When we left home, we had blue sky and sunshine, but less than an hour later we found the McDonald Valley socked in with low clouds. The magnificent mountains that characterize Glacier National Park were hidden from view. The Park, however, is always beautiful.
According to the National Park Service:
Lake McDonald Valley is the hub of activity on the west side of Glacier National Park. Once occupied by massive glaciers that carved this area thousands of years ago, the valley is now filled with spectacular sights, hiking trails, diverse species of plants and animals, historic chalets, and the grand Lake McDonald Lodge.
Ten miles long and nearly 500 feet deep (152.4 m), Lake McDonald, the largest lake in the park, is a direct result of glacial carving. High peaks surrounding the lake all show evidence of the power of glaciers to carve even the hardest of rock. The powerful glaciers that carved the broad "u-shaped" valley that Lake McDonald sits in also carved smaller hanging valleys with wonderful waterfalls that are accessible by numerous hiking trails.
Shown below are some photos of the Lake McDonald area taken on December 18, 2020.
Road
At this time of year, the road is snowpacked and sometimes icy.
Lake McDonald
Signs
The scenic pull offs along the lake often have signs explaining the geology, flora and fauna, and history of the area.