Johns Lake glacier National Park © Shawn Coggins t.
  • Johns Lake Loop
       horse/hiker bridge replaced fall of 2007
       3.0 miles elevation gain 160 feet
       No Shuttle Service
       In Montana anything that holds water is called a lake!
       Study map first as trail signs are confusing on this trail
       easy hike

NPS Press Release Date: June 29, 2011 Contact: Ellen Blickhan, 406-888-5838 WEST GLACIER, MONT. – Aggressive behavior has been displayed by a mountain lion in the Upper McDonald Creek Valley near areas highly frequented by visitors. Rangers are requesting visitors to be on alert for mountain lions and report all sightings to the closest National Park Service (NPS) facility. On Tuesday June 23, a woman and her niece were confronted by an adult mountain lion, dark in color on the Sperry Trail near the Lake McDonald Lodge. The lion was crouched adjacent to the trail with its ears back when the visitors saw the lion. The visitors spoke firmly to the lion and eventually the lion left the area. On Sunday June 26, rangers received another report of a very large hiking group that encountered a mountain lion with a similar description on the Upper McDonald Creek Trail, between the North McDonald Road and the horse bridge across Upper McDonald Creek. The lion was spotted less than five feet off the trail and did not show any signs of being frightened by people. Rangers are actively patrolling these trails and are requesting visitors to report all sightings immediately to the closest NPS facility or Park Ranger. Visitors are also reminded that unlike bears, if an attack seems imminent, act aggressively, do not crouch or run away. Park Officials advise hiking in groups and do not recommend solo travel on trails.

Johns Lake Trail is one of the easiest trails in Glacier National Park. Almost half of the trail is also a horse trail so this trail gets torn up and muddy fast. Johns Lake Trail goes through a young Evergreen needle leaf forest composed primarily of cedar and hemlock trees. Most of the trees along this trail are just slightly older then Glacier Park. Very few low limbs are evident, Except along the shoreline of Johns Lake.




Johns Lake Trail forest floor glacier National Park © Shawn Coggins t.


The forest floor is mainly limited to moss except were a downed tree creates a break in the forest canopy. This break is quickly filled with young trees. On the east side of the trail is a mixed forest with large number of young cedar trees.

The west side of the trail starts at the small parking area above the falls on McDonald Creek. Follow the trail down to the new bridge across McDonald Creek and turn left after crossing the bridge. Horses have right of way on the bridge. Harlequin Ducks frequent the rapid waters around the bridge in late spring.

mcdonald creek from west shore glacier nationalpark © shawn coggins www.glacier hikers,com

The leading cause of visitor deaths in Glacier National Park is drowning!

This western part of the Johns Lake Loop ends on the North Lake McDonald Road. Go left at the road and cross over McDonald Creek again. North Lake McDonald Road dead ends into the Going To the Sun Road and the Johns Lake Trail head is a short walk to the right on Going To the Sun Road. Even though this trail is listed on the Glacier National Park Day Hikes in Glacier there is ONLY one trail sign that mentions Johns Lake Loop and that is located at the trailhead. For as heavily traveled as this trail is the signage is among the worst in the park. This trail is one of Ranger-Led trails, check the Ranger-Led Activity List.