Glacier National Park is replete with fine lakes. A new personal favorite as of this summer is Helen Lake. Flanked on three sides by the sheer faces of Ahern Peak, Ipasha Peak and the Ptarmigan Wall, the lake’s stony beach offers views that are as much a feast for the eyes as they are for the soul. Beaming blue and bright from its daily dose of glacial flour, Helen Lake sits at the headwaters of the Belly River, beckoning the sweaty backpacker for a dip in the warmer months. A relatively remote spot, Helen Lake is reached from the Belly River and Iceberg Lake trailheads, 14 miles and 15 miles away, respectively. The lake’s two backcountry campsites serve as a perfect staging area for off-the-beaten-path exploration, such as to the towering summit of Ahern. Moose, bears and goats all count themselves among the locals. The value of mountain lakes comes not only from the habitat they provide for wildlife, or from the clean water they send downstream, but also from the quiet refuge they offer for a cluttered human mind.
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