aquatic insects in the lower 48 states. Understanding this is the key to success on the Middle Fork.

The fish on the Middle Fork, primarily native westslope cutthroat trout and a growing wild rainbow population, thrive in the cool, clear and fast water of the river. They are accustomed to seeing all sorts of insects shooting by them in the current at a high rate of speed.

Envision a native cut-throat lying on the bottom just downstream of a fast riffle waiting for the cur-rent to wash feed down to it. The trout snatches up a stonefly nymph, scrambling along the bottom. Next, an emerging mayfly suspended mid-depth floats by and is devoured. Then an adult caddis fly, bobbing along in the choppy water on top, goes flashing by, and the cutthroat goes for it. What the trout may not distinguish in its rush to swallow whatever feed the current delivers is that the caddis fly is a number 12 Elk Hair Caddis on the end of your tippet. The fish, forever famished, doesn't have the luxury of an in-depth analysis on the Middle Fork. Chuck out a high-riding dry fly into choppy water, mend like crazy and pay attention.

Westslope cutthroat trout are indigenous to the river. The higher up the river, the more you will find. The rainbow trout population is self-sustaining now and is considered wild. The rainbows and cutthroats can inter-breed, resulting in the “cuttbow”hybrid. Bull trout also are native to the river. Sadly, sediments from logging roads have destroyed spawning habitats and heavy fishing pressure has combined to dwindle the reserves of this fishery so that it is now illegal to even fish for bull trout. Care must be exercised to properly identify fish caught on the Middle Fork. Bull trout are often mistaken for brook and lake trout which also inhabit these waters.

The Middle Fork is included in the wild and scenic river system and so is looked after by the U.S. Forest Service. Remember that the north bank of the river is the boundary of Glacier National Park, which has a separate set of regulations concerning camping and other activities.

Access to the river is good, although a four-wheel drive vehicle is handy for some boat launches. Bear Creek is the highest access point along Highway 2. Below that is a rough, sandy access by the bridge at Walton. Paola Creek access is downstream, followed by Cascadilla Creek access, Moccasin Creek access (the beginning of the eight-mile Class III whitewater section and the most heavily used), then the West Glacier access and finally, Blankenship Bridge, where the Middle Fork joins the North Fork of the Flathead River. An excellent map of the entire Flathead River system is available at the Forest Service station in Hungry Horse.

Wade fishing the Middle Fork, while possible, is limited by fast water and deep pools between the runs. The best way to fish it is to cover some water, and for this there is no finer boat than the McKenzie River boat. Whatever craft you choose (don't even think about a canoe), be advised that even outside of the white-water section, the Middle Fork is a fast, powerful, cold and remote river. Blind bends, rock-choked chutes and numerous downed trees make the river pilot's job a demanding and serious one.

The river is frequented by a variety of big game animals, and some of them have fangs and claws. Be aware that this is bear country, and mountain lions have also been sighted along and in the river. Seeing them safely from a McKenzie boat (remember, rafts can pop) is a memorable addition to any fishing trip.

The Middle Fork is a great but relatively unknown river. The combination of the Middle Fork's scenery, wildlife, fishing opportunities and uncrowded conditions rarely is seen in one place all at once. Kindly give plenty of room to other people fishing; there is plenty of it on the Middle Fork.

Seasons: The Middle Fork can fish well in April and early May when spawning runs of cutthroat enter the river from Flathead Lake. High water generally occurs mid-May through late June. After July 1, the fishing continues on into October. Local inquiry of river conditions or hazards is recommended.

Fly selections: This is easy. Anything will catch fish on the Middle Fork as long as it is well presented. If you are un-able to make a good presentation, try dragging a nymph in front of the boat, or let your dry fly draw under the water at the end of your drift. While anathema to the purist, these techniques are godsends to the novice or flustered fishing guide. It ain't pretty, but it works.

About the Author: Smith is an advocate of small tippets, large caliber rifles, V-8 engines, and Labrador retrievers. He aspires to one day harpoon a jet ski. He spends the summers rowing fly fishers on the Middle Fork near West Glacier, Montana. He and the other fine fly fishing guides of Glacier Wilderness Guides may be reached at:

Glacier Wilderness Guides
Box 330
West Glacier, MT 59936
(800) 521-7238

North Fork Drainage :: Outside North Fork Road

Kintla Lake

General location: The extreme northwest section of the Park. The lake is 15 miles from the Polebridge Entrance on a dirt road. Plan on a 40-minute drive to the lake.
Maps: USGS Glacier National Park (ISBN 0-607-32671-9); Montana Atlas and Gazetteer, p.83 (ISBN 0-89933-226-9)
Fishing conditions and species: bull trout, cutthroat, kokanee, lake trout, rainbow trout, and whitefish
Special restrictions: No motorized boats are allowed on Kintla Lake. (Bowman Lake allows motorized boats with no more than 10 horsepower outboard motors.) Kintla Creek between Kintla Lake and Upper Kintla Lake is closed to fishing, as is Upper Kintla Lake.

Kintla Lake fishes better than Bowman Lake, offering bull trout, westslope cutthroats, lake trout and kokanee, as well as the ubiquitous mountain whitefish. The best fishing is from June through September. Hiking away from the campground provides better fishing. Upper Kintla Lake is closed to fishing, but hiking the Boulder Pass Trail to the Kintla Lake backcountry campsite provides good fishing for those hikers who want to get away from the vehicular hum and drum found at the outlet campground. Bring a lightweight pair of waders. Temperature readings can change quickly, and in most places you will need to wade out a distance to reach the deeper water and allow yourself some back casting room.

