Just a word on Glacier National Park — Growing up in Montana, I always thought that Glacier was one of the most magical places on earth and, after traipsing all over the U.S., I still stand strong in this assertion. Even though it was misty, rainy and cool the entire time we were in the park, it was a treasured thing for me to be able to share this place with Sean.
PICKS:
Two Medicine Campground
We pulled into Two Medicine early in the evening on a Tuesday and were very happy to find a campsite right near the lake, even if it was within smelling distance of the pit toilets. We were even happier when, on our way to pay for the site, a tremendously kind and friendly woman from Conrad, MT offered to give us her campsite because she needed to leave earlier than she and her friends had originally planned. At first, we thought she was just offering us the site (it was wooded (ours wasn’t) and was still near the lake) and we could pay her the $20 fee instead of dropping our registration fee off. When we went to hand our money, she refused and wished us a pleasant night. We spent a peaceful two nights there, reveling in the beauty of the lakes, mountains and wildflowers.
Attempted hike to Cobalt Lake
After spending a cozy night in the van listening to the rain fall on our roof, we awoke to a bit of sun and the urge to hike. We took off for Cobalt Lake (one of the many trails that start right near Two Medicine Campground), not deterred by the gathering dark clouds and light rain. The first mile took us over an hour (well less than half our normal pace) because we couldn’t keep ourselves from frequent stops to marvel at the mountain peaks shrouded in mist, the fields of wildflowers, the crystal clear raindrops on the trees and the lush green growing around each small pond. The rain, however, kept getting heavier, so we decided to increase our pace toward Cobalt Lake. With spirits high, we slogged on for another couple of miles, but when our socks were thoroughly wet from the happy splashing through the muddy creek of a trail, we decided to turn around before reaching the lake. Wet socks can put a damper on even the highest of hiking spirits. Despite not seeing the lake, I still have no reservations in saying this was a spectacular hike.
A night’s worth of drying off and warming up from our rainy hike had us ready to explore more of the park, so we embarked on a Going-to-the-Sun highway adventure. All along the way, the clouds seemed to break to the most spectacular views of rocky peaks, sparkling waterfalls and green valleys. We had visions of disappearing into the Montana wilderness for weeks of backpacking for the duration of the drive. If you can’t find us next summer, don’t come looking, just know we’re somewhere in Glacier, having the time of our lives.
Two Sisters Cafe outside Babb, MT
Recommended by my sister, Two Sisters Cafe is a great stop for sating the hunger that only comes after a vigorous hike in the mountains. Burgers, milkshakes, homemade potato chips and berry pie……oh, my!
So glad you liked Two Sisters. We haven’t been up to Glacier in quite a while. Work and the ranch keep us closer to Yellowstone, but your blog entry makes me remember all the great times I’ve had in the park. My favorites all center around lakes rather than peaks, however–playing at Lake McDonald as a kid and then, later with Sten, plunking our camp chairs into the lake (can’t remember which one) on a steaming hot August day and enjoying a beer. Glacier lake cool lasted me all the rest of the night.