Avalanche Lake Trail: Scenic Family Hike in Glacier National Park

Fairly easy out and back to see a gorgeous lake. The trail is incredibly busy. We arrived to the trailhead at 7:00 on a Tuesday in July and the parking lots were mostly full. There are a ton of people at the lake at the top- it kind of feels like a public beach! 😅

Beautiful trail, but the planning matters almost as much as the hike. Parking near the trailhead fills very early, so arrive with plenty of time and have a backup plan rather than waiting along the road. The Trail of the Cedars section is easy and scenic, but after the Avalanche Lake junction the path becomes narrower, rockier, and noticeably steeper, with roots and uneven footing. Avalanche Gorge is impressive, but the rocks beside the water are extremely slippery, so the safest views are from the maintained boardwalk and bridge. Much of the route stays shaded, although the rushing creek and blind bends make it important to stay alert and keep bear spray immediately accessible. The first lakefront is already a worthwhile destination. We continued farther along the western shore toward the head of the lake, which added roughly 1.4 miles round trip and gave us a different perspective of the basin. Before continuing, we checked the remaining daylight, weather, water, food, and our return pace. We stopped there for water, electrolytes, something salty, and a PROTABAR before heading back. It worked well as one compact part of the food we had packed, rather than being our only trail fuel. Overall, we would rate it moderate rather than easy. The scenery is outstanding, but expect crowds, parking pressure, wildlife awareness, uneven footing, and changing mountain weather.

Took 2 hours round trip exactly. Easy trail but many slippery places when it's raining. Should add some bridges and or wood planks. The lake at the end was beautiful. We saw a mama bear with 2 cubs when leaving the park 😍

Can be a challenge but go at your own pace and you should be able to make it to Avalanche Lake. There are some uphill climbs and steep inclines and declines but overall it is a nice rewarding hike. Walking sticks or ski poles may help with balance throughout the hike. Pack plenty of water for the roughly 4 mile round trip trek. It can be longer if you go to the opposite end of the lake to see all around it. Use caution and take bells, bear spray and horn just in case of wildlife in the area. Be cautious but enjoy it!

We actually ended up hiking this trail twice in one day. When we went in the morning, it was overcast and raining and you could barely see anything. The skies cleared later in the afternoon, so we decided to do it again and it was so worth it. The trail was very muddy because of the large amount of rain, but still easily traversible. So beautiful at the top.