Glacier offers advanced reservations, if you want to make plans ahead of time. You may, however, go to the Backcountry Office in Apgar Village at the West Glacier Entrance and sign up for “first-come” walk-in permits, or you may reserve a backcountry site 24 hours in ad-vance for $20. The problem of dropping in and taking what is available is that it is almost impossible to plan a loop hike or even a sequential hike to the next logical stay. I had called ahead and found that the Bowman Campground at Bowman Lake rarely fills up, they had a corral for my donkey, and there was a good chance of getting a backcountry campsite at Lower Quartz Lake. Oh, the questions I should have asked while I had that Park employee on the phone....

Both lakes are reached following the North Fork Road out of Columbia Falls, or by taking the North Fork Road in the Park beginning at Fish Creek Camp-ground. The road outside the Park is considered the best choice, unless you are traveling to Logging Lake or want better access to the North Fork of the Flat-head. The road out of Columbia Falls is paved to the Camas Creek Entrance. From Camas Creek to the next Park entrance, Polebridge, is approximately 35 miles of potholes and washboard. Most of the land adjacent to the North Fork of the Flathead is posted, so wade fishers must be content with bridge crossings and the occasional National Forest access. One of the best primitive access points to the river is the Goal Banks, which is 5.8 miles north of the Camas Creek Park En-trance. When I researched the North Fork area, I was pulling an old four-horse trailer that I had converted into an RV Donkey Trailer. For the first time in my life, I became concerned about driving on a bumpy road, as I am sure Buddy did as he sucked in the dust and braced himself at each jarring hole. When I pulled into Polebridge, a country store and a saloon, I stopped to ask for directions. When I got out of the truck, the trailer was draining 20 gallons of water out the door. My 20-gallon water tank had shifted, snapping a plastic water pipe. To add to the problem, I had part of Buddy's packsaddle on the counter top, and all the jostling had flicked the pump switch. Needless to say, I immediately remembered that I was going to brace and block the water tank. Alas, haste makes waste!

Bowman Lake

General location: The extreme northwest section of the Park Maps: USGS Glacier National Park (ISBN 0-607-32671-9); Montana Atlas and Gazetteer, p.83 (ISBN 0-89933-226-9)
Fishing conditions and species: bull trout, cutthroat, kokanee, lake trout, rainbow trout, and whitefish
Special restrictions: Bowman Lake allows motorized boats with no more than 10 horsepower outboard motors. Bowman Creek above Bowman Lake is closed to fishing.

Bowman Lake, Akokala Lake and Quartz Lakes

The road from Polebridge to Bowman Lake Camp-ground is a six-mile, winding, narrow, bumpy road. Later I would learn that the literature describes the road as primitive. The Park's goal is to maintain a backcountry campground limited to small trailers and tents. The real reason, one of the volunteer Park rangers surmised, was budget restrictions. If you are pulling a small trailer, plan on a 30-minute drive from Polebridge to the campground. The road from Polebridge to Kintla Lake is 15 miles and it, too, is rough, particularly the last two miles, although the driving time is only 45 minutes. The views, however, make the driving worthwhile. A few years ago a bridge washed out on the Canadian side of the border, so the road from Kintla Lake no longer serves as an entry into Canada. Discussions about reconstruction and financing have yet to be resolved by the Canadian government.

Arriving at Bowman Lake, pulling my monstrous RV conversion, I met the Bowman Lake ranger. She walked me down to the corrals and told me I could camp at the corrals with Buddy, if I thought I could make the turns. Looking down at this cute, 23-year-old ranger with her blonde braids dangling down from her Smokey-the-Bear hat, I said, “No problem, Little Lady,” in my best John Wayne drawl. “Why, there's no trail or road that I can't maneuver this rig.”

Sacrificing two little fir trees, the first two sharp turns down the rutted and overgrown road were less than perfect. When I got to the corrals, I knew I was in trouble. The corrals were straight ahead. To the left a few feet away was the outlet creek. The “turn-around” had a stock ramp to the right. It was not a place for a 21-foot trailer. How could I have miscalculated? Backing out through two turns was a nightmare. Later, the pungent smell of a burned clutch lingered as I crawled into my bed, exhausted and shaken.

Bowman Lake

Although it provides a spectacular backdrop of glacial mountains, Bowman Lake offers only fair fishing at best. The best fishing opportunity is trolling from a boat or searching out deeper spots on the sides of the lake. Fishing is said to be good if you are willing to hike to the head of the lake, or camp at the designated backcountry campsite, Bowman Lake HD, a distance of 7.1 miles. The foot of the lake is very shallow. The outlet, Bowman Creek, offers decent fishing for 7- to 12-inch cutthroats.

Akokala Lake

Akokala Lake provides an-other fishing option and backcountry camping site. The trailhead begins right in the Bowman Lake Camp-ground. The steep 5.8-mile hike is often plagued with blow-downs, but the rang-ers clear them as soon as they can. The 23-acre lake provides good fishing for small cutthroats. The best fishing, however, may be found in the three Quartz Lakes above Bowman Lake.

Lower Quartz Lake

The next day Buddy and I headed up the trail to Lower Quartz Lake. The loop to all three lakes covers 12.7 miles. The trailhead begins just east of the picnic site on Bow-man Lake. Looking up the lake at the imposing Numa Peak to the west and Rainbow Peak to the east, Cerulean Ridge appears much less intimidating to hike. Crossing over the outlet bridge, the trail passes a ranger cabin about a half-mile from the campground. Shortly after the cabin, the trail forks. The trail to the right leads to Lower Quartz Lake, a distance of 3.6 miles. Taking the left fork leads the hiker up Cerulean Ridge through a heavily-forested trail towards the crest. From the crest hikers may observe the natural reforestation after the 1988 Red Bench Fire. From the fork to Quartz Lake covers a distance of 6.6 miles, offering spectacular views. The backcountry Quartz Lake Campground offers glacial beauty and a small beach. From Quartz Lake Campground to Lower Quartz Campground is approximately three miles, passing by the smaller Middle Quartz Lake.

