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Red Eagle Trail
- Red Eagle Trail
4.7 miles elevation gain 300 feet to St Mary Trail Junction
No Shuttle Service
The first couple of miles on an abandoned dirt road
Scenic hike, Easy Hike if you just go for wildflowers
Strenuous hike based on length, moderate based on ascent
Red Eagle Trail
The start of this trail is off the beaten path in Glacier National Park. After entering Glacier National Park from the east side at St Mary, and after crossing the small bridge, but before going through the entrance station take the paved road on the left. Follow this road to the parking area at the trailhead for Red Eagle Trail. Beaver Pond Loop starts near the 1913 Ranger Station, the Red Eagle Trail starts nearer to the shore of St Mary Lake.
The trail follows the shoreline of St Mary Lake for a short distance. The start of this trail is WET and Muddy but soon turns into an abandoned dirt road. I haven't made it to Red Eagle Lake yet as the profusion of wildflowers in the first meadow after hiking through the trees takes all of my attention.
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Red Eagle Trail dries out early and has a diverse collection of wildflowers. In the past I avoided Red Eagle Trail, , but after hiking it in the summer of 2008 Red Eagle Trail has now been added to my list of trails that I want to do again. Potentially a great wildflower hike, also commanding views of the east side of Glacier National Park.
The abundance, or conversely the absence of wildflowers on the Red Eagle Trail is subject to the whims of rain, snow and drought. 2008 joined 2005 as a great wildflower year. Plenty of moisture but not of lot of sunshine for June 2010, so it's to early to tell as far as wildflowers go this year .
