Backpack to Logging Lake

Backcountry camping is the best plan if you’d like to visit Logging Lake, and the primitive campsites lay at the end of a four and a half mile hike through some of the most unspoiled sections of the park. The trail follows logging creek most of the way to the lake traversing through a variety of landscapes to end up at the serene Logging Lake campsite.

The hike to Logging Lake takes you through fields of burnt trees, dense forests, and alongside rushing creeks on the way to one of the most isolated lakes in GNP. The campsite is one of the less popular ones in the park because of its remoteness, but lacks none of the beauty that the token sites in Glacier are known for. Even if you visit the lake in peak season there’s a good chance that you won’t encounter another soul on the trail (human at least…). The chances of viewing wildlife are increased by the isolation of the area and the wet environment provides a spectacular habitat for local wildflowers. Going for a morning swim in a crystal clear backcountry lake is one of the best ways in the world to start your day.

There is a $25 fee per car entering the park, which gives you access for 7 days. The lake is accessible for a greater part of the year because of its lower elevation, but if you do decide to go early in the season (late April-early June), be prepared for a muddy trail and swarms of mosquitoes. Bears are also very present in the area, especially in the late summer when berry season comes around. Camping reservations and backcountry permits must be acquired prior to your trip at the Apgar Visitor Center located just inside the west entrance of the park. No fires are allowed anywhere in the backcountry. If you plan on fishing, a Montana state fishing license is needed.