Taking the right fork to Lower Quartz Lake, a popular day hike, the trail climbs steadily up many switchbacks to Quartz Ridge, where hikers can see Quartz Lake, nestled at the base of Vulture Peak and Square Peak. The trail is quite steep, but it is shaded almost the entire length. Huffing and puffing up the mountainside, I was forced to take a breather when Buddy's pack slowly worked itself off to the side and then plopped on the ground. While I was struggling to re-adjust everything, I heard the rhythmic synchronization of two hikers in locomotion. “Hey, bear!” the engineer shouted out. “Hey, bear,” the fireman repeated three steps later. Two college girls steamed up the switchbacks with full packs, while Buddy and I marveled at their progress. When they were two switchbacks below me, I yelled out, “Just give me a second and I'll get out of your way. I'm almost finished,” as I adjusted the sleeping bag riding on top of Buddy's sawbuck.

Not a wheel slipped in this locomotive, nor was there the slightest pause as the engineer's forearms shot out in a piston-like motion and the train steamed up the trail from one switchback to another. “Hey, bear,” said the engineer, and exactly three paces later the fireman answered, “Hey, bear!” If someone above us looked down upon Buddy's twitching ears, they could have marked the locomotive's ascent. Rounding the switchback near us, the engineer frowned as she broke her cadence.

“Does he kick?” yelled out the engineer.

“No,” I replied, and before I knew it, they had passed, forfeiting any opportunity to say hello, or where are you heading?

“Hey, bear!” shouted the engineer as they disappeared around the bend. I took hold of the lead rope, clicked my tongue (the command for go), looked at the switchbacks in front of me, and, like the little steam engine, said, “I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.”

If you bring in stock, be sure to pack in your animal's food, as there are no spots to graze. Be cautious in crossing the small bridges over spring seepage; some of them are quite rotten. The area is thick with underbrush and trees right down to the water's edge. All of the backcountry sites have a hanging pole and an outhouse. Lower Quartz pro-vided a three-week-old sports section and the classifieds of the Missoulian for those whose daily constitution requires a more sedate regimen.

I fished the outlet creek first, which flushes a surprising volume of water from the lake down to the North Fork. Every fly fisher regales with nostalgia those stories of fish caught on every cast. I have added another such story to my 45 years of trout fishing. Unfortunately, nary a single fish measured over 5 inches! I fished 300 yards in beautiful water. If I didn't catch a fish on each cast, I flipped one across the riffle or missed one, sometimes two. It reminded me of my personal best day with a client, Sam Laurence, the founder of Budget Rental Cars. Sam caught 97 trout in one day floating the Bitterroot River with me as his guide. In those days my outfitter required his guides to keep a mechanical counter. Of the 97 trout Sam caught that day, not one exceeded 9 inches, and most measured 5 to 7 inches. Guinness should have a record for most dinks in a day! That evening, however, I caught a number of fat cutthroats wading out in the lake. Although none of them were big, a number of them were around 12 inches.

After sipping hot chocolate the following morning, and watching the steam slowly rise and dissipate above the emerald reflection of Quartz Ridge, I re-adjusted my attitude after a night of painfully swollen knees. Buddy minded his manners and proudly crossed the outlet with nary a prodding, swearing or cajoling. With just a few months training, he packed like a veteran.

Inside North Fork

The road is primitive and poorly maintained. Pick up the road at Fish Creek Campground, which is just a couple of miles from the West Glacier Entrance. From Fish Creek Campground, Polebridge is 27 miles, Bowman Lake is 33 miles, and Kintla Lake is 43 miles. The speed limit is 20 mph, and you will find yourself rarely over that limit. It took me a full hour to reach Logging Lake Campground.

Camas Creek: 6.7 miles

Crossing: Camas Creek holds small cutthroats; however, one of the rangers I spoke with said that a half-mile upstream there are some large beaver ponds, which provide good fishing for larger cutthroats. From Anaconda Creek to Logging Lake is closed to hiking or entry as some gray wolves have set up a den and need isolation to raise their young.

Logging Lake: 18.6 miles

General location: Above the West Glacier Entrance on the Inside North Fork Road
Access: From the Logging Creek Ranger Station, take the Logging Lake trail 4.4 miles to the lake.
Maps: USGS Glacier National Park (ISBN 0-607-32671-9); Montana Atlas and Gazetteer, p.83
Fish species: bull trout, cutthroat, lake trout, and whitefish
Special restrictions: Logging Creek between Logging Lake and Grace Lake is closed to fishing.

Logging Lake offers fair fishing for cutthroats, but like most of the lakes in the North Fork drainage, fishing from the shore is difficult. Serious fly fishers will pack in a float tube to reach the deeper waters. From the trailhead to the lake is 4.4 miles. The first backcountry campsite is five miles. The hike is rated easy.

19.3 miles: Access to the North Fork of the Flathead River

20.5 miles: Quartz Creek Campground

21.1 miles: Winona Lake (Mud Lake)
The lake offers fair fishing for small cutthroats in a mos-quito-infested haven.

27 miles: Polebridge, Montana
Be sure to stop at the Polebridge Mercantile for freshly baked goodies!

