5 star (like most glacier hikes!). Be sure to check the hillsides for wildlife. I suspect this hike is pretty crowded in summer but mid October we pretty much had it to ourselves, including some great fall colors. I know weather can be iffy this time of year but we really enjoyed the breeze, the fall colors and the solitude out on the trails. A lot of businesses were closed but enough was open for us to find gas, food and a place to stay (red eagle) without trouble.
Great easy hike! 10 miles round trip but most of it is pretty level, with a beautiful payoff when you reach the iceberg lake. We did not see much wildlife on the trail but it was posted for bear activity.
My husband and I started up the Iceberg Trail right around noon. The first part of the trail is the steepest, while for the majority of the trail the elevation gain is gradual. The round trip mileage is about 9 (probably more or less depending on where you park) and elevation gain is just under 1200 feet. The views from the trail are nice; the Iceberg Lake is spectacular. We ate lunch by the lake and tested the waters (very cold, cannot stand in there more than a few seconds without going numb). We headed down in the afternoon, which is when we encountered the bears. The first was a grizzly uphill from the trail, some people ahead of us spotted it. The next two were black bears that were close to the trail (they were in the bushes and we did not see them until walking right past). We had our bear spray out, but did not have to use it. After we finished the trail, some people that were 10 minutes behind us encountered a mother grizzly and cub sitting on the trail. Make sure you educate yourself about bears before hiking this trail.
We cheated- we came in by helicopter but this is truly an amazing lake to see with the icebergs floating within! do it !!! The best realization of what was and is present day GNP!
This is a fairly small lake at the end of a pretty strenuous hike and has small icebergs floating in the lake all summer. This lake is in Glacier National Park on the East side and if you're got an entire day, the hike is very much worth it.
This was a difficult hike especially as you got closer to the Ptarmigan Tunnel. The views of the falls and Iceberg Lake where fantastic. Like everyone else has said this area is the prime bear habitat and we did happen to see a bear not on the trail but, up higher on the mountain than we were. Bring plenty of water we did not bring any but, we did have a couple falls along the way that we drank from and did not get sick.
This is a great hike. I have been to Glacier NP a number of times but this was my first time doing Iceberg Lake. It is an easy 10 mile RT hike with pretty brooks, waterfalls,and mountain vistas en route and world class scenery at the end. There is a bit of up hill in the beginning but it is generally level. Despite eager anticipation and many signs no bears were spotted.
A wonderful day hike started from the front door of our Swiftcurrent cabin. Unlike some hikes that the highlight is the destination itself this hike brings astounding views all along the trail. The lake itself is littered with small chunks of ice and is just so very serene and a great stop to rest and have some lunch. This hike and the neighboring Grinnell glacier hike are the crown Jewell of hikes in the many glacier area. JUST DO IT!
Beautiful scenery, alpine meadows, waterfalls, wildlife and a lake with icebergs... You just can't go wrong. This is a great hike with an elevation gain of about 1200 feet over 5 miles. It is never too strenuous and it is always scenic. And the iceberg lake at the end of the trail is the perfect spot for a picnic. We encountered two moose on the trail so definitely make noise to keep the wildlife alert to your presence. Also, there are two pit toilet locations along the trail.
This trail starts out with a easy hike through the Trail of the Cedars. The goal is Avalanche Lake, and there are pretty small waterfalls along the way. It's a nice hike for a "rest day" before you tackle something like Sperry Trail.