Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 2 2 122 we stopped there to photograph this glorious spectacle. First-time visitors to the park are often most impressed by the spectacular scenery in Many Glacier. The chalet-style ar- chitecture of Many Glacier Hotel, nestled against the shores of Swiftcurrent Lake, with the distinctive profile of Mount Gould dominating the skyline, instantly evokes visions of the Swiss Alps. An extensive network of trails emanates from this area and accesses such glaciated gems as Cracker, Grin- nell, Iceberg, and Josephine lakes. With research, this trail system facilitates backcountry itineraries that are equivalent to a seven-course dinner, one that samples the very best of this alpine paradise. Autumn offers an additional incentive to those planning a visit to this picturesque valley. Then framed by a colorful corridor of aspens and cottonwoods, Many Glacier Road becomes a yellow-leafed beacon to the high country. Less heavily trafficked than its counterpart in Many Gla- cier, Two Medicine Road covers 7.8 miles from its junction with Looking Glass Road to the large parking area on the east shore of Two Medicine Lake. Aspen stands on the east- ern half of this route, including those adjacent to Lower Two Medicine Lake, produce impressive fall color. Views from Two Medicine Lake, with Sinopah Mountain towering be- yond its western shore, are always stunning, but only a few shoreline cottonwoods there accentuate predominantly coniferous forests. However, trailheads for the Dawson-Pi- tamakan Loop and Two Medicine Pass trails, which rank among Glacier's finest, are nearby. Both trails feature long, challenging climbs and spectacular views from points on the Continental Divide. Aaron Theisen, author of Day Hik- ing Glacier National Park and Western Montana, describes terrain visible from the highest portion of the Dawson-Pita- makan Loop in eloquent but graphic terms: "If Glacier Na- tional Park is the backbone of the world, this is the giant's skeleton laid bare." Montana Route 49 is, for leaf peepers, one of Glacier's unheralded gems. Known locally as Looking Glass Road, this highway begins at East Glacier Park and ends at Kiowa Junction, twelve miles to the north. For much of its length, adjoining topography is virtually carpeted with aspens. In- deed, aspen stands along this road exhibited the greatest color saturation of any that we observed during our 2021 trip to Glacier. Views of fall foliage are particularly impressive when you crest the ridge traversed by this route and look to the east, where lowlands protected from the wind are heavily covered by a mosaic of aspens in island-like patterns. Road

• Cover