West Glacier Entrance: Going-to-the-Sun Road

One of the most famous roads in the Rocky Mountains is the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park. The road is reached shortly after entering the Park at the West Glacier Entrance. Above Lake McDonald, you will drive past McDonald Creek. It is beautiful, but it is generally bereft of trout with the exception of a few migratory fish. Lake McDonald Lodge and the trailhead to Snyder Lake is a distance of nine miles; the Avalanche Lake Trailhead is 14.7 miles; Packer's Roost (Mineral Creek) is 20.8 miles, and St. Mary's Park Entrance is 48 miles.

McDonald Creek

General location: Just inside the West Glacier Entrance from Lake McDonald to the Middle Fork of the Flathead River
Access: The creek, as the outlet of Lake McDonald, may be easily accessed at Apgar, or just after entering the Park, turn left at the Glacier Institute sign, and then turn right towards the horse rentals and follow the signs to the Quarter-Circle Bridge.
Maps: USGS Glacier National Park (ISBN 0-607-32671-9); Montana Atlas and Gazetteer, p.83 (ISBN 0-89933-226-9)
Fishing species: brook trout, bull trout, cutthroat, lake trout, rainbow trout, whitefish
Special restrictions: “Catch-and-release fishing only with single hooks: Fish caught in Lower McDonald Creek (from the Quarter Circle Bridge and upstream, extending into Lake McDonald for a radius of 300 feet) must be handled carefully and released immediately to the stream or lake. No fish of any species may be in possession at any time along this stream/lake.” –Park handout

McDonald Creek, draining McDonald Lake and entering the Middle Fork of the Flathead River, receives a great deal of fishing pressure because of its accessibility and scenic allure. To protect the cutthroat populations, the Park established catch-and-release fishing restrictions using single hooks between Lake McDonald and the Quarter-Circle Bridge. Slow, clear water provides a challenge for those fly fishers who enjoy delicate casting with long leaders and small tippets.

McDonald Creek above the lake, with the exception of the inlet, holds few fish and is a waste of time fishing unless you take the Going-to-the-Sun Road to the Packer's Roost area, which is approximately 20.8 miles. Even in this area the fishing is rated fair to poor.

Lake McDonald

General location: McDonald Lake is just inside the West Glacier Entrance and first viewed from the Apgar Village Center. The Going-to-the-Sun Road follows the southern shoreline, while the northern shoreline is traversed by trail from the Fish Creek Campground for 6.5 miles on the Lake McDonald Trail, where it meets the northern end of the lake at the end of the North Lake McDonald Road. Camp-ers who wish to camp at a backcountry site along this trail may camp 4.5 miles from Fish Creek Campground at the McDonald Lake site, which offers two camping sites close to the lake.
Boat access: Apgar Visitor Center and Lake McDonald Lodge
Maps: USGS Glacier National Park (ISBN 0-607-32671-9); Montana Atlas and Gazetteer, p.83
Fishing conditions and species: According to all the published reports, Lake McDonald offers poor fishing, which is due in part to a nutrient-deficient offering from McDonald Creek. The lake is deep, and it requires trolling from a boat with standard hardware for brook trout, bull trout, cut-throat, lake trout and whitefish.

Rogers Lake and Trout Lake

Directions: Turn left at the top end of McDonald Lake one-and-a-half miles above the lodge. Once you pass some private summer homes the road is quite primitive. The trailhead is a mile from the highway, but it does not offer any parking, except along the side of the road on a steep embankment above the lake. I had to drive another mile on a dark and narrow road until I could find a place to turn my truck around. Trout Lake is 3.7 miles from the trailhead. The trail is difficult as it climbs straight up two miles to the crest, and then it drops straight down 1.7 miles to Trout Lake. Two hiking fanatics left an hour before me and met me at the crest on their way back. They bragged about hiking to the lake in two hours and eight minutes. It took me three hours, which included a long break at the top, as I was exhausted and cursing the 90-degree heat. Both lakes have populations of cutthroats, but Trout Lake is restricted to fly fishing only and is considered the better of the two. A log jam blocks the lake outlet. If the fishing is slow in the lake, fish the shallow water behind the log jam. Look for dark depressions and fish those areas for easy-to-catch smaller cutthroats from 6 to 8-inches. I used small bead-head nymphs. (Back to the Going-to-the Sun Highway.)

Snyder Creek and Snyder Lakes: 9 miles

General location: Across the trailhead from Lake McDonald Lodge
Trailhead access: Snyder Creek is accessible from the Sperry Trailhead above Lake McDonald Lodge, but it is an over-grown, brushy creek holding small cutthroats and brook trout. The trail to Snyder Lake begins near the Going-to-the-Sun Road; follow the trail past the riding stables. After about a mile and a half, the trail to Snyder Lake continues past the Mt. Brown Lookout trail. Snyder Lake, nestled in a small valley, offers three backcountry campsites.
Hiking conditions: For the most part the 4.4 mile hike to Snyder Lake is a moderate hike through heavy vegetation and forests of stately cedars, larch and Douglas fir. Early in the season the trail can be wet and muddy.
Fishing species: Snyder Lake offers good fishing for small cutthroats in Lower Snyder Lake and the stream between the two lakes. Upper Snyder Lake is fishless.

Fish Lake

Accessed from the Snyder Creek Trail, Fish Lake is re-ally a small, shallow pond, which offers poor fishing for small cutthroat trout. Fish Lake is a little more than two miles from the trailhead.

