Glacier National Park (West)

19^th August West Glacier Nat Park

We said our farewells to Larry and Penny and arranged to meet up again next weekend, over on the eastern side of Glacier NP when the two of them would be back in USA again.

We found a campsite which we thought was in West Glacier – it was actually 25 miles further down the road.  We booked in for 2 nights and then discovered there was a rail track less than 20 yards away!

We spent the afternoon in Glacier Nat Park by Lake McDonald, the largest of the lakes in Glacier at 10 miles long and 464ft deep.  We were surprised how many people were swimming in the Lake as the water was pretty cold as it is basically snow melt from the Glaciers.  Later on we drove around   When we got back to the campground we chatted to our neighbours from Washington.

the lake and saw a bear crossing the road; too far away for a photo opportunity.

20^th August Bowman Lake

Our plans to spend the day out with the kayak were not to be.  Ten trains came past during the night!  Neither of us got much sleep and Paul spent the morning in bed with a migraine.  However it did mean we got to chat to a couple, from Georgia, who were staying at the adjoining motel.  Whilst chatting Paul thought he saw something fairly big and black run through the campground.  Could it have been a bear?

We eventually went out for the afternoon and drove up to Bowman Lake on the west side of Glacier NP.  At least 50% of the drive was on dirt road.  We stopped at Polebridge Bakery for tea and a Huckleberry Bear Claw pastry.

Bowman Lake lived up to expectation; sun glistening off the glacier blue waters surrounded by mountains.  There were more people here than we’d expected as it was quite a drive up the dirt road but there was a campground here so many people were staying overnight.  Again many were in the cold waters.

Later in the evening we drove to Goat Lick Point were mountain goats have been seen coming to lick the minerals contained in the rock.  However there were none around today.