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Explore: Cracker Lake

The trail is manageable for intermediate to advanced hikers

By Amanda Rubano
Cracker Lake in Glacier National Park. Amanda Rubano | Flathead Beacon

In the apex of summer, Cracker Lake illustrates the brilliance of the season. A hidden gem of Glacier National Park, the lake resides on the east side in Many Glacier. With water that glows an electric turquoise, the 6.3-mile hike in is well worth your while.

The towering, snow-marbled north face of Mount Siyeh creates a rounded wall on the south side of the lake, giving the feeling of utter seclusion. In the opposite direction stretches a sea of bright-green clearing and an iconic view of the canyon from which you came.

The out-and-back trail will keep you engaged the entire route. The spectacular views and colors of rivers, waterfalls, and lakes you passed on the way in, will equally impress you on your way out. Hikers heed the warning of a possible mucky trail for the first two miles, as horses share some of the trail on their way to the Cracker Flats.

With only two sets of switchbacks over the entire 6.3 miles, the trail is manageable for intermediate to advanced hikers. The Cracker Lake trailhead is located at the south end of the parking lot above Many Glacier Hotel.