Avalanche Lake: 14.7 miles

General location: Near Avalanche Lake Campground on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, Avalanche Lake attracts a large number of day hikers to one of the Park's mountain jewels. The hike offers spectacular forest green and a destination lake at only 2.9 miles.
Trailhead access: The trail begins at Avalanche Camp-ground. Be sure to take the Avalanche Lake Trail rather than Avalanche Trail. The Avalanche Lake Trail closely follows Avalanche Creek, which provides photo opportunities of carved rock, moss and moistened ferns from the mist and spray. At the head of the lake, Monument Falls provides a picturesque backdrop. The lake's opaque color stems from the glacial silt of Sperry Glacier.
Hiking conditions: The hike is a fairly easy climb and then ascent to the lake.
Fishing conditions and species: Day hikes of less than three miles tend to bring about heavier fishing pressure. Avalanche Lake draws large groups of both hikers and fishers. Nonetheless, the lake fishes well for small cutthroats. The best fishing, naturally, is far from the maddening crowd, which for some is out in the middle of the lake in a belly-boat.

Mineral Creek

General location: Off of the Going-to-the-Sun Road on a spur road to Packer's Roost
Maps: USGS Glacier National Park; Montana Atlas and Gazetteer, p.83
Fishing species: westslope cutthroat trout Easily accessed from the Going-to-the-Sun Road, Mineral Creek will not make my list of favorite little creeks. The creek is not prolific in its offerings of westslope cutthroats. Just looking at the carved and sculpted rocks, it is a wonder the creek doesn't have a higher fish mortality during spring run-off. Mineral Creek's cutthroats are found not in the open pools but in the nooks and crannies where they remain protected year round. It receives little fishing pressure, and nymphs seem to work best. But the creek is worth visiting just for its scenic beauty. The hike is along level ground, and it takes only an hour to reach the suspension bridge.
Directions: Drive 5.9 miles past the Avalanche Creek bridge. Turn left onto an unmarked dirt road. If you are coming from the Logan Pass Visitor Center, the access road is 1.3 miles from the tunnel. Follow the dirt road to the Packer's Roost Trailhead. Take the Flattop Mountain Trail about two miles to the suspension bridge over Mineral Creek. You may also follow Mineral Creek a half-mile to upper McDonald Creek, but the fishing there is said to be poor.

Hidden Lake

General location: Below the Logan Pass Visitor Center on the Going-to-the-Sun Road
Maps: USGS Glacier National Park; Montana Atlas and Gazetteer, p.84
Fishing species: Yellowstone cutthroat trout
Special restrictions: Fish caught in Hidden Lake and the outlet must be released. Hidden Lake is closed to fishing during spawning season.

Driving the Going-to-the-Sun Road to the Logan Pass Visitor Center is similar in popularity to driving to Yellowstone's Old Faithful. In truth, I join the masses each time on the boardwalk-guided tour, as it is breathtaking in beauty and offers great photo opps for mountain goats and people. Be advised, however, that the parking lot at Logan Pass Visitor Center often fills during July and August. Plan on arriving early in the day if you want to take the three-mile hike down to Hidden Lake, one of the highest lakes at 6,375 feet elevation. It is a moderately difficult trail that receives a great number of visitors and anglers each year. For that reason, the lake is restricted to catch-and-release. The lake does provide some good opportunities for casting to large Yellowstone cutthroat trout. Bear in mind that this is grizzly country.

Gunsight Lake: 6 miles

For those hardy hikers looking for a high-elevation, wind-swept lake, Gunsight Lake reportedly offers good fishing for nice-sized rainbows. The outlet creek also offers fun fishing for smaller rainbows. The lake offers eight camping sites so the fishing pressure late in the summer can be fairly heavy at the foot of the lake. The trailhead begins at the Jackson Glacier Overlook below Logan Pass on the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Follow the Piegan Pass Trail one mile down to Deadwood Falls. Continue following the Piegan Pass Trail another mile to its junction with the Gunsight Pass Trail. Take the Gunsight Pass Trail another four miles to the lake.

Otokomi Lake

General location: On the Going-to-the-Sun Road at the Rising Sun Motor Inn, 18 miles west of the Saint Mary Visitor Center

The trailhead begins in the parking lot of the Rising Sun Motor Inn; follow Rose Creek 5.1 miles to Otokomi Lake. If you do not have strong, youthful legs, consider this hike difficult. The trail provides a strenuous hike up through many switchbacks through stands of lodgepole pine and fir as well as meadows and open areas, which provide a food source for bears. The lake is said to provide fair to good fishing for cutthroats.

Eastern Entrance: Saint Mary

Saint Mary Lake, Saint Mary River

Like most large lakes, Saint Mary Lake is best fished from a boat. Typically, the best fishing is at the inlet, which is a boggy and difficult bushwhack from Going-to-the-Sun Road. The Saint Mary River above the lake contains mostly whitefish. Below the lake, the river is home to a variety of trout species as well as the voracious pike. A short section of the river at the lake's outlet to the bridge is popular.

Red Eagle Lake

Although Red Eagle Creek is generally considered to be bereft of fish due the scouring effects of spring run-off, Red Eagle Lake has a reputation for both scenic beauty and big trout. The trail is basically an easy hike, but the one-way trip is 7.8 miles. Four campsites are offered at both the head and the foot of the lake. You will locate the trailhead just south of the Saint Mary Lake Entrance. Just before the Entrance Station, turn south (left) on a paved road. Follow this road for about a half-mile, and then bear right to the parking area near an old ranger station. The trail offers spectacular scenery of snow-capped mountains and surrounding meadows with little elevation gain. Considered to be one of the more prolific lakes for large trout, Red Eagle Lake provides fishing for rainbows, cutthroats and hybrids. These trout are educated trout. Belly boats increase an angler's chance to land one of these beauties.

