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EXPLORE: Dawson Pass and Two Medicine Lake

By Beacon Staff

With the end of summer rapidly approaching, now is the perfect time to take another trip into Glacier National Park.

If you have a full day to spare, a hike to Dawson Pass on the east side is a day well spent. You can also combine it with an historic boat ride.

Located at 7,598 feet, Dawson Pass features outstanding views of nearby mountains and the remnants of the Lupfer Glacier.

Due to shrinking, this is no longer considered a glacier, but it’s still an impressive sight. Starting from Two Medicine Lake, board the Glacier Boat Company’s vessel, the Sinopah, for a quick trip across the lake to the trailhead.

Tickets are $12 and rides go until Sept. 8. But even if the boat isn’t running, you can still hike about three miles around the lake.

From the boat dock, hike about .75 miles to the Dawson Pass and Upper Two Medicine Lake trailhead.

The hike to the pass is another three miles.

How to get there:

From Kalispell, take U.S. Highway 2 87 miles east to East Glacier.

Take Montana Route 49 north about 3.5 miles to where the Two Medicine Road splits to the left.

Two Medicine Lake is seven miles beyond this point.