Glacier National Park: A Hike to Poia Lake at Many Glacier

Poia Lake in Glacier National Park

Sometimes the best things happen when you can't do what you originally intended to do. Many Glacier was full this weekend and the park service were making people turn around at the entrance.

But ... there was one parking space left at the turnout before the entrance and we decided to scrap our plans and do the hike that started right there at the entrance to Poia Lake.

It was a hell of a hike - 1,400 feet in elevation gain in the first mile, but well worth it. The trail went up up up and then down down down to Poia Lake, one of the prettiest lakes in Glacier. And all of the wildflowers were blooming. We've never been there before, and it turned about to be the perfect day to do it. And for the most part, we were the only people on the trail.

I highly recommend this trail. It’s only 8 miles long and will get you in shape with a lot of elevation gain and beauty.

Glacier National Park: A Hike to Cobalt Lake

The first time I hiked to Cobalt Lake was 24 years ago. I was working at East Glacier Lodge, making salads, and hiked any time I could. My fellow cold prep chef, Karis, who sometimes sang musicals with me to pass the morning hours assembling potato, or macaroni, or fruit salad, went with me to Two Medicine to hike the 5.7 miles up to the lake.

I remember the plants on the trail being so wet with rain that my pants were completely soaked and it was so foggy that we could barely see the lake when we got there. Still, it was beautiful, and we were in the wilderness, and it was one of my favorite memories of the summer.

Bear Grass smells like honey along the trail to Cobalt Lake.

I’ve since been to Cobalt Lake, or on the trail to Cobalt Lake, at least a dozen times. D. and I usually hike 4 miles up to a scenic lookout we call Anniversary Point and sometimes turn back from there, or other times hike up the remaining 1.7 miles, which are steep, and can be snow packed.

Rockwell Falls

The first 2.5 miles of the trail are a very easy, gradual uphill in the forest next to Two Medicine Lake. You’ll pass by a turnoff to Paradise Point on the lake, beaver ponds, open meadows, and a trail that leads to Aster Falls. Keep going unless you want a side tour. The signage at Aster Falls is somewhat confusing and we literally asked a blind man and his companion for directions once. Chalk that up to most embarrassing ask for directions ever, but he kindly gave them to us.

The beginning stretch of the trail which can be accessed from the visitor’s parking lot at Two Medicine Lake, near the boat ramp, is quite popular, but about 2.5 miles in as the trail reaches the very end of the lake and you have the option to turn and go left towards Cobalt Lake and Rockwell Falls, the crowds thin and you’ll have a lot of the trail to yourself.

Along the trail to Cobalt Lake

It’s 11.7 miles roundtrip and took us 6 hours to complete with about an hour at the top to sit and enjoy the scenery and enjoy a picnic. Make sure you avoid feeding the marmots and the squirrels at the lakes. This marmot took one of my hiking poles off into the brush with him when i wasn’t looking and had a good nibble!