Eastern Entrance: Two Medicine

Take Two Medicine Road from Highway 49 to the entrance station. If you plan on fishing Lower Two Medicine Lake in the lower reaches, be sure to acquire a Blackfoot Indian Reservation fishing permit.

Glacier Park Boat Company offers boat excursions at Many Glacier, Rising Sun, Two Medicine Lake and Lake McDonald

Two Medicine Lake

Two Medicine Lake and its adjacent lake, Pray Lake, are less than 10 miles from the entrance station. The Two Medicine Trail follows the northern shoreline to No Name Lake or Upper Two Medicine Lake, a distance of 4.4 miles. Two Medicine Lake and Pray Lake hold good-sized brook trout and rainbow trout. Two Medicine Lake is a large lake, and high winds should be a concern for those fishing from a car-top boat or a belly boat. Both lakes hold good-sized brook trout for experienced lake fishers.

Upper Two Medicine Lake

Follow the trail 4.4 miles or cut your distance in half by taking the boat tour to the upper boat landing on Two Medicine Lake. Glacier Park Boat Company offers cruises at 9:00, 10:30, 1:00, 3:00 and 5:00, which provides plenty of time to fish and meet an afternoon departure. Upper Two Medicine Lake offers fair fishing for small brook trout. The trailhead starts in the campground. No Name Lake Trail is an optional hike, when you depart off the boat. No Name Lake is a small lake offering fair fishing for brook trout and rainbow trout.

Oldman Lake

Oldman Lake has a reputation for nurturing large Yellowstone cutthroat trout and bull trout. (Bull trout must be released.) The trail from Two Medicine Campground to the lake is nearly seven miles, which in my mind precludes listing it as a day hike.

Eastern Entrance: Many Glacier

Resembling the European Alps with its stunning vistas and four glaciers, Many Glacier Valley attracted visitors via the Great Northern Railway when Many Glacier Hotel opened in 1914, just four years after the formation of the Park. Branching out from the hotel, hikers, then and now, have a network of trails to choose from for their day's outing. The hotel offers trail rides, and tour boats run between the hotel and the upper end of Lake Josephine. Just outside the Park entrance, the town of Babb also offers visitor services and accommodations.

The Many Glacier Valley offers visitors the opportunity to view wildlife such as the powerful grizzly bear and the agile mountain goat and bighorn sheep. Fishing opportunities include the valley lakes as well as the backcountry lakes. However, some of the lakes, such as Upper Grinnell Lake, Iceberg Lake, Swiftcurrent Ridge Lake, Poia Lake and Cracker Lake, are barren or closed to fishing.

A short distance from Swiftcurrent Lake, at the end of the road, is the trailhead to Red Rock Lake. The hike to Red Rock Lake is three miles. It provides fishing for brook trout. A third trail from Many Glacier leads to Fishercap Lake, Iceberg Lake and Ptarmigan Lake. Fishercap Lake is a five-mile hike from Swiftcurrent Campground and provides fishing for brook trout and rainbows. Pass up the barren Iceberg Lake and plan on a hard five-mile hike to fish Ptarmigan Lake.

Lake Sherrburne

Lake Sherrburne is actually a reservoir and provides inconsistent fishing for pike and the occasional brook trout.

Swiftcurrent Lake

Attracting large numbers of people at both the hotel and the campground, Swiftcurrent Lake receives the most fishing pressure of the area lakes. The lake is home to brook trout and kokanee and the fishing is described as fair. Beginning a half-mile west of the hotel at a picnic site, Swiftcurrent Lake Trail #167 provides a self-guided nature trail that circles the lake. Crossing the foot-bridge over Grinnel Creek, Trail #180 branches off to take the hiker to Trail #171, which follows the southern shoreline of Lake Josephine.

Lake Josephine

Less than a mile hike from Swiftcurrent Lake, Lake Josephine provides fair fishing for brook trout and kokanee. Hikers may choose the South Shore Lake Josephine Trail starting at the hotel or the footpath along the north side of Swiftcurrent Lake to the upper Swiftcurrent boat dock and then westward to Lake Josephine.

Grinnell Lake

Lying above Lake Josephine, Grinnell Lake may be reached following the south shore of Lake Josephine or the northern shore. However, the fishing is said to be poor as a result of receding glacial flow from Grinnell Glacier.

Fishercap Lake

Just past the parking lot for the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn, Fishercap Lake is easy to reach but disappointing as a fishery, offering up small brook trout in a shallow lake. The inlet stream and the outlet stream offer better opportunities for faster action, albeit small fish. Fishercap Lake is the trailhead for Red Rock Lake and Bullhead Lake.

Red Rock Lake

Because of its two-mile hike from the parking lot of the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn, Red Rock Lake gets pounded with hardware and bait. It is said to be fair fishing for brook trout. The final lake in this chain of lakes is Bullhead Lake, which is only 3.3 miles from the parking lot. Again, the lake is reported as fair fishing for brook trout.

Belly River: Belly River Drainage

Elizabeth Lake, Cosley Lake, Glenns Lake, Mokowanis Lake

General location: The Belly River drains the northeast section of the Park. The river flows north into Canada. The closest community is Babb, which is nine miles north of the Saint Mary Entrance. Overnight camping requires a permit. Elizabeth Lake is the most popular backcountry destination both for its beauty and fishing opportunities. For this reason hikers are restricted to only one night at Elizabeth Lake.
Trailhead access: The trailhead is easy to locate as it is next to the Chief Mountain Custom Office on the border. The parking lot is large and includes a hitching rail and designated parking for stock trailers. Take Highway 89 from Saint Mary. About four miles north of the community of Babb, turn left on Route 17, the Chief Mountain International Highway.

