Upper Two Medicine Lake Trail Glacier National Park

Upper Two Medicine Lake Trail
   trailhead is 0.5 miles from Fish Creek Campground
   Upper Two Medicine Lake Nature Trail starts 0.6 miles from Trailhead
   1.1 miles elevation gain 84 feet
   Total distance is 2.7 miles Round Trip
   Inner North Fork Road
   Look for large gravel piles
   No Shuttle Service
   Limited parking at trailhead
   great views from Upper Two Medicine Lake
   Easy hike

by Bill Schneider

The Inner North Fork Road opened June 19, 2009 from Fish Creek to Polebridge. Then the Inner North Road partially closed in June 2010, and reopened again in early July, 2010. Over the last few years this stretch of the Inner North Fork Road has been closed more often then it is open. In 2010 the Inner North Road opened the earliest it had in a decade, then closed again due to flooding. The Inner North Fork Road is currently closed at the Upper Two Medicine Lake Trailhead as of June, 2011.

Upper Two Medicine Lake Trail is a easy hike with nice views at Upper Two Medicine Lake of Mount Brown and Edwards Mountain across Lake McDonald. Getting to the Trailhead for Upper Two Medicine Lake is a little tricky. At the 'T' intersection north of the west entrance to Glacier Park take a left on Camus Road. Cross the outflow from Lake McDonald and heard up Camus Road As you go up look for sings on the right for Fish Creek, turn right onto Fish Creek Road and stay to the left. You will come to a divided section of the road there is a small building on your right and in front of you is the entrance to Fish Creek Campground. Circle back towards were you were coming from and immediately turn right onto the dirt road known as the Inner North Fork Road. You will come to a gravel pit on your left, pull into the parking area in front of the gravel piles and park. The trailhead is in the right hand side of the road just before you entered the opening for the gravel pit.

Upper Two Medicine Lake Trail aka as Lake McDonald Trail meanders through the woods and descends to Fish Creek then after crossing Fish Creek ascends up the hill towards the shore of Lake McDonald. As of 6/20/11 bear grass was starting to bloom along the trail. The Upper Two Medicine Lake Nature Trail starts at this intersection of the Lake Mcdonald Trail coming from Fish Creek Camground nad the Lake McDonald Trail comming from Inner North Fork Road. These trails travel together for awhile. After leaving Upper Two Medicine Lake the combined trails go uphill for a short ways. The Lake Mcdonald Trail goes downhill along the shore of Lake Mcdonald, while the Upper Two Medicine Lake Trail loops back to were you first met up with the Lake McDonald Trail. After looping back take the trail to the right back towards the Inner North Fork Road. The Upper Two Medicine Lake Trail forks to the right JUST AFTER the two photo displays about the Roberts Fire.


OK Make sure you look for this trail sign with the yellow tape spiraling down the post. If you started this trail on the Inner North Fork Road take the right branch. If you started this trail in Fish Creek Campground take the left fork. Traill signs with yellow tape spiraling down the posts mean that LOTS of people take the wrong fork.

A slow hikers guide™Upper Two Medicine Lake Trail Glacier National Park