- Iceberg Lake Trail
4.8 miles in elevation gain 1,200 feet
4.8 miles out elevation loss 1,200 feet
Crowds, heavily traveled trail.
Limited Shuttle Service One Trip Out a day
Moderate/Strenuous hike
NPS Trail Crew Report
Trail is POSTED for bear frequenting, 7/21/12
Jct. above Ptarmigan Falls to Iceberg Lake/ 2.1 mi.
Clearing of downfall will begin in June 2012
bridge installed 7/6/12
100% clear of snow to bridge
from the bridge to the lake 100% snow covered 7/6/12
6/16/12
60% snow cover with 5 steep snow slopes, ice axe recommended.
Water crossing right before lake is running swift at 1-2 ft deep. 6/16/2012
90% snow covered to Iceberg Lake, 6/8/2012
NPS Trail crew report from 5-7-12 Motel parking lot to jct. above Ptarmigan Falls/ 2.4 mi.
Initial clearing scheduled for: CLOSED due to bear. 5/4/12
Red Rock Falls on the Swiftcurrent Trail is an easy hike with great views.
Iceberg Lake Trail is one of the more popular trails in Glacier Park. Iceberg Lake Trail is usually a very crowded trail. Wildflowers can be spectacular on this trail. Iceberg Lake Trail is very frequently closed because of bear activity. This is a very active grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) corridor. The trailhead is behind the Swiftcurrent Motor Lodge, take the last right hand turn before the end of Many Glacier Road. There is a small parking area for Iceberg Trail. On most trails in Glacier Park bugs aren't a problem. Iceberg Lake Trail is usually a very buggy trail. The steepest part of Iceberg Lake Trail is at the trailhead, after the initial climb the trail ascends to Iceberg Lake very gradually. Bugs along with snowfall are setting new 'records' in Glacier Park this year!
2010/2011 was a record breaking heavy snowfall year!
Don't expect this trail to be clear of all snow until early August 2011!
2009/2010 was a light snow year.
2008/2009 was a heavy snow year. This trail wasn't completely clear of snow until mid July.
© Shawn Coggins 2005 Glacier National Park, Montana.
Iceberg Lake, no glacier.
July 20, 2005.
by mid August there were no icebergs
USGS photo Glacier National Park, Montana.
August 13, 1911.
USGS photo Glacier National Park, Montana.
Front of glacier at Iceberg Lake, showing crevasses.
August 13, 1911. Alden, W.C. 551
There is no longer a glacier at Iceberg Lake. Barely a permanent snow field.
Small Iceberg on Iceberg Lake, July 2005, compared to the icebergs in Upper Grinnell Lake these guys are ice cubes! Of all the trails I've hiked in Glacier Park this is the buggiest.
USGS photo August 25, 1920 Alden, W.C. 1040
Glacier National Park Montana.
View of southern part of the front of glacier at Iceberg Glacier, Glacier National Park Montana.
Showing vertical ice cliff, upturned dirt bands, and rock debris on surface.
Iceberg Lake July 2005 was for me the year of the flowers. The wildflowers below were taken on the meadow next to Iceberg Lake. The amount of wildflowers blooming varies greatly from year to year.
These flowers were taken on the Ptarmigan Tunnel Trail a few days before. I've lost track of how many times I've hiked the Iceberg Lake Trail. 2005 was the last year that I hiked Iceberg Lake Trail, trying to get to other trails that I haven't ever hiked.
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