Hiking conditions: From the parking lot high up on a ridge-line, the trail drops straight down a couple of miles to the Belly River. All of the trails to the above lakes are rated easy to moderate, with the exception of the two-mile drop to the Belly River. Except for the trail that follows the Belly River to the Ranger Station Campground, most of the time hikers are in and out of shade, which along with numerous little creek crossings makes the hikes very pleasant in warmer weather. The scenery is breathtaking.
Fishing species: The drainage contains rainbow trout, brook trout, lake trout, arctic grayling and whitefish.

Belly River

The Belly River flows through a lush, narrow valley until it reaches the Ranger Station and Gable Creek Campground. The jagged, snowcapped pinnacles provide a panoramic sweep of the valley's promise as the trail winds in and out of spruce, lodgepole and quaking aspen. Grass and wildflowers sway kneehigh, providing abundant forage for elk, deer and other wildlife. Just above the Belly River Ranger Station, the river splits with one fork leading to Elizabeth Lake and the other fork leading to Cosley Lake. As it is glacierfed, this little river rips up the streambed during spring run-off. In spite of the abundant insect presence during the summer, the river's cold rushing waters do not provide the best habitat. Fishing is reported to be fair, although it is good in its diversity of species offerings.

When the river drops in late summer in time for hopper fishing, the meadow sections reportedly fish well. I must confess that I did not fish it. I was just too pooped to fish when I reached Gable Creek Campground. Every backcountry angler I queried said the same thing: a day hike down to the Belly River would provide incredible scenery, absolute solitude and fair to good fishing for rainbow trout, brook trout and arctic grayling. From the trailhead to the Belly River Ranger Station and campground is 6.1 miles and offers a number of campsites as well as a stock area. Into this garden of paradise, pesky flies and mosquitoes greet hikers. Be prepared. Bring plenty of repellant during early summer. I found that a mosquito net over my head was perfect for those short trail naps!

Cosley Lake, Glenns Lake and Mokowanis River

Traveling 6.1 miles to the Belly River Ranger Station and Gable Creek Campground, the trail splits. From the ranger station to Elizabeth Lake is 3.5 miles. From this point to Cosley Lake is two miles, plus another six-tenths to the campground, a total of 8.7 miles from the trailhead. Just behind the campground, the trail crosses the Belly River via a one-person suspension bridge. A ford is marked just below the bridge. The trail climbs up the slope, eventually following the Mokowanis River. Just before the trail crests, hikers are treated with a view of the Gros Ventre Falls plunging 100 feet into a cauldron of foam and a deep green pool. Cosley Lake is beautiful, and campers are treated to their own beachfront campsites. Directly across the lake is the colorful and rugged Cosley Ridge. At the head of the lake towards Mokowanis Lake, Mount Merritt and Pyramid Peak provide huge patches of snow, along with cascading falls for picture-perfect photographs of Glacier grandeur.

Although Cosley Lake has a few trout, it is basically barren with the exception of some lake trout patrolling the bottom. The outlet of Cosley Lake and the Mokowanis River above the falls were equally disappointing. I talked to one Park biologist who was studying the lynx population, and he told me that all of the lakes connecting the Mokowanis River were either near barren or disappointing in fish counts and frequency of catches. The inlet to Cosley Lake provides the best fishing, but it has now been closed to protect nesting eagles. Glenns Lake, just above Cosley Lake, is also rated poor fishing. Mokowanis Lake, the last lake in this string of lakes, offers fair to good fishing for small brook trout. So, what does a hiker who is eager to catch some high-elevation trout do? Simple solution! From the foot of Cosley Lake, hikers may cross the outlet at the cable crossing and hike 3.7 miles to Elizabeth Lake.

Along the way you will be treated to another spectacular photo opportunity, Dawn Mist Falls.

Elizabeth Lake

In addition to the Big Hole River and a few other spots in Montana, Elizabeth Lake is one of just a few places in the lower 48 states where anglers can catch both rainbow trout and arctic grayling, and big ones at that! The lake is quite large, and most anglers concentrate at the foot of the lake and the inlet. The trout and the grayling cruise along the shelf where the clear, shallow water meets the impenetrable green-blue line of water, which is produced by glacial silt. Grayling and trout reaching 14 to 16 inches and larger ones are not uncommon. In addition to the mayfly hatch, I saw lots of caddis and stoneflies enticing lots of fish midday, in spite of the heavy winds. Look for some protected coves along the eastern side of the lake.

The western side of the lake may be reached from a suspension bridge. Looking down into the water from the bridge, anglers will observe four or five really large rainbows sipping on midges. They, of course, are quite aware of human presence as well and are very wary, not to mention irritated that they have to constantly slide over to the other side of the pool each time an excited angler discovers them. (Yes, I couldn't resist and made a couple of foolish casts from the swinging bridge. They nonchalantly ignored my offerings.)

Pauline and I packed up our two donkeys and met her son Dennis on the way up to the Park. I had secured a reservation early in the spring for one night at Gable Creek and two nights at Cosley Lake. Although I had asked for Elizabeth Lake, I was pleased to get so close to this most popular fishing lake. For the most part the donkeys behaved quite well. Because we had not stayed the night at Saint Mary or Babb, we reached the trailhead late, despite hitting the road at 6 am. This kept me from fishing the Belly River section by the campground that evening. If you are not a healthy, strong backpacker, I most certainly recommend staying the first night at Gable Creek Campground, which is only 6.1 miles from the trailhead. In retrospect, I would prefer to stay two nights at Gable Creek Campground and do a day hike to Elizabeth if I couldn't get a campsite the second day at Elizabeth Lake.

