Feeling a little sore, and tired of the long drive up the Going to the Sun Road, we opted for an easier hike – both in difficulty and location. Additionally, we wanted something less traveled. Some peace, quiet, and isolation were in order.
We choose the McDonald Creek Trail at the northern end of Lake McDonald. It was a great choice – we were the only vehicle in the parking lot and we probably saw at the most 10 people on our 5 mile trip. The best.
The trail traveled alongside the creek with roaring water as peaceful choir. It was chilly and beautiful. Relatively flat, we meandered through the forest, admiring the ancient trees stretching straight up above us towards the sun. This forest is the easternmost most range of the western hemlocks. Some of the hemlocks and cedars are 500 years old and reach 100 feet into the air. It was quite amazing to think about how time passes and how our life is so short in comparison to certain things in nature.
We also were delighted with wildlife again on our walk. This section of the park is protected harlequin duck nesting territory. While we didn’t see any ducks, we did see signage marking restricted areas to provide them with peace. A little further on, my mom all of the sudden whisper yelled, “Paul, Shannon!” and waved for us to take a few steps back. She had spotted a moose! Down in the marshy swamp area, through the trees, a young moose was standing in the water, gulping up the fresh water and eating some plants. We were able to stand and admire it for a while, before it slowly loped off into the distance for the rest of its day. Another animal on my list checked off!
The path from here continued to wander through the forest, down a path that turned soft under our feet. The forest floor was covered in lime green moss, reminded me of a magical fairy land.
Eventually we reached the end of the trail and wandered down to the water. A series of rock outcroppings lined the shore and we found a good spot to rest and warm ourselves in the sun. I laid down, with hat, gloves, and coat still on, to bath in the warmth of the rays. We enjoyed the small waterfall and glacial potholes carved out from many seasons of rushing water after the winter melt. We hung out here for a while, and my dad even dozed off while sitting next to the waterfall. Only Paul Tonelli would manage that!
Feeling rejuvenated and relaxed, we enjoyed the walk back, shedding a few layers as the sun warmed up the earth. Many people had come out to enjoy the small creek beaches near the beginning of the trail, but we had had plenty of alone time so we didn’t mind.
This part of the park was different from the mountains we had previously explored, but equally fulfilling. It was a great way to enjoy the outdoors while resting our muscles. Glacier National Park hasn’t disappointed at any turn yet.
Tonelli's Travels 