Glacier National Park [Montana]United States. Department of the Interior
History
Glacier National Park [Montana]
United States. Department of the Interior
Glacier National Park (Mont.)
The possibility of seeing and studying wildlife is best in the Many
Glacier region. Except during midsummer, mountain sheep are commonly
seen at close range around the chalets or in the flats above Lake
Sherburne. Throughout summer they are high on the slopes of Mount Altyn
or Henkel. Mountain goats are often seen clinging to the precipitous
Pinnacle Wall on the way to Iceberg Lake, or on Grinnell Mountain while
en route to Grinnell Glacier, or on the trail to Cracker Lake. Black
bears and grizzlies occasionally visit the grounds near the hotel.
Conies are to be heard bleating among the rock slides back of the
ranger station along the trail to Iceberg Lake, or near the footpath
across the lake from the hotel. Early in the morning, or at twilight,
beavers are frequently seen swimming in the lake. Marmots are common in
many valleys near the hotel and auto camp. Deer infrequently visit the
region. Hikers, horseback riders, and rangers have reported seeing such
rare animals as foxes, wolves, and lynxes. Without moving from one's
comfortable chair on the veranda of the hotel one may watch the ospreys
soaring back and forth over the lake in quest of fish. These graceful
and interesting birds have their huge nest on top of a dead tree across
the lake from the hotel. The pair of birds return annually to the same
nest. Beside Swiftcurrent Falls, two families of nesting water ouzels
may be studied at close range.
BELLY RIVER VALLEY, WATERTON LAKE, AND GOATHAUNT
Though much like Swiftcurrent Valley in topographical make-up, the
Belly River district is much wilder and more heavily forested. It is
accessible by trail only from Many Glacier over Ptarmigan Wall or from
Waterton Lake over Indian Pass. These, with spur trails to Helen and
Margaret Lakes, make up the principal trail system. The Glacier Park
Saddle Horse Co. maintains a comfortable mountain camp on Crossley
Lake, where food and lodging are available at reasonable rates. Fishing
is good in the lakes of the Belly River country. The 33-mile trip from
Many Glacier to Waterton is one of the finest to be taken in the park.
Crossley Lake Camp is approximately midway.
The International Waterton Lake and the northern boundary line of
Glacier National Park mutually bisect each other at right angles. Mount
Cleveland rises 6,300 feet sheer above the head of the lake. Waterton
Lake townsite, Alberta, is located at the foot. It is reached by
highway from Glacier Park, Babb, Cardston, Lethbridge, Calgary, and
points in the Canadian Rockies. The modern Prince of Wales Hotel,
several other hostelries, cabin camps, garages, stores, and other
conveniences are in the settlement. A 12-mile spur highway leads to
Cameron Lake, another international body of water on whose northern
(Canadian) shore is a fine example of a sphagnum bog. Another winding
road leads to a colorful canyon known as "Red Rock."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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