Howe Lake Trail

Off the beaten path in an obscure corner of Glacier National Park, the hike to Howe Lake does not have the spectacular mountain and glacier views of the more well-known trails. What it does offer is the solitude of a lightly-traveled route that leads to a lovely lake with distant views of the high peaks around Going-to-the-Sun Road. The road to the trailhead is dirt, but it is passable with a passenger car. There are some steep drop-offs and bumpy spots. The trail runs through some areas that were burned several years ago, and typically the fireweed is rampant. There is not much climbing, and the trail is easy to follow. There are two Howe Lakes, the lower and upper closely spaced with a swampy area between. The trail becomes obscure just past the first lake, and this is a good place to turn around. The lakes are lovely and are set in a wet area that stays very green late in the summer with lots of wildflowers.