Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Iceberg Lake Trail

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Hiking, Recreation Type
More than Full Day Time to Spend

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The Iceberg Lake Trail is a favorite among experienced hikers, who are treated to stunning views of Mount Wilbur, Iceberg Peak and the Continental Divide upon reaching the snow and ice-filled lake. The hike begins behind the cabins at Swiftcurrent Lake and shares the Ptarmigan Tunnel Trail for the first few miles, splitting off just past the Ptarmigan Falls. Hikers are rewarded with views of gorgeous alpine meadows in the spring and summer.

According to recent visitors, the trail is well-suited for avid hikers, and may be too difficult for casual travelers who are unfit, as the trail is mostly uphill. Many also enjoyed seeing grizzly bears, bighorn sheep and mountain goats along the way. Travelers said that late spring and early summer were the best times to see the floating icebergs on the lake, and cautioned that even in the summer, it can be cold or rainy. Some visitors even tried the "polar bear plunge:" a freezing post-hike dip in the lake.

You'll want to pack rain gear, hiking poles, water and a picnic lunch to enjoy lakeside. Several sections of the trail are known as prime bear habitats, so hiking in groups and carrying bear spray are recommended. The trail is free to access with your park admission. To learn more about the trail, visit the NPS website.

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#1 Apgar Nature Center Housed in a small cabin built in 1929, the Apgar Nature Center sits in a grove of cedar trees and is one of the official park visitor centers. The nature ... Read more » GlacierNPS / Flickr

#2 Lake McDonald Lake McDonald, the largest lake in the park, is the major hub of activity on the west side. Carved out by massive glaciers thousands of years ago, the valley is ... Read more » GlacierNPS / Flickr

Wirepec / Getty Images

#4 Going-to-the-Sun Road Going-to-the-Sun Road is a paved, two-lane highway that snakes through Glacier National Park, dividing the park into east and west regions and crossing the Continental Divide at Logan Pass. One ... Read more » GlacierNPS / Flickr

#5 Logan Pass The visitor center at Logan Pass is located in the middle of the park off the Going-to-the-Sun Road, less than 20 miles west of the St. Mary visitor center and ... Read more » GlacierNPS / Flickr

#6 Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park In 1932, Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada, and Glacier National Park partnered to create the world's first International Peace Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Both parks ... Read more » Wikimedia Commons

#7 Iceberg Lake Trail The Iceberg Lake Trail is a favorite among experienced hikers, who are treated to stunning views of Mount Wilbur, Iceberg Peak and the Continental Divide upon reaching the snow and ... Read more » GlacierNPS / Flickr

#8 Glacier Park Boat Company Tours This historic family-owned boat company dates back to 1938, when it became the first tour concession in the park. Its handcrafted wooden boats take visitors on narrated tours of Lake ... Read more » GlacierNPS / Flickr

#9 Grinnell Glacier Named for anthropologist and conservationist George Bird Grinnell, the Grinnell Glacier is one of the most-photographed attractions in the park. The Grinnell Glacier hike is a little more than 10 ... Read more » GlacierNPS / Flickr

#10 Highline Trail One of the most popular hiking trails in the park – and one of the most strenuous – the Highline Trail follows the Continental Divide and features stunning scenery of glacial valleys ... Read more » GlacierNPS / Flickr