When Dennis and I reached Elizabeth Lake from our campground at Cosley Lake, the wind was blowing hard, producing small, choppy waves. Wading out into shallow water about 20 yards, I faced squarely into the wind. Having recently had arthroscopic shoulder surgery, I gave up after a few futile casts and retreated to a piece of shade. I was too tired to brood over our bad luck on facing hot dry winds, which thrashed the surface of the lake. Dennis looked at me sympathetically and went off exploring. (I am sure he made a silent vow not to be so out of shape at 55.) Dennis disdains all forms of fishing elitism and prefers to carry a two-foot Snoopy rod and reel. About a half-hour later he came back and said, “Sorry to disturb your nap, Dave, but I think you had better grab your rod and follow me. I found a spot where there are tons of fish. They follow my lure all the way in until they see me, but I can't get them to hit.”

I was instantly awake to the possibilities. Sore shoulders and blistered feet vanished. Dennis led me over to the first cove on the eastern shoreline, a quarter of a mile in sight of the campground at the outlet. Before I had even made my first cast, Dennis pointed out the cruisers swimming along the line where shallow water meets the deep blue. I had already had a Goddard Caddis on my line with a beadhead dropper. Within two or three casts I had caught a very large grayling on the nymph.

I quickly changed Dennis's Snoopy rig and put on a beadhead Prince nymph with two strike indicators and a swivel to add a little weight. Dennis began making 20-foot casts and caught both rainbows and grayling. After catching a number of fish, I offered Dennis my fly rod, as he had never used one before. His second cast along the shoreline threw a size 16 yellow Wulff pattern into the shallow water. The 16-inch rainbow shot right out of the shallows no more than six feet from the shoreline and snatched Dennis' offering. After Dennis released this beauty, my generosity and sharing quickly dissolved when I saw the size of his fish. I deftly snatched back my fly rod and went on to catch a lot of small and large fish before we had to head back down the trail. Dennis did quite well with his Snoopy outfit until the reel broke. The last fish he landed he brought in hand-over-hand. His only comment: “They don't make Snoopy rods like they used to.”

Saga: I Don't Mess with Moose

About a half-mile up the creek from the Mill Creek Trailhead, the Forest Service sign warned of an aggressive bear in the area. I had heard that the bear had been feeding on a dead moose. I decided to take my chances with the aggressive bear. If it had been a warning of an aggressive moose, however, I would have hastily left the area.

When I taught in Jackson, Wyoming, over 20 years ago, I once had a student walk in late to my first period class with a note from his mother. I had assumed he was a town kid, as he wore a baseball hat, a satin jacket promoting a local business and Nike shoes. His attire was not exactly the attire I attributed to a ranch kid. Later I found out that the kids in school with the cowboy attire lived out on five- to-10-acre “spreads” west of town.

The note read: “Dear Mr. Archer, Bill is late to class this morning because he was trapped under his truck by a mean, tempered cow moose.”

“You're kidding,” I said. “Nah,” the teenager drawled. “The worst part was when I dashed out to warm up the truck. I forgot to put on my coat. The moose charged, I dove under my truck, and she kept me there for about 20 minutes until my mom came out and shooed it away.”

For the rest of the class period in my sophomore English class, harrowing moose stories prevailed. Years later while floating on Rock Creek, I had a bull moose charge into the creek right after we silently floated past him. After some quiet reflection, my clients and I concurred that his stopping point would have been right in the middle of my raft had he decided to charge when we were abreast of him. And then a few years later I experienced my brush-with-death moose story.

If you have seen the movie The Ghost and the Darkness about two man-eating lions, you will recall the line when the white hunter says to the young engineer after he has had a close encounter with a lion: “You got knocked down. Now you got to stand up and decide what you're going to do about it.” I got knocked down too, but I don't want a rematch!

Unlike the brave engineer, moose will forever intimidate me. Pauline and my sons and I were camped out at the second hogback on Rock Creek during Memorial Day weekend. I was fishing alone on an island with Shadow, my black Labrador. When I came to a spot on the creek that was too deep to wade, I pulled myself up on the grass bank and pushed my way through the dense willow thicket. The creek was still to my left as I entered a small opening. I walked a couple of paces, and suddenly a cow moose struggled up from her bed, scattering dust like a cowpoke's pickup truck on a Saturday night.

I froze. Shadow froze. The moose pawed the ground. I let out a startled whoop and took off running. I saw an opening in the brush and jumped into the creek. I heard the snorts and grunts from the moose directly behind me. At any moment I was expecting a hoof to split me in two. The creek was only a foot deep when I landed. Unlike the protagonist in the adolescent novel Hatchet, the water's depth was not going to help me.

Across the narrow creek I observed a rock cliff with no trees. Down I went on the slippery rocks. I heard a terrible commotion in the brush. I turned around just in time to see the pawing moose chasing my Lab in circles around a thin willow bush. Poor Shadow. Her tail was tucked under her belly, her ears were drooped, and she was running around the willow in a sideways motion with her head turned towards the moose in askance. Shocked silent, she never let out a bark. Finally, the cow charged off, and Shadow meekly joined me at my side in the creek. She had silently stood her ground and saved my life as I ran away.

My sons accused me of story embellishment, but Shadow and I know. The following year, two anglers barely escaped a charging moose in the same area. Their dog stood his ground and was injured. Later that same summer, a cow moose killed a man as he crossed the street in a small town in the state of Washington.

I don